Metal By Numbers is a weekly column in which we look at the top metal sellers and debuts of the week.
It’s an indie rock kinda week on Billboard’s charts, as Black Keys, Band of Horses, and LCD Soundsystem debut inside the top ten. As far as metal, you’ve got to go all the way down to #112 to find a debut. Exodus hit that spot, selling an impressive 4,500 copies of Exhibit B: The Human Condition. Cynic, A New Revolution, and To Speak of Wolves rounded out the debuts this week.
Notable Debuts:
Exodus, Exhibit B: The Human Condition (Nuclear Blast) #112, 4,500 copies
Take a second. Look up at that album cover. Pure genius.
Cynic, Re-Traced (Season of Mist) 750 copies
This remixed, stripped down EP featuring songs mostly from 2008’s Traced In Air contains one new song.
To Speak of Wolves, Myself > Letting Go (Tooth & Nail) 600 copies
This band is from North Carolina. I don’t know what else to say about them than that.
Anew Revolution, Imerica (E1) 450 copies
Remember Unloco and Slaves on Dope? These guys would probably rather you didn’t now. The band, which features alumni of both of those bands, just released their second album.
Notable Sales:
AC/DC, AC/DC: Iron Man 2 (Columbia) #8 48,000 sold
So far, the movie’s made $255 million and the soundtrack has sold over 260,ooo. Hope they’re ready for Iron Man 3.
Godsmack, Oracle (Universal) #12 27,000 sold
They’re not doing the best they ever have, but they won’t go away.
As I Lay Dying, The Powerless Rise (Metal Blade) #27, 13,000 copies
Over 50k sold in two weeks, and a relatively modest 66% second week drop.
Deftones, Diamond Eyes (Reprise) #31 12,500 sold
This will cross 100,000 next week.
Bullet For My Valentine, Fever (Jive) #36, 11,000 sold
Up to 120,000 sold in four weeks.
Slash, Slash (Dick Hayd) #55 7,200 sold
The album takes a 17% jump up, and has sold almost 125,000 copies so far. Which is way less than what Chinese Democracy sold.
Five Finger Death Punch, War Is The Answer (Prospect Park) #138 3,500 sold
Inching up towards 250,000 sold.
Sevendust, Cold Day Memory (7 Bros.) #150 3,300 sold
They’ll likely hit 50,000 sold next week, which isn’t too shabby for six weeks in.
Motley Crue, Greatest Hits (Motley Records) #157, 3,100 sold
Shout at the devil? More like shout at people and ask why they’re buying the same hits over and over again. Good for the Crue though.
Coheed and Cambria, Year Of The Black Rainbow (Columbia) #165 3,000 sold
Another sales decrease like last week and this will fall off the 200 next week.
Alice In Chains, Black Gives Way To Blue (Virgin) #175 2,700 sold
This album is now certified gold. Which basically means it’s not gold yet.
Drowning Pool, Drowning Pool (Eleven-Seven) #183 2,600 sold
This album marks the first time the band’s had a singer for more than one album!
Slipknot, All Hope Is Gone (Roadrunner) #199 2,300 sold
Look for sales on this one to blow up next week.
We Came As Romans, To Plant A Seed (Equal Vision) 850 sold
This keeps selling consistently, and will hit 30,000 sold soon, or an average of 1,000/week.
War of Ages, Eternal (Facedown) 700 sold
Do I have anything to say about these guys? Maybe next week.
Brian Posehn, Fart and Wiener Jokes (Relapse) 550 sold
Brian Posehn’s second album has sold over 5,000 copies. Is that good for a comedy album?
Veil of Maya, ID (Sumerian) 550 sold
Sumerian have definitely made a name for themselves as a label in the past few years.
John 5, Art of Malice (Rocket Science) 500 sold
The best guitar player named after an adorable robot in an ’80s movie franchise ever.
Seasons After, Through Tomorrow (Dirtbag) 500 albums
They have a cover of “Cry Little Sister” from Lost Boys. That’s the first time we thought about either in years.
Periphery, Periphery (Sumerian) 570 sold
Do hardcore fans that are also ironic hipsters call them “perif?”
Beneath the Sky, In Loving Memory (Victory) 500 sold
Really guys? That’s the best name you could come up with? What isn’t beneath the sky?
Atilla, Rage (Artery Foundation/Razor & Tie) 450 sold
A pretty sizable 72% drop from last week.
Avantasia, The Wicked Symphony (Nuclear Blast) 400 sold
I don’t know why, but that album title sounds like an ICP one to me.
Baroness, The Blue Record (Relapse) 400
Are they getting some of that Mastodon crossover? Either way, the album’s sold 25,000 so far, which is nothing to sneeze at.
