ARMORED SAINT – Punching The Sky

The Backstory

Punching the Sky is the eighth full-length by Armored Saint.  Having burst onto the Los Angeles Heavy Metal scene in 1982, Armored Saint released their first album March of the Saint in 1984.  In 1991 Armored Saint released what most fans believe was their finest album Symbol of Salvation.  That album was in memory of their original guitarist Dave Prichard, who passed away in 1989 after his battle with  leukemia.

Armored Saint took a break shortly after.  Members moved on to other projects, yet came back together in 2000.  While members are still committed to other projects, they’ve been able to reunite for tours and new albums ever since.  Punching The Sky was put together through file sharing and produced by bassist Joey Vera.

The Album

“Standing on the Shoulders of Giants” starts calm with Scottish bagpipes and faint clean guitars. Gonzo soon kicks in with a rhythmic beat, backed by distorted riffs. John Bush is as powerful as ever with his inspiring lyrics of overcoming life’s obstacles. Armored Saint kicks the energy up a notch on “End of the Attention Span.” Bush’s melodic bridge section stands out more than the chorus section. Sandoval and Duncan are on fire with their respective guitar work. Thematically they are right on target with how people consume their information through bits and pieces today.

Joey Vera’s bass dominates the intro to “My Jurisdiction.” Gonzo’s drum work cannot be ignored as the song progresses. Speaking of which, the high school marching band beat he lays down on “Do Wrong to None” is unique to say the least. It’s great how the guitar riffs are able to match it and drive the track. It is difficult to see where Armored Saint is going by comparing a loner to a battleship and a couple’s dance on “Lone Wolf.” “Missile to Gun” could have easily fit in with any classic Armored Saint album. The chorus is sure to stick with you all day.

“Fly in the Ointment” is a mid-tempo track that shows off the best of Bush’s high register and low register. The chorus is simple yet effective enough to get you to sing with it. Armored Saint slow things down on “Unfair.” Its dark tone is the perfect match for Bush’s emotional delivery. “Never You Fret” brings the energy back up to close out the album. The song is either and anthem for a dominant sports team or Armored Saint themselves.

The Verdict

Punching the Sky is exactly what fans would expect from an Armored Saint album.  No gimmicks, no distracting musical experiments, just consistent and powerful Heavy Metal.

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Tracklist

1. Standing on the Shoulders of Giants
2. End of the Attention Span
3. Bubble
4. My Jurisdiction
5. Do Wrong to None
6. Lone Wolf
7. Missile to Gun
8. Fly in the Ointment
9. Bark, No Bite
10. Unfair
11. Never You Fret

*Special Edition*

– Bonus Tracks –
12. For the Sake of Heaviness (Live at Bang Your Head Festival, Germany, 2019)
13. Underdogs (Live at Bang Your Head Festival, Germany, 2019)
14. Isolation (Live from Isolation)

– DVD – Live at Rock Hard Festival 2018
1. March of the Saint
2. Reign of Fire
3. Pay Dirt
4. Last Train Home
5. On the Way
6. Book of Blood
7. Spineless
8. Left Hook from Right Field
9. Chemical Euphoria
10. Win Hands Down
11. Can U Deliver

Armored Saint is:

John Bush – Vocals
Joey Vera – Bass
Phil Sandoval – Guitar
Jeff Duncan – Guitar
Gonzo Sandoval – Drums