Armored Saint

Armored Saint is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, formed in 1982 and active since then. The group’s core lineup since 1990 consists of vocalist John Bush, bassist Joey Vera, guitarist Jeff Duncan, drummer Gonzo Sandoval and guitarist Phil Sandoval. The band is associated with heavy metal, metal, power metal and US power metal.

Formation and early releases

Armored Saint emerges from the Los Angeles heavy metal scene of the early 1980s. It is founded by brothers Phil Sandoval and Gonzo Sandoval with Dave Prichard, John Bush and Joey Vera. Several of the members previously play together in a short-lived group called Royal Decree. According to Gonzo Sandoval, the name comes from the film Excalibur.

The band records a five-song demo that includes “Lesson Well Learned”, which appears on the compilation Metal Massacre II. Three songs from the demo later appear on the self-titled EP Armored Saint, released by Metal Blade Records in 1983. The band then signs to Chrysalis Records. Its debut album, March of the Saint, follows in 1984, and the single “Can U Deliver?” receives MTV airplay. The next albums are Delirious Nomad in 1985 and Raising Fear in 1987.

Line-up changes, hiatus and disbandment

During the recording of Delirious Nomad, Phil Sandoval leaves the band. Raising Fear is recorded by the remaining four members. In 1986, Joey Vera is approached by Metallica to replace Cliff Burton after Burton’s death, but he declines. In the 1980s, Armored Saint tours or performs with acts including Judas Priest, Metallica, Aerosmith, Whitesnake, Alice Cooper, Saxon, Testament, Exodus, Dio, Accept, King Diamond, Savatage, Helloween and Danzig.

By the end of the decade the band leaves Chrysalis and returns to Metal Blade Records. After the live album Saints Will Conquer, Jeff Duncan joins as guitarist, Gonzo Sandoval leaves temporarily and Eddie Livingston replaces him. Dave Prichard is diagnosed with leukemia in 1989 and dies in 1990, shortly before recording begins for Symbol of Salvation. The Sandoval brothers then rejoin, with Phil Sandoval returning on guitar. The album is released in 1991, dedicated to Prichard, and includes “Reign of Fire” and “Last Train Home”; Prichard’s earlier demo solo from “Tainted Past” is used in the finished recording. Armored Saint tours in support of the album with Suicidal Tendencies, Savatage, Scorpions, Sepultura and Overkill.

In 1992 the band contributes “Hanging Judge” to the soundtrack of Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth and appears briefly in the film. Later that year, John Bush joins Anthrax, attempts to continue Armored Saint with a revised line-up fail, and the band disbands.

Reunion and later albums

After the split, Joey Vera plays with Fates Warning, Lizzy Borden and Chroma Key, and also releases a solo album and works as a producer and engineer. The Sandoval brothers form Life After Death, and Jeff Duncan later forms DC4 with Shawn Duncan, Matt Duncan and Rowan Robertson. In 1999, during a temporary pause in Anthrax, Bush and Vera reform Armored Saint. The Symbol of Salvation line-up reunites and records Revelation, released in 2000. That album includes “No Me Digas”, the band’s first song with Spanish lyrics. The group then tours with Dio and Lynch Mob.

In 2001, Armored Saint releases Nod to the Old School, a compilation of demos, rarities, outtakes and new material. After Bush returns to Anthrax, the band enters another hiatus. It resumes activity in 2005 and performs a reunion concert, followed by more touring in 2006. Metal Blade issues a three-CD anniversary edition of Symbol of Salvation and reissues the live video A Trip Thru Red Times.

The sixth studio album, La Raza, appears in 2010. In 2011, Armored Saint performs at one of Metallica’s 30th anniversary concerts in San Francisco. Joey Vera later says the band begins work on a seventh studio album, which becomes Win Hands Down in 2015. The album reaches number 183 on the Billboard 200 and also appears on the German Top 100 album chart. In 2017, the band releases Carpe Noctum, its first live album in nearly three decades.

Armored Saint begins writing and recording its eighth studio album in 2019. Punching the Sky follows in 2020. That same year the band releases a teaser trailer for the documentary Armored Saint: The Movie, featuring appearances by James Hetfield and Scott Ian. In 2024 the group records a cover of People!’s “One Chain (Don’t Make No Prison)”, released as a standalone single. The band then continues activity with work on further material and festival and tour appearances.