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Armored Saint - Armored Saint review




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Reviewer:
7.0

16 users:
7.69
Band: Armored Saint
Album: Armored Saint
Release date: 1983


01. Lesson Well Learned
02. False Alarm
03. On The Way

It's not that easy talking about an EP that is as short as this one, but let's look at it from the following point of view: Armored Saint started off with this same titled EP in 1983, that's the same year as Metallica's Kill Em All and Slayer's Show No Mercy, one year earlier than Anthrax's first release, two years before Megadeth's Killing Is My Business. But why am I talking about america's big four in thrash metal when Armored Saint are counted to the heavy metal genre?
Let this be the answer: I'd say that among heavy metal bands Armored Saint had a rougher, edgier sound already, maybe paving the way for thrash metal, but maybe they were just too late, because major bands of this genre already stepped on the scene. Just by the sound Armored Saint were being a bit closer to thrash than most other bands, you could say on the edge, so it's no wonder John Bush later joined Anthrax. Maybe I'm wrong and my guessing might be totally misleading, but it's that theory of mine and the conclusion might be that in the fast growing scene of thrash Armored Saint only remained on the way to success.
So this EP must have had something to gain people's attention or they would not have gotten further record deals... and yes there is! As already mentioned the rougher and edgier sound from what people have heard made this a much more modern and much more american kind of heavy metal standing quite far apart from the heavy metal origins of Britain. Maybe it's the use of more shredding maybe it's something else. The quite remarkable and unique voice of John Bush is one major part that made people recognize the band and the fierce playing by heart from the former schoolmates is the other major part that can be heard throughout the three songs. Certainly it is not the Saint's best release, but back then it must have been some very promising start. 7.0 from me.

Written by Pierre Tombale | 22.02.2005





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