Metal By Numbers is a weekly column in which we look at the top metal sellers and debuts of the week.

“When The Pick Of Destiny was released it was a bomb. And all the critics said that the D was done,” Jack Black sings on the title track to Rize Of The Fenix. Well Tenacious D don’t have to fear about that happening, as their third studio album has an impressive first week. Selling well over 44,000 copies, Rize Of The Fenix premiered at #5, marking their highest ranking debut. Granted, it’s only three spots higher than The Pick Of Destiny’s debut chart position. However, considering that it’s been six years since that album’s release, as well as the movie of the same name’s poor reception in the box office, we’d say that JB and KG have a lot to celebrate.

 

Notable Debuts:

Tenacious D, Rize of the Fenix (Columbia) #5, $44,380 sold
Making this debut even more impressive is the fact that Tenacious D leaked the album themselves two weeks before its release.

 

Godsmack, Live & Inspired (Universal) #19, 16,500 sold
Say what you will about Godsmack, but their live album (with a few covers) has an impressive first week. Then again, all of their studio albums since 2003’s Faceless have debuted at #1, so it’s hard to say what this debut means.

 

Shadows Fall, Fire From the Sky (Razor & Tie) #37, 10,130 sold
The Massachusetts metalcore band’s seventh studio album (and first via Razor & Tie) falls roughly 3,000 copies short of what 2009’s Retribution sold in its first week. With that said, it’s still an impressive first week for Shadows “Mother-Fucking- Goddamn” Fall, especially considering that it’s been three years since their last album was released. Plus, the album is pretty damn good.

 

Pantera, Vulgar Display of Power [Deluxe Edition Re-Issue] (Rhino) #48, 9,070 sold
20 years ago, Pantera’s classic album debuted on the charts at #44. And now the re-issue has entered the charts just a few positions behind.

 

Notable Sales:

Shinedown, Amaryllis (Atlantic) #52, 7,550 sold
A 30% decrease in sales is enough to kick Shinedown out of the top 50.

 

Marilyn Manson, Born Villain (Cooking Vinyl/ Downtown/Hell, Etc.) #58, 6,700 sold
Another 45% decrease in sales for the (one time) king of shock rock after only three weeks on the charts. Not looking too good for Manson.

 

Halestorm, The Strange Case Of… (Atlantic) #85, 4,680 sold
Lzzy Hale and co. are about to embark on a carnival of madness with Evanescence and Chevelle.

 

Five Finger Death Punch, American Capitalist (Prospect Park) #91, 4,280 sold
Despite a 5% decrease in sales, FFDP jump up the charts by seven spots.

 

Van Halen, A Different Kind of Truth (Interscope) #109, 3,240 sold
So much for seeing Van Halen live this Summer.

 

Foo Fighters, Wasting Light (RCA) #141, 2,490 sold
Not only did we get to see the Foo Fighters perform with Mick Jagger on Saturday Night Live this past weekend, but we also got to see Dave Grohl’s standup routine in a web-exclusive skit.

 

Volbeat, Beyond Hell/Above Heaven (Universal) #143, 2,470 sold
The Danish rockabilly metal group should expect another nice bump in sales next month thanks to Orion Music & More.

 

Korn, The Path of Totality (Roadrunner) #183, 1,950 sold
After a nice jump in sales last week (likely thanks to their mini-reunion with Brian “Head” Welch), Korn experience a 41% decrease in sales, dropping down the charts by 46 spots.

 

Otherwise, True Love Never Dies (Century Media) 1,600 sold
Guess their opening stint on Lacuna Coil’s tour last month didn’t help too much, since the hard rock group got kicked out of the top 200 thanks to a 59% decrease in sales.

 

Sleep, Dopesmoker (Southern Lord) 990 sold
A 26% decrease in sales is not that bad for the re-release of the stoner metal legends’ genre-defining album.

 

Cattle Decapitation, Monolith of Inhumanity (Metal Blade) 930 sold
The death grind group get kicked out of the top 200 thanks to a 61% decrease in sales.

 

At The Skylines, The Secrets To Life (Roadrunner) 570 sold
A 77% decrease in sales kicks the metalcore group’s debut album out of the top 200

 

John 5, God Told Me To (Rocket Science) 560 sold
John 5 may have experienced a 44% decrease in sales, but at least he’s still got his gig with Rob Zombie.

 

Dee Snider, Dee Does Broadway (Razor & Tie) 540 sold
The Twisted Sister frontman’s Broadway covers album might have experienced a 41% decrease in sales after two weeks, but at least he’s making some dough from commercials.

 

Prong, Carved Into Stone (Long Branch) 530 sold
In addition to Cradle of Filth’s Dave Pybus, Prong have been playing with numerous bassists as of late.

 

Torche, Harmonicraft (Volcom) 500 sold
After four weeks, the sludge rock group have sold less than 5,000 copies of their latest album.

 

Upon A Burning Body, Red. White. Green. (Sumerian) 440 sold
Upon A Burning Body’s time on the charts is slowing down, but their extensive touring schedule should keep them selling records.

 

Moonspell, Alpha Noir (Napalm) 400 sold
A 49% decrease in sales for the Portuguese goth metal group after two weeks on the charts.

 

God Forbid, Equilibrium (Victory) 370 sold
Another 19% decrease in sales for the NJ metal group.

 

3 Inches Of Blood, Long Live Heavy Metal (Century Media) 360 sold
The Canadian metal group released a killer tribute to Dio last week.

 

Huntress, Spell Eater (Napalm) 350 sold
The former Playboy model singer and co. experience a 49% decrease in sales after two weeks on the charts.