Armored Saint are Set To Release their Ninth Studio Album "Emotion Factory Reset" Through Metal Blade Records, Releases "Close to the Bone" Music Video
Photo by Travis Shinn
Edited by Anselm Anderson
American heavy metal icons, ARMORED SAINT return with their anticipated new full-length release, Emotion Factory Reset, set for release on May 22nd through Metal Blade Records.
Emotion Factory Reset, the line up's ninth studio album since 1984’s Debut LP "March Of The Saint", is eleven songs of diverse musicality and lyrical themes. Produced by bassist and longtime producer, Joey Vera and mixed by Jay Ruston (Anthrax, Stone Sour) the record finds the quintet challenging themselves. Songs like “Close To The Bone,” “Hit A Moonshot,” and “Every Man-Any Man” have ARMORED SAINT honouring their past as one of the most respected and recognizable bands in heavy music while making forward-thinking music rooted in the present.
“Each ARMORED SAINT record, to me, is like a new skin for the band, a different chapter. I don't think we've ever repeated ourselves,” says Vera. “Every album has been pretty different from the previous one, a snapshot in time. In 2026, Emotion Factory Reset is where our heads are at.”
The collaborative nature of Emotion Factory Reset led to the album title, a phrase from Phil Sandoval. “To me, ‘Emotion Factory Reset’ means to reset yourself back to clarity. Take a pause and breathe before you respond or react. You can't control outside events, but you can control your mind,” the guitarist says. “How you interpret things is what hurts you, not the event itself.”
In advance of the record’s release, the band presents the first single and album opener, “Close To The Bone.” Bush comments on the release, “The first track on the record sounds like vintage ARMORED SAINT. Yet vintage that comes out in 2026! How did we do that? The title of the record, Emotion Factory Reset appears as the first line of the bridge. Killer riffs, awesome rhythms and attacking vocals gets this train rolling. The title implies the human response to withdraw and keep things to yourself instead of being confrontational; Something I believe we all struggle with as humans. Do you just say, ‘aww, whatever man,’ or do you say, ‘hey, fuck you!’ Depends on the moment I guess.”
Adds Vera, “Musically, this song was inspired by my love and appreciation for metal that was coming out around the time of the NWOBHM, which is right when ARMORED SAINT was formed. As always, I try to reimagine my early influences by giving them a slight modern twist.” The track sees Bush on top form, as he roars over a blistering guitar sound.
It’s an exciting time for longtime Armored Saint fans, as vocalist John Bush stays busy. In 2024, he released the self-titled debut album for his side project, Category 7, which he recorded with Machine Head guitarist Phil Demmel"Emotion Factory Reset" is a follow up to 2020's "Punching the Sky".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUyUzxd4Wuc
ARMORED SAINT‘s Emotion Factory Reset was recorded across several studios, including 606 Studios, Secret Hand Studios, Skullseven Studios, Constantine Studios, and Bridge Recording, engineered by Oliver Roman, Bill Metoyer, Joey Vera, and Jason Constantine, and features cover art by DDKing.
The record will be released on CD digipack (w/ 20-page booklet) and digital formats as well as vinyl.
Additionally, a special European edition of the CD digipak includes the bonus track “One Chain (Don‘t Make No Prison),” only available digitally until now!
A special European edition of the single gatefold LP comes w/ insert and DL card + 7” vinyl “One Chain (Don‘t Make No Prison),” (only available digitally until now!) w/ an etching on the B-side, a poster, and slipmat.
Find all preorders at https://eyesoremerch.com/bands/a/armored-saint
Emotion Factory Reset Track Listing:
1. Close To The Bone
2. Every Man-Any Man
3. Not On Your Life
4. Hit A Moonshot
5. Buckeye
6. Compromise
7. It's A Buzzkill
8. Throwing Caution To The Wind
9. Ladders And Slides
10. Bottom Feeder
11. Epilogue
Catch ARMORED SAINT live throughout the Spring and Summer months with more dates to be announced in the weeks to come.
ARMORED SAINT Live:
4/19/2026 Rainbow Bar & Grill – West Hollywood, CA w/ L.A. Guns, Pentagram, Alien Ant Farm, Boy Hits Car
5/17/2026 San Luis Metal Fest – San Luis PotosÃ, MX
5/22/2026 Rock Hard Festival – Gelsenkirchen, DE
6/06/2026 Milwaukee Metalfest @ The Rave/Eagles Club – Milwaukee, WI
7/30/2026 Pumpehuset – Copenhagen, DK w/ Metal Church
7/31/2026 Skogsrojet Festival – Rejmyre, SE
8/01/2026 Pustervik – Gothenburg, SE w/ Testament, Metal Church
8/02/2026 Mejeriet – Lund, SE * w/ Testament, Metal Church
8/05/2026 Brutal Assault – Jaroměř, CZ
8/07/2026 Alcatraz Festival – Dessel, BE
8/08/2026 Poppodium Boerderij – Zoetermeer, NL *ARMORED SAINT headlining show
8/09/2026 Keep It True Legions – Geiselwind, DE
8/11/2026 Progresja – Warsaw, PL w/ Savatage, Nevermore
8/12/2026 Collosseum – Kosice, SK w/ Vio-Lence
8/13/2026 Klub Studio – Krakow, PL w/ Testament, Metal Church
8/29/2026 Stonedead Festival – Newark, UK
ARMORED SAINT:
John Bush – vocals
Joey Vera – bass
Jeff Duncan – guitars
Gonzo Sandoval – drums
Phil Sandoval – guitars
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