After a four-year hiatus from European stages, the legendary LA metal force Armored Saint finally make their long-awaited return, igniting the atmosphere at KK’s Steel Mill as part of their ‘Saints Will Conquer Tour 2024’.
While the main room at KK’s falls short of being a sold out affair, it’s by far a more fitting environment than seeing this iconic ’80s band—fronted by the venerable John Bush—in a tiny room at Birmingham’s O2 Institute, as I did back in 2017. It does surprise me that a band of this calibre don’t draw a bigger crowd in and around the second city, but I doubt they care, and the dedicated fans here certainly don’t either.
An instant highlight is the band coming out kicking and screaming with ‘End of the Attention Span’, from the critically lauded and most recent studio album, ‘Punching The Sky’. Released in 2020, it’s a diverse, attitude-drenched collection of songs, but I sense we won’t get many from it as a Saint’s show tends to savour the classics. No sooner than I’ve thought it, the first half of the set brings ‘Raising Fear’, ‘Last Train Home’ and ‘March of the Saint’.
At 60 years old, the vocal aggression and melody of John Bush continues to rank right up there, if only for some because of his 13 year tenure with Anthrax. Like many artists who grace this stage, he pays homage to Judas Priest. “High school wouldn’t have been the same without KK, Rob, Glenn and Ian!” he says. With a specific mention for Les Binks, the Wolves crowd respond with respect, before being ploughed into the menacing dark groove of old-school ‘Over the Edge’.
Referring to the COVID period and writing process of ‘Punching The Sky’, Bush introduces the album’s opening track: ‘Standing on the Shoulders of Giants’. It’s one he perhaps delivers with a little more power and conviction, bellowing to the audience: “Are you with me out there?” We’re then back to classic Saint with ‘Aftermath’, another from the 1985 album ‘Delirious Nomad’, with Bush at one point stood in the crowd, singing his heart out—absolutely fantastic.
Of course, Armored Saint isn’t all about John Bush. The ever-lively Phil Sandoval and his compadre Jeff Duncan trade riffs and leads with seamless intensity—their playing both powerful and richly melodic. Joey Vera anchors the low end, alternating between moments of focused immersion and playful engagement. And finally, Phil’s brother and fellow founding member, “Gonzo” keeps up his powerful and energetic playing style from start to finish.
From the 2015 album ‘Win Hands Down’ comes the incredibly infectious title track—one of many songs to have me wondering how are these guys not much bigger than they are. With the crowd going mad for it at the end of ‘Reign Of Fire’, Bush proclaims “You guys are awesome!” and the band look to closeout the show. It’s only then that Bush asserts that “Encores are for pussies!” which nobody here seems to disagree with.
“We’re going to keep it going to the end for the old school! Or for the young who are old at heart!” he says. Then comes a final mid-80’s assault, with ‘Nervous Man’ and ‘Mad House’, before Armored Saint return to quarters, and the Wolves crowd are left baying for more. Let’s hope it won’t be too long before they return.
Review & Photography: Steve Johnston
