Up next on the chopping block is Armored Saint and I had hadn’t really heard much of their material except maybe like one or two songs here and there. I’ve actually been meaning to put them on the chopping block. I just haven’t gotten around to it until now. Let’s take a look………
March Of The Saint- I mean really if I had to classify this album, I would just say it’s metal. It’s not a glam album it’s not a thrash metal album and it’s certainly not a death metal album. I think what I like about it is the simplicity and it does sound very 80s but then again so do all the albums that came out around that time. I’ll give this 8/10.
Standouts: Can U Deliver, Glory Hunter, Envy
Delirious Nomad- if you ask me, there isn’t a huge difference between this and March. I will say the songs do seem a bit slower but overall, it sort of picks up where the last album left off. I’ll give it 7/10.
Standouts: Long Before I Die, Aftermath, You’re Never Alone
Raising Fear- this one does remind me a bit of the first album and to be honest I feel like this is the one that should’ve come after that. I will say that John Bush’s vocals seem to be more aggressive, but I feel like they are sticking to the same formula. Overall, it’s not bad but again there doesn’t seem to be that much variation between albums I’ll give it 7/10.
Standouts: Raising Fear, Frozen Will/Legacy, Chemical Euphoria
Symbol Of Salvation- fun fact about this album is that this would be their final record before going on hiatus due to John Bush joining Anthrax. I will say this one is definitely a step up. It has sort of that 90s hard rock with a metal edge sound and it’s almost refreshing to hear. Again what I like about this band is it’s simplicity and they don’t really fit any sort of sub genre. They’re just a straight up metal band and this record is a good example of that. I’ll give this one 9/10.
Standouts: Reign Of Fire, Hanging Judge, Warzone
Revelation- this is one of those albums where they picked up right where they left off. It definitely has that same grit and heaviness that was on Symbol and it’s a great follow up to a great record. I’ll give this 8/10
Standouts: The Pillar, After Me The Flood, Den Of Thieves
La Raza- for this record, the Symbol Of Salvation was reformed after an eight year hiatus. It does in a way sound like a continuation of that record, but with better songwriting. I feel like if you’re a fan of this band, then this album has a little something for everyone. I’ll give this 9/10.
Standouts: Blues, Head On, Get Off The Fence
Win Hands Down- you can tell what this album that they knew they had great success with the previous record and wanted to just continue it. Again, what I like most about these albums is that there’s a simplicity to it. Nothing is really technical here, but it’s just straight up heavy metal. I’ll give this one, 8.5/10.
Standouts: Win Hands Down, An Exercise In Debauchery, That Was Then Way Back When
Punching The Sky- it’s great about this record is you’ve got a nice mixture of hard rock and heavy metal. This is one that I would call and all encompassing album meaning it takes elements from everything they’ve done up to this point. It’s a really solid record and it makes one look forward to what they have to offer next. I’ll give it 9/10.
As I said in this review, what I like about this band is that they don’t really fit into any metal sub genre. Like if you wanted the definitive just straight up heavy metal band this would be the one to listen to. Their albums are not complicated or technical or anything like that but just straight up guitar, bass, drums, and vocals. I’m sure they put on a killer show and Jon Bush definitely has one of those voices that has not aged.
Final Grade: B
Album Rankings:
- Symbol Of Salvation
- Punching The Sky
- La Raza
- Win Hands Down
- March Of The Saint
- Revelation
- Raising Fear
- Delirious Nomad
Sinister Reviews 