Armored Saint

Formed in Los Angeles in 1982, Armored Saint emerged as part of the heavy metal wave energizing the club scene on the American west coast at that time. Around singer John Bush, bassist Joey Vera, brothers Phil and Gonzo Sandoval and guitarist Dave Prichard, the band developed a traditional metal sound marked by twin guitars, a strong melodic sense and a rhythmic base close to hard rock. After a notable EP on Metal Blade in 1983, Armored Saint released the albums March of the Saint (1984), Delirious Nomad (1985) and Raising Fear (1987), which established an identity between classic heavy and rougher influences. The composition period for Symbol of Salvation (1991) was overshadowed by the loss of Dave Prichard, who was replaced by Jeff Duncan; the record is often cited as an important artistic milestone for the band. The group then suspended activities when John Bush joined Anthrax, before reuniting in the late 1990s around its original core. The albums Revelation (2000), La Raza (2010), Win Hands Down (2015) and Punching the Sky (2020) extended a melodic heavy metal aesthetic, sometimes tinged with groove and more contemporary rock; Armored Saint remains firmly associated with the American metal scene originating in the 1980s.