While She Sleeps have announced that their new album ‘Sleeps Society’ would be Number Four in the UK albums midweek chart if it was eligible.

The metalcore band, who released their fifth album on Friday (April 16), independently distributed it in order to provide work to their touring crew in the absence of live music this year. As a result, ‘Sleeps Society’ was not “eligible” to make The Official Charts.

However, the band has done the sums and, if sales were in fact being counted as normal, they would currently be sitting at Number Four in the midweek charts.

“At the beginning of this album we made the decision to independently distribute the vinyl & CD copies of it,” the band wrote on Facebook earlier today (April 19).

“This enabled us to rehire our touring crew, support our local business and give opportunities directly to the people around us who needed it, in a year where our industry & culture had been hit hard. This decision meant our sales would *not* be counted as ‘chart eligible’.

“We started the Sleeps Society to create a sustainable future for our band, the people around us, our crew, families and collectively this felt more important.

They continued: “The reaction to the album so far has been completely incredible & although our sales figures aren’t being counted as ‘official’, we are so proud to tell you that ‘unofficially’ we are no.4 in the UK album charts today.

“This would be our highest ever chart position. Your sales directly support our band, crew & the future of Sleeps. *Thank you* all so much.”

Last month, While She Sleeps released a song called ‘Nervous’ featuring Biffy Clyro‘s Simon Neil.

The single, which explores struggles with mental health and draws upon guitarist Sean Long’s own experiences with anxiety, features on the Sheffield band’s new record and follows February’s single ‘You Are All I Need’.