Metal By Numbers is a weekly column in which we look at the top metal sellers and debuts of the week as well as what’s getting played at Metal radio courtesy of radio trade magazine FMQB, whose metal panel consists of about 80 college and commercial stations that have metal shows, as well as SiriusXM, Music Choice, and more.
The top metal debut this week belongs to one of the most legendary metal bands ever. Ask any group – This is Spinal Tap is required viewing. The 1984 “documentary,” covering the titans on their Smell the Glove album release cycle, stands head and shoulders above more recent documentaries like Some Kind of Monster, Anvil! The Story of Anvil and Flight 666. Their latest album, Back From the Dead, proves that they are just that. Meanwhile, DevilDriver make a quick run up to the top slot this week at Metal radio.
Notable Debuts:
Incubus, Monuments and Melodies (Epic) #5, 70,000 sold
Not metal, but their first album was heavy, and they did do an Ozzfest, so they have a little metal cred left over.
Spinal Tap, Back from the Dead (Artist 2 Market) #52, 10,000 sold
I guess they are back from the dead, considering this is their first album since the early ’90s.
Brokencyde, I’m Not A Fan But The Kids Like It (Breaksilence) #87, 6,300 sold
At least Spinal Tap know they’re a joke.
Amorphis, Skyforger (Nuclear Blast) 1,300 sold
The band’s third album with singer Tomi Joutsen has a pretty good debut.
Enter Shikari, Common Dreads (DCG) 700 sold
The English metal/trance band’s sophomore album has a good debut, considering they’re not exactly a household name stateside.
Sworn Enemy, Total World Domination (Century Media) 550 sold
The kid-tested, Jasta-approved band makes the jump from Stillborn to Century Media.
Notable Sales:
Chickenfoot, Chickenfoot (Redline/Fontana) #7, 43,000 sold
Michael Anthony has a hit album that’s been in the top ten for three weeks now. It almost makes up for the travesty of being left off the upcoming Guitar Hero Van Halen in favor of Wolfie.
Hollywood Undead, Swan Songs (Octone) #54, 9,900 sold
When their debut album came out nearly a year ago, the band had hardly played any shows. Now they’re road vets, which has gotta count for something.
Marilyn Manson, The High End of Low (Interscope) #80, 6,600 sold
Four weeks, 80,000 sold. Is that good?
Iron Maiden, Flight 666: Original Soundtrack (Columbia) 5,400 sold
…Let him who hath understand reckon the number of the beast, for it is a human number, and its number is five thousand four hundred…
Metallica, Death Magnetic (Warner Bros.) #112, 5,000 sold
A nice 14% increase, possibly due to the tour announcements.
Disturbed, Indestructable (Reprise) #120, 4,700 sold
Another uptick in sales for the band, who post a 5% increase from last week.
AC/DC, Black Ice (Columbia) #152, 3,700 sold
Their tour announcement and a new single at rock radio is likely fueling sales. That, or people keep ducking into Wal Mart for something and realizing they haven’t been significantly rocked.
Slipknot, All Hope is Gone (Roadrunner), #158, 3,600 sold
They’ll be hitting the midwest and northwest with Anthrax, which marks the first time I’m jealous of anyone that lives there.
The Devil Wears Prada, With Roots Above and Branches Below (Ferret) #183, 3,100 sold
I would actually peg the devil as an Affliction guy, or maybe Ed Hardy.
Iwrestledabearonce, It’s All Happening (Century Media) 1,250 sold
It’ll be interesting to see where these guys level out and start selling the same each week, like Bring Me the Horizon have. This week, they drop another 40%.
Bring Me The Horizon, Suicide Season (Epitaph) 1,100 sold
Speaking of them, it’s amazing how consistent they are, with at least 1,000 Hot Topic kids picking this up every week for nearly a year now.
Eyes Set To Kill, World Outside (Suburban Noize) 950 sold
In two weeks, this will likely have sold over 5,000 copies.
Bury Your Dead, It’s Nothing Personal (Victory) 900 sold
Buryyyy your fuckin’ deeeead!!!!!
Drop Dead Gorgeous, The Hot N’ Heavy (Suretone) 850 sold
Yeah, I’ve got nothing…
The Autumn Offering, Requiem (Victory) 750 sold
Two weeks, 2,000 sold.
Sunn O))), Monoliths and Dimensions (Southern Lord) 666 sold
They actually only sold a few less than this, but it’s close enough, and the record’s evil enough, that we’re going to leave it at that.
Coalesce, OX (Relapse) 600 sold
Some of the merch available for the band’s first album in a decade includes a stash box and a flask. What are they trying to tell us?
Impending Doom, Serpent Servant (Facedown) 500 sold
The Christian band re-appears on the chart, having sold 12,000 so far
Oceano, Depths (Earache) 475 sold
Now that Oceana has broken up, I’m sure these guys are relieved.
FMQB Most Added
1. Dream Theater, Black Clouds and Silver Linings (Roadrunner)
2. Voivod, Infini (Relapse)
3. Poison the Well, The Tropic Rot (Ferret)
4. Maylene and the Sons of Disaster, III (Ferret)
5. Madder Mortem, 8 Ways (Peaceville)
FMQB Top Ten Albums
1. DevilDriver, Pray For Villians (Roadrunner)
2. Iwrestledabearonce, It’s All Happening (Century Media)
3. Chimaira, The Infection (Ferret Music)
4. Dream Theater, Black Clouds and Silver Linings (Roadrunner)
5. Hatebreed, For The Lions (E1)
6. Heaven & Hell, The Devil You Know (Rhino)
7. Mastodon, Crack the Skye (Reprise)
8. Clutch, “Unstoppable Watts” sampler (Weathermaker Music)
9. Daath, The Concealers (Century Media)
10. Seventh Void, Heaven is Gone (Big Vin)
