Armored Saint
Emotion Factory Reset
Metal Blade Records
As heavy metal continues to metamorphose and move into new musical territory, it’s heartening that Armored Saint are flying the flag for the old school. That’s not to say their ninth album is an exercise in nostalgia, far from it, there’s a buoyancy about Emotion Factory Reset that places it firmly in the present, yet there’s no denying this is a love letter to the genre. Walking a fine line between pleasing themselves creatively and giving their fans what they want, this album serves up eleven tracks of the good stuff and takes the listener on a white knuckle pillion ride. John Bush is also known for his tenure in Anthrax, but you feel Armored Saint is his spiritual home, he turns in a show stopping performance with vocals that soar and dive like a Spitfire in a dogfight. Not to be outdone, the band are equally versatile and make songs such as ‘Compromise’ dizzying affairs that’ll ignite mosh pits whenever unleashed. With a creamy, luxurious production the band’s top drawer song writing is given the sound it deserves, meaning the likes of ‘It’s A Buzzkill’ make a beeline for the memory bank. A definite career highlight, Emotion Factory Reset marks a bold new beginning.
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Review by Peter Dennis.