ARMORED SAINT Re-Signs With METAL BLADE RECORDS

Legendary heavy metal outfit ARMORED SAINT has renewed its long-running partnership with Metal Blade Records with a worldwide multi-album deal. Metal Blade released ARMORED SAINT's 1983 eponymous debut EP and the band has called Metal Blade home since 1988's "Saints Will Conquer" live album.

ARMORED SAINT singer John Bush comments: "ARMORED SAINT cemented our family relationship with Metal Blade even more by signing a new contract for a record due in 2025. There is nowhere else I'd rather be! I love [chairman/CEO] Brian [Slagel], [president] Tracy [Vera], and the staff. It's home. What more can I say."

ARMORED SAINT drummer Gonzo Sandoval said: "I'm pleased to say that in the year of 2024 we have re-signed a record deal with Metal Blade Records. Once again, I'm looking forward to making killer ARMORED SAINT music with Metal Blade as our record label. I feel blessed and appreciate the opportunity to be able to release a new ARMORED SAINT record in 2025! Stay tuned, ARMORED SAINT hooligans throughout the world and beyond, and spread the word. ARMORED SAINT for life!"

ARMORED SAINT guitarist Phil Sandoval stated: "ARMORED SAINT and Metal Blade have a long history and after all the incredible amount of trials and tribulations the band has been through, Metal Blade has been there for ARMORED SAINT. Brian Slagel in particular was paramount in getting me back in the band to record 'Symbol Of Salvation' along with Jeff Duncan. And in 2024 we have a new deal. I just want to say, 'Thank you, Metal Blade.'"

ARMORED SAINT guitarist Jeff Duncan said: "I'm so thrilled to sign a new deal with Metal Blade Records. Metal Blade has been ARMORED SAINT's home for many years and I'm looking forward to another new and productive chapter with them!"

ARMORED SAINT bassist Joey Vera said: "We're honored to continue our long relationship with Metal Blade Records with this new signing. Their staunch support for ARMORED SAINT has been one of the pillars in the band's history. We cannot do any of this without them and we look forward to bringing even more new music this year."

Slagel commented: "I am honored and humbled to continue our long-standing relationship with ARMORED SAINT! One of the best metal bands of all time! So happy to keep them in the Metal Blade family!"

ARMORED SAINT is currently on tour supporting QUEENSRŸCHE. The trek, which commenced on March 27 in Anaheim, California, includes several ARMORED SAINT headlining shows scattered throughout and closes with a very special hometown headlining show on May 22 at El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles, California.

In a recent interview with "THAT Rocks!", the YouTube series hosted by Eddie Trunk, Jim Florentine and Don Jamieson, Vera spoke about the progress of the songwriting sessions for ARMORED SAINT's follow-up to 2020's "Punching The Sky" album. He said: "We're about midway through writing a new record and music, hopefully for a '25 release. So that's what we're working towards. We also have a new single, with a video that we recorded in January. That should be coming out in June on Metal Blade. So, yeah, we're still busy. So, lots of stuff going on."

Regarding ARMORED SAINT's cover version of "One Chain Don't Make No Prison", which was written by Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter and was first released by PEOPLE in 1970 (it was also covered by FOUR TOPS, as well as SANTANA and THE DOOBIE BROTHERS),Joey said: "We kind of went for this '70s retro R&B thing. There's this tune called 'One Chain Don't Make No Prison' by the FOUR TOPS, and it's been one of my favorite songs forever. I always imagined it with John singing it, so I just did this demo, kind of like a more heavier version of the song. And then we did this demo, and we said, 'Wow, this is, this is amazing. We should just do this as a one-off.' Not really associated with a record per se, but just for fun, kind of. We've never done a single before. It's always been, record 10, 11 songs, put out an album. So all the kids nowadays are doing singles. So we're, like, 'Let's do a single.'"

Added John: "It's cool. It's a really cool version of the song. And I was trying to really pay tribute to Levi Stubbs [FOUR TOPS singer], who's one of the best R&B singers from that era. He just has a cool soulful, powerful, almost a rock voice, and I think a lot of people — Glenn Hughes probably in particular — would admire his singing. And he just had this vibe. And so I was, like, 'Okay, I'd better pull it out of me.' But we did a great job."

Roman P-V - 2024-04-27 12:42:57