Armored Saint, and American heavy metal band formed in 1982, this five-piece band is a collective of seasoned veterans of the heavy metal scene. 13 studio albums have been released since 1983. With the latest was in 2021, “Symbol of Salvation Live.” Their performance was a mix of old and new work they have done, it was a great tour of their music adventures.
When the band hit the stage, the crowd blew up and everyone seem to come closer to the stage. John Bush the original lead singer jumps up on the platform and belts out their opening song. If there was a space for him to stand, he was there. Phil Sandoval and Jeff Duncan, guitarists, swooped sides of the stage drilling heavy riffs out with every song. Joey Vera, the bassist, the energizer bunny of bass player, keep us entertained with his stage presents. We cannot forget the drummer Gonzo Sandoval, he didn’t just hide behind the drum set, his beats were driving and intense and keep the rest of the band hopping on stage.
I have to say this is the first time I had ever heard of Armored Saint, not sure why I feel I have been hiding under a rock. This band was such a killer group, the energy, the look, their songs were so good. Now I have to go back and listen to the rest of their work. If you want to join me here are a few links to follow and keep up with their music.
https://www.instagram.com/thearmoredsaint
https://www.facebook.com/thearmoredsaint
W.A.S.P. a Los Angelas based band that formed in 1982, has been known as a shock rock heavy metal band and has been led by Blackie Lawless since the beginning. Lawless was full of energy and grabbing a guitar from time to time, shows us his multiple talents. With Doug Blair on guitar and Mike Duda on bass alongside Aquiles Priester on drums. They are celebrating their 40-year anniversary of the release of their debut album, W.A.S.P. with the Album One Alive World Tour.
On stage there was a huge metal skeleton attached to Lawless mic stand, the stage was surrounded by skulls mounted on spikes with chains draped from them. Red lights lit the stage as it was slowly filling with fog, as it rolled across the floor into the audience. It covered all the instruments and the music playing got darker, moody and mysterious, then the stage went dark. Setting the tone for the rest of the evening.
As the band run on stage they were highlighted by red and yellow light. Lawless ran up on stage last and grabbed the towering mic stand and rocked it back and forth opening the show with one of W.A.S.P. popular songs, “I Wanna Be Somebody” followed by their other most popular song “L.O.V.E. Machine.” The crowd went absolutely crazy, jumping and shouting the words to each song. The songs from there ran us through the debut album. The second half of the show was a variety of songs from across their discography, “Wild Child” and “Blind in Texas” were in that mix for the night.
The band brought back memories to the crowd which was primarily over 30 years old and their kids. The days of new work from W.A.S.P. is not over they truly have a solid fanbase that keep coming back from more. Here are some links to follow them, if you’re a dedicated W.A.S.P. Nation follower or someone just finding out about them, they can be found here.
https://www.instagram.com/waspofficial
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCctxEm07OfzGTFp9DftBeyg
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