Who even likes armored saint?

[Rocker4Real]

I like the song Hanging Judge. Can't think of much else.

[MetalSludgeCEO]

I saw Armored Saint play at a Bowling Alley. all ages show, on a Sunday in the afternoon in Appleton Wis. in 1985/86.

There were no more than 75, maybe 100 people there, and I didn't know much about the band, but a friends were big fans.

Adding, a signed band, playing our local Bowling Alley was a big deal for us local Metal heads at that point, so I was there. It was in the winter, and snowing like crazy too!

Years later, I remember hearing about Dave Pritchard, their lead guitarist dying of Cancer (1990) and felt horrible for the band and his family. He was only 26.

RIP Dave Pritchard > https://www.metalforcesmagazine.com/sit ... a-aged-26/

Jeff Duncan of ODIN was selected to replace Pritchard and has been in the band since. Jeff could NOT be a nicer guy, and has earned all or any of his success. #respect

I think over the years, I may have been at a concert that they were on the bill but to this day, still don't know much about them.

Fast forward... on the 2024 MORC cruise back in March I ended up chatting with the guys, John Bush and the others.

I told John about the concert in Appleton, back nearly 40 years ago, and figured he might remember as he went in the crowd, and someone pulled off his stage vest.

After that song he was back on stage, w/o the vest, and he said: "Hey, whoever has my vest, can I have it back?" And the guy returned it. He laughed and said he recalled it.

Either way... John was a sweetheart of a guy, we shared a few war stories and I have nothing but respect for those guys!

$tEvil

[Psychobolia.com]

Delirious Nomad and Raising Fear are FUCKING AWESOME albums!

Like Overkill, they were better as a 4-piece. John Bush has a great voice, it's no wonder that Anthrax hired him (and Metallica tried to).

[Rocker4Real]

I heard John Bush was offered the lead vocal spot in Metallica early in their career and turned it down. Is that really true?

[Lobo]

Some standout tracks that I never get bored of:

- Aftermath (The live version is much better than the studio version).
- Book Of Blood (From Saints will Conquer live album).
- Dropping Like Flies (From Symbol Of Salvation).

[DemonFilth2001]

Yes. He was, in fact, offered the position.

Symbol of Salvation is another great release!

[wrko680]

I do!!
One of my favorite bands.
John Bush is such an underrated frontman.
Great singer and an unbelievable stage presence.
The video posted above is one of the reasons I enjoy Bush.
At just about every show, he’ll go into the crowd and walk around the whole venue while singing. It’s so cool!!
I like all their albums, but the last few have been really great!!
Check out his new band supergroup Category 7!
Album of the year in my opinion.

[uwec95]

Me. John Bush is one the greatest metal singers, their catalog if full of bangers, and they are fantastic live. They should get way move love than they do.

[JizzySynatra]

Symbol of Salvation is one of the best metal albums ever. Definitely deserve much more recognition. Bush is the real deal.

[skinni]

I like them very much.

Armored Saint is an amazing band.

[NineteenEightyFour]

I first saw them from their cameo on Hellraiser 3, but never really listened to much of them. Loved Bush in Anthrax and dig his new band Category 7.

[whoami]

Criminally underrated band who still bring it live to this day. Fucking awesome, actually.

[jens]

They have a certain "grooviness" I don't like.

[King_Nothing]

Win Hands Down is a great record

[Zander]

- Dropping Like Flies (From Symbol Of Salvation).

Agreed, great track. "Standing on the Shoulders of Giants" from their latest effort is one of the best I've heard from them. On the whole I've found them to be pretty average, though.

[metalnyc]

One of my favorites. Have not put out a bad album. Even their new stuff in the last 20 years holds up and sometimes exceeds their early stuff.

One of the loudest shows I ever saw was them at L'Amour's, back in the day.

[TBONESBURDEN]

I caught the video for Chemical Euphoria one night on Headbangers Ball, while I was very stoned. I thought it was the greatest song ever. I bought the album while sober and boy, was I disappointed. I still listen to Chemical Euphoria every now and again but, couldn't name any of their other songs.

[tooth]

A friend at the time loved them & we were going to see them opening for Quiet Riot so I bought the first record. I listened to it 3 or 4 times, saw them live & was meh on them overall. FFWD to the Anthrax SOWN record, a lot of people saying how great it was & the same meh feeling. This thread has got me interested, though. Will do a deep dive at some point based on y'all's recommendations.

