In a brand new interview with Steel Kaoz, ARMORED SAINT singer John Bush spoke concerning the progress of the recording classes for the band’s long-awaited ninth studio album, due subsequent 12 months by way of Steel Blade Data. He mentioned (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “We’re getting into the combo mode. So we’re entering into the combo mode. Jay Ruston‘s gonna combine it. He did [2020’s] ‘Punching The Sky’ and [2015’s] ‘Win Palms Down’ and did a spectacular job. And we love Jay. I advised him, ‘Go, man. Simply go for it. Do not feel restricted by something. Simply go for it.’ And I am unable to wait to see what he comes out with, ‘trigger the tunes are superb and I actually imagine within the songs. It is gonna be nice. It is gonna be a pleasant continuation of what ARMORED SAINT has accomplished during the last 10 years.”
As for a potential launch date for the brand new ARMORED SAINT album, John mentioned: “I feel we’re speaking someday at first of April. That is the plan proper now. Steel Blade does an excellent job of planning information and doing all of the preparation for it. And so they need lots of lead time to do the report accurately, which we’re all in favor of. So, it looks as if a very long time away nonetheless, ‘trigger it is solely September and the report’s [due to be released in] April, in order that’s eight months from now. It feels like an eternity, however we had been busy and we bought issues occurring, after which ’26 will probably be a reasonably busy 12 months and taking part in new tunes. And it is gonna be superior. I am unable to wait to attempt to play a few of these tunes dwell.”
Bush additionally seemingly dominated out the potential of ARMORED SAINT performing any of the band’s new songs dwell earlier than subsequent 12 months, explaining: “You possibly can do no matter you need as a band, in fact, however normally the label form of frowns on taking part in new tunes earlier than the report’s launched, as a result of with YouTube and every thing, individuals bought it, and it is, like, you do not wanna launch that till the precise report, or at the least the primary couple movies come out. I am positive we’ll make a pair movies, and definitely a pair songs will probably be singles that can come out previous to the precise report launch. So, realistically, I’d say one thing like February, you will in all probability hear a brand new ARMORED SAINT track.”
Final month, Bush advised Chel Evah of Artwork Paparazza & Chel Shock Pictures that ARMORED SAINT recorded 11 songs for the upcoming LP. Referencing what will probably be a six-year hole between “Punching The Sky” and ARMORED SAINT‘s subsequent album, John mentioned: “It is a very long time coming, however I blame COVID, as a result of it pushed everybody again somewhat bit, ‘trigger ‘Punching The Sky’ got here out in 2020. Plus we have toured lots within the final couple years. So, to do some writing together with touring, it isn’t straightforward. Everybody aspires to jot down on the street, nevertheless it’s tough. However we’ve a bunch of nice tunes. We’re actually excited. The report sounds superior. And I am actual fired up and I am unable to wait to exit in ’26 and play a bunch of recent tunes.”
Bush beforehand talked about ARMORED SAINT‘s upcoming LP earlier in September in an interview with Pete Pardo of Sea Of Tranquility. He mentioned on the time: “We went out and toured lots [in support of ‘Punching The Sky’]. So, we had been ready to try this, and did a few extra excursions, and we had been actually not planning on it. However getting on the market and taking part in was nice. And we really bought so many information and CDs on the street, it was loopy. We really re-charted as a result of we bought so many information on the market. So, kudos to all of the fanbase who purchased information and CDs and shirts, in fact. However it form of did push issues again somewhat bit. We do not work that fast as it’s, fairly frankly, however I at all times mentioned it for years: the standard of the tunes is opposite to the quantity, as a result of that is the actual fact for us. However the brand new report will probably be out subsequent 12 months. And I feel it is nice. It is gonna simply form of construct on every thing we have been doing.”
Circling again to ARMORED SAINT‘s elevated touring exercise and the way it affected the making of the band’s new album, John mentioned: “We toured lots. We really put out 4 movies on the final report. So we have been on the general public facet perhaps greater than ever. And actually I say this and it is actually form of the reality is ARMORED SAINT‘s in all probability larger than we have ever been. Perhaps there was a stretch in 1984 that we had been perhaps extra standard, however actually we’re in all probability larger than we ever had been. So, we’re simply driving it. And the brand new report will probably be nice, and I feel individuals will dig it. And it actually form of reveals sophistication within the songwriting, and we actually imagine in that. We attempt to form of usher in all our completely different influences and types and use some completely different instrumentation and take probabilities with association somewhat bit. And I am actually happy with it. I feel the songwriting is simply — yeah, it is constructed on every thing we have accomplished. The origins of the band, our laborious rock heavy metallic band, however we actually form of really feel like we simply preserve pushing the boundaries. And it is at all times gonna sound like SAINT. And this one does too. However I do not know. That is my pitch. I imply, in fact it comes right down to what the followers suppose.”
After Pardo famous that ARMORED SAINT‘s musical output has been remarkably “constant” over the group’s four-decade profession, Bush concurred. “When your band’s been round so long as we’ve, and that goes for all of the bands who’ve a four-decade profession, is that normally new music means the chance to go take a piss or go get a few beers,” he mentioned. “However I actually really feel like individuals actually suppose our final couple information have been nice. And I feel for us to maintain constructing on that and preserve writing new materials that sounds very legit, I feel is necessary. And never all people can say that. Everyone variety of says it, however how a lot do you actually imagine it? And I actually imagine [it in our case]. I imply, once more, it comes right down to what the press and what the fanbase says, they usually’re those that make the ultimate resolution, actually, on it. However on the finish of the day, they have been saying ARMORED SAINT‘s making actually nice, fashionable music, so I am stoked.”
On the finish of September, the band joined W.A.S.P. for a trio of U.Okay. reveals earlier than returning to the States to assist legendary guitarist Michael Schenker on his “My Years With UFO” U.S. tour. ARMORED SAINT is celebrating the fortieth anniversary of its second album, “Delirious Nomad”, with a five-song micro set of songs from the report all through the tour.
To additional commemorate the cornerstone report, the band is making accessible a particular “Delirious Nomad” wrapped guitar from Dean Guitars. Every guitar is signed by the band.
Final November, ARMORED SAINT bassist Joey Vera advised Steel Kaoz concerning the musical and lyrical path of the band’s new materials: “Each report we have made has been somewhat bit completely different than the one previous to it, and this one would be the similar case the place it will likely be somewhat completely different than ‘Punching’. However our primary factor is simply writing actually nice songs. We’re not so involved about making an attempt to outdo the final report or do nearly as good as it’s or do the identical factor. I at all times suppose that it is cool to simply see the place you’re at that second. And these songs that we have written, identical to the final three or 4 information we have made, all of them characterize a specific time and place for us. So this these batch of songs, they seem to be a reflection of the place we’re at a time and place proper now. We’re in post-COVID, we’re coming again out of it, again into the world, and various things are influencing me personally than they had been in 2014 after I was writing for [2015’s] ‘Win Palms Down’. So all these issues are at play once more. I am making an attempt to take a couple of probabilities as effectively on this, which we at all times attempt to perform a little bit.”
In June 2024, ARMORED SAINT launched a rendition of “One Chain (Do not Make No Jail)”. The basic monitor was initially written by Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter and was first launched by PEOPLE in 1970. Extra covers embody THE FOUR TOPS (1974),SANTANA (1978) and THE DOOBIE BROTHERS (1989).
“One Chain (Do not Make No Jail)” was produced by Vera, blended by Jay Ruston and mastered by Maor Applebaum.
ARMORED SAINT launched the “Image Of Salvation Reside” CD/DVD in 2021 by way of Steel Blade Data. The discharge got here in celebration of the seminal album’s thirtieth anniversary. “Image Of Salvation Reside” was a mixture dwell album and video of the band taking part in the album in its entirety at New York Metropolis’s famed Gramercy Theatre throughout its 2018 tour.
In July 2023, ARMORED SAINT was inducted into the Steel Corridor Of Fame on the legendary Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California.
In Could 2023, ARMORED SAINT‘s long-awaited documentary, Armored Saint: Band Of Brothers”, had its world premiere within the band’s hometown on the Concord Gold Theatre in Hollywood, California.
