ARMORED SAINT – Win Hands Down (2015)

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My beloved musical genres always gonna be Melodic Hard Rock / AOR, but I was born and raised listening classic Metal too, and ARMORED SAINT is one of my strongest references. Their ’80s albums and the superb ’91 release are amongst the best the US scene has offered.
Armored Saint disappeared along the Nineties, and while they returned during the past decade producing 3 albums, the charm was not the same for me.
But truth has to be said: if consistency was a power source, Armored Saint could illuminate a small city. Few traditional metal bands can match what this L.A. crew have generated, and “Win Hands Down” – their brand new album – has all the Saint finery.

“Win Hands Down” is Armored Saint’s first album in 5 years. Under no pressure these days, the band record albums when they feel the circumstances are right, which is why this is all fired up on every level.
Phil Sandoval’s and Jeff Duncan’s riffs are disciplined yet riotous and John Bush’s vocals are smoothly incendiary.
What really clinches the deal, though, is that the quintet have recorded nine quickfire anthems, going for quality rather than lacing the album with filler.

Screaming pick slides open up the CD with the title track, “Win Hands Done.” The guitars are muscular and in-front of the mix. This is just fine as the playing by Jeff Duncan and Phil Sandoval is nuanced and exceptional. The jam interlude at about the 2:40 mark on showcases another great element of this album; the band explores dynamic changes to shift the mood and tone on each song.
This record is definitely melodic US metal, but Armored Saint do quiet the job of breaking the molds and exploring boundaries, and at many places you can hear their usual Hard Rock grooves injected to their music.

Yes, “Win Hands Down” is a metallic album, but catchy as hell too, something Armored Saint always has in delivered in spades.
“Mess” and “Muscle Memory” have catchy choruses that buried the music deep inside your brain. Those tunes also have superb chord progressions opening up each tune to create space for some majestic guitar solos.

The bass work of Joey Vera and the granite crushing chops of Gonzo Sandoval on drums give lots of punch to “With A Head Full of Steam.” This song also finds John Bush sharing vocals duties with Pearl Aday who is the vocalist for the band Pearl. She also happens to be the wife of Scott Ian (Anthrax).

Speaking of John Bush, the man still has one hell of a set of pipes on him. His vocal delivery is one of the factors that makes Armored Saint stand above the fray. The gritty texture – yet quite clean – combined with the overall power of his vocals adds to the appeal of each song on this album.
The pace changes on “Dive.” The song again showcases the songwriting ability of the band, featuring a piano as the lead instrument for the first time, which is very different for the band and it slots in well with the overall feel of the record. The guitar solo blazes while still capturing the melancholy within this tune.
Armored Saint finishes up with a big middle finger on “Up Yours.” It’s a bit of f@ck you to the press and media who stalk celebrities. The song could apply to anyone that has their business where it doesn’t belong.

“Win Hands Down” might be the best Armored Saint album since the cult classic 1984’s March Of The Saint. Overall, includes by far the best material the band has written. From start to finish, each song immediately hooks the listener’s ear and pulls them into exploring the many facets within the music.
The production is punchy & loud and will appeal wider Rock-related audiences, as Armored Saint’s music is driven by true melodies.
A superb album from a cult band that really deserve more adulation and respect for their output.
Get out there and buy this one : ROCKS.

01 – Win Hands Down
02 – Mess
03 – An Exercise In Debauchery
04 – Muscle Memory
05 – That Was Then, Way Back When
06 – With A Head Full Of Steam
07 – In A Instant
08 – Dive
09 – Up Yours

John Bush: Vocals
Joey Vera: Bass
Phil Sandoval: Guitars
Jeff Duncan: Guitars
Gonza Sandoval: Drums

BUY IT !
www.amazon.co.uk/Win-Hands-Down-Armored-Saint/dp/B00W34USPS
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