[joey78]

They have a few good songs but their Tier 1 songs are as good as tier 3 Metallica/Megadeth songs . The best songs John Bush ever sang on can be found on an Anthrax record. That says a lot about Armored Saint. Plus, as a band , AS have zero personality . No matter what people say , a band’s success is largely dependent on image. None of the guys in AS have a cool rockstar image .

The same can be said about bands like Exodus, Overkill , Testament , Death Angel . People argue they should be in the Big 4, but some of their best material would be B-sides on records by the Metallica , Megadeth or Slayer.

How in the world Anthrax made it into the big four on the strength of their 80s records is a miracle. The first quality record they released was SOWN.

[LAglamrocker]

I definitely would pick Armored Saint over Slayer Megadeth Metallica shows in 2024 and beyond

Anthrax Saint was awesome time..who doesn’t love Black Lodge
Anthrax has had best career of Big 4 bands
Armored Saint was awesome at Palladium recently
Growing up never heard Armored Saint on the radio

[NeonKnite]

I saw them from the front row in a small club in Detroit about 10 years ago when they did "Symbol of Salvation" in its entirety and they absolutely crushed on every level. Killer album. "Can U Deliver" from their debut is another great fucking classic.

Their last few albums have been fucking fantastic too. It's amazing more metal fans aren't aware of how good they are.

https://youtu.be/WdGmydR715Q?si=iS4R_D3cfve7oumM

I prefer Bush in Saint over Anthrax.

[IREEKOFAWESUMNES]

to expand on what neonknite said, besides the obvious takes (symbol of salvation is amazing etc), their last few newer albums are INSANELY good, and very few people have taken the time to check them out

[LitaStrauss]

Symbol Of Salvation is a great record and deserved much more success, but when it came out, there was just too much competition with Metallica's "Black Album" and everything else that came out in 1991. It was severely over looked. They never really had much of a personality though so they sort of flew under the radar. Everything they've put out, even to this day, is pretty solid and worth a listen. And John Bush still sounds like John Bush. He hasn't lost his voice at all.

I loved John Bush in Anthrax too. Those 4 records are all great.

[RaceFan3]

Really good, underrated band. Good enough songs and absolutely good enough live to have become bigger than they are, and yet, the fact they aren't is one of the coolest things about them.

John Bush has a great voice that hasn't aged a day, he still sounds fantastic. I can agree on an earlier post about them not having much of a unique image, but they're a band where that doesn't matter as much. Lots of good studio and live albums. I've seen them a couple times and they've never not brought it live. Looking forward to their new album too. Their last one, Punching the Sky was (not surprisingly) awesome.

[Van Ailin']

Probably most here like them at least a little. Their stuff will get under your hyde. You can run, but you can't hide.

[Love_Industry]

AS have zero personality . No matter what people say , a band’s success is largely dependent on image. None of the guys in AS have a cool rockstar image .

The same can be said about bands like Exodus, Overkill , Testament , Death Angel . People argue they should be in the Big 4, but some of their best material would be B-sides on records by the Metallica , Megadeth or Slayer.

How in the world Anthrax made it into the big four on the strength of their 80s records is a miracle. The first quality record they released was SOWN.

You said it yourself. Personality. I don't even like Anthrax but they had lots of personality, were very visible and for a while seemed bigger than they were. Having one of the first rap metal songs (after Beastie Boys maybe) also raised their profile.

[Ratt_Trader]

Symbol of Salvation is one of the best metal albums ever. Definitely deserve much more recognition. Bush is the real deal.

^^
This. 100% agree

[Bono Nettencourt]

AS have zero personality . No matter what people say , a band’s success is largely dependent on image. None of the guys in AS have a cool rockstar image .

The same can be said about bands like Exodus, Overkill , Testament , Death Angel . People argue they should be in the Big 4, but some of their best material would be B-sides on records by the Metallica , Megadeth or Slayer.

How in the world Anthrax made it into the big four on the strength of their 80s records is a miracle. The first quality record they released was SOWN.

You said it yourself. Personality. I don't even like Anthrax but they had lots of personality, were very visible and for a while seemed bigger than they were. Having one of the first rap metal songs (after Beastie Boys maybe) also raised their profile.

Yeah I'm The Man and Bring The Noise did more for them than anything else before or after.

[NeonKnite]

The only Bush Anthrax album I like is "We've Come For You All".

Everything is else is 'meh'.

[Fletch]

Saw them open for WASP twice - good live band, I like them.