Emotion Factory Reset

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Nine albums in, Los Angeles metal vets Armored Saint pivot to more of a hard rock sound for most of <i>Emotion Factory Reset</i>. The title comes from a line in leadoff track “Close to the Bone,” which takes musical inspiration from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement of the late ’70s and early ’80s, a form that peaked right around Armored Saint’s formation in 1982. Since John Bush’s return for 2000’s <i>Revelation</i>, Armored Saint has shapeshifted subtly over time into a band that doesn’t feel beholden to genre. <b>“Hit a Moonshot”</b> combines a vintage rock feel with modern production as Bush sings of yacht rides and taking down Camelot. <b>“It’s a Buzzkill”</b> assumes a ’90s alt-rock mold, complete with a hard funk bassline and era-appropriate drum and guitar effects. Like the band’s last four albums, <i>Emotion Factory Reset</i> was produced by Armored Saint bassist and songwriter Joey Vera, who sees the value in making each record different from its predecessor. And while <i>Emotion Factory Reset</i> might share some common ground with the band’s 2020 release <i>Punching the Sky</i>, it’s a far cry from their 1984 debut <i>March of the Saint</i> or their 1991 fan favorite <i>Symbol of Salvation</i>, the first Armored Saint record to feature guitarist Jeff Duncan.

via Apple Music