ARMORED SAINT
“March Of The Saint”
(reissue)
Album Review by Iron Mathew

9/10

Armored Saint are a heavy metal band from the USA founded by brothers Felipe ‘Phil’ Sandoval (guitar), and Gonzalo ‘Gonzo’ Sandoval (drums), along with Dave Prichard (guitar), John Bush (vocals), and Joey Vera (bass). In a career spanning four decades, the band have released eight studio albums – ‘March Of The Saint’ (1984), ‘Delirious Nomad’ (1985), ‘Raising Fear’ (1987), ‘Symbol Of Salvation’ (1991), ‘Revelation’ (2000), ‘La Raza’ (2010), ‘With Hands Down’ (2015), and ‘Punching The Sky’ (2020). During this time the band have endured line-up changes, two periods of inactivity, and the death of founding guitarist Dave Prichard in 1990.

2022 sees Armored Saint celebrating their fortieth anniversary with the reissue of the bands first three albums – ‘March Of The Saint’, ‘Delirious Nomad’, and ‘Raising Fear’ – all originally released during heavy metals formative years during the eighties. The glorious eighties when metal was just “metal” – none of this grunge, nu, djent and post-metal nonsense! Even the likes of Def Leppard and Bon Jovi were considered to be metal! Everything was so much simpler back then…

…I was a teenager listening to Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and Saxon – bands that are now classed as “traditional metal”. And then along came the American traditional metal bands – bands such as Virgin Steele, Manowar, Twisted Sister, Metal Church, W.A.S.P. and Armored Saint…

…with a sound to emulate their British peers, paving the way for thrash and power metal to evolve over the ensuing years. Armored Saint’s 1984 debut ‘March Of The Saint’ features ten songs over forty minutes, opening with the blistering speed of the albums title song, followed by the NWOBHM sounding ‘Can U Deliver’. ‘Mad House’ gallops furiously, ‘Take A Turn’ is a slower paced, anthemic foot stomp, with ‘Seducer’ a classic “foot on the monitor” swagger.

Over on side two – yes readers, side two! The eighties was all about vinyl records, with digital downloads and streaming not even invented! How much technology has changed over the past forty years is incredible, although with the recent re-emergence of vinyl, this reissue will be released on multi-coloured limited edition vinyls…

…so back to side two – ‘Mutiny On The World’ is meaner and moodier than anything on side one, with ‘Glory Hunter’ a much rockier song than everything heard so far. ‘Stricken By Fate’ is hustle and bustle, ‘Envy’ an infectious sub three minute marvel, with the final song ‘False Alarm’ picking up the pace and rampaging to a finish.

Overall, a glorious reminder of how great the American invasion of traditional metal was during the eighties.

TRACKLIST

March Of The Saint
Can U Deliver
Mad House
Take A Turn
Seducer
Mutiny On The World
Glory Hunter
Stricken By Fate
Envy

False Alarm

https://www.armoredsaint.com/
https://www.facebook.com/thearmoredsaint

This review is the property of Iron Mathew and Metal Gods TV. It is strictly prohibited to copy any part of this review, unless you have both of the parties’ permission, or are the band/record label/PR company in question. Failure to adhere to these instructions will be considered as Plagiarism and you will be reported to the appropriate authorities

---