Listen up metalheads! Armored Saint has just dropped their new album “Win Hands Down” on Metal Blade Records and it just may be the album of their career. Now, this is a band that has been underrated and often ignored in the metal world but whose debut album “March of The Saint” has earned them a spot on every metal fan’s shelf. After one listen, you’re going to have to make some more room on the shelf for this one.
“Win Hands Down” is classic Armored Saint with a little bit of thrash and a little bit of modern metal thrown into the mix. Things kick off with the title track, an in your face anthemic rocker and it is crystal clear that the band is on fire. The guitars of Phi Sandoval and Jeff Duncan are blistering and you couldn’t ask for a better rhythm section than bassist Joey Vera and drummer Gonzo Sandoval. The riffs are crunchy and frontman John Bush has never sounded better. The songwriting has matured over the years as showcased in the lyrics of “Mess” which is about our consumer consumption society and “In An Instant” which focuses on the Boston Marathon bombing. Musically they’ve matured as well with the keyboards and melodies in the complex ballad “Dive.” But of course, this is a rock and roll album and Armored Saint closes things out with the f you track of the year in “Up Yours,” a true metal anthem that will have crowds on their feet and screaming along.
With “Win Hands Down,” Armored Saint is back in the game and on their way to a huge victory. Add this one to your must own list today.
