Armored Saint was formed in 1982 by brothers Phil and Gonzo Sandoval, and guitarist David Prichard, while attending Woodrow Wilson High School. Next to join were singer John Bush and bassist Joey Vera. Gonzo Sandoval came up with the name after getting stoned with the other band members and seeing the film "Excalibur" at a theater in Monterey Park. Armored Saint recorded a five song demo that landed the song "Lesson Well Learned" on the compilation album "Metal Massacre II". Three of these demo songs were then used for the band's self-titled EP on Metal Blade Records in 1983. The group then signed with Chrysalis Records in 1984.
Armored Saint released their debut album "March of the Saint" in 1984 followed by 1985's "Delirious Nomad". The debut album yielded a minor MTV hit with "Can U Deliver?". After the release of "Delirious Nomad", Phil Sandoval left the group. Their third album, "Raising Fear", was recorded by the remaining four members. Unhappy with their lack of success on the Chrysalis label, Armored Saint returned to Metal Blade in 1989. Soon after the release of their first live album "Saints Will Conquer". Later that same year the band added Jeff Duncan formerly of the L.A. club band Odin as second guitarist.
While writing and recording rough four-track demos for their next studio album, Dave Prichard was diagnosed with leukemia. Prichard succumbed to the disease before recording sessions for "Symbol of Salvation" began. After a brief hiatus, Phil Sandoval returned to the band to replace Prichard. The following year, "Symbol of Salvation" was released to widespread critical success. It was dedicated to the spirit and memory of Dave Prichard, whose solo on the demo recording of the song "Tainted Past" was used on the album.
Following the successful "Symbol of Salvation" tour, John Bush was offered the position of lead vocalist in the very successful thrash band Anthrax. Unsure of Armored Saint's future, Bush accepted the job. The remaining members declined to continue, and Armored Saint was officially disbanded.
After Armored Saint disbanded, Joey Vera kept busy playing with such bands as Fates Warning, Lizzy Borden and Chroma Key. He released a solo album in 1994 and started a successful second career as a producer and engineer.
Gonzo and Phil Sandoval formed a new band called Life After Death, a song oriented rock outfit influenced greatly by the legendary band Thin Lizzy.
In 1999, with Anthrax on temporary hiatus, John Bush and Joey Vera decided to reform Armored Saint. The entire "Symbol Of Salvation" lineup returned to the studio and in 2000 the album "Revelation" was released. It included the band's first song with Spanish lyrics, "No Me Digas". A small club tour opened for Dio and Lynch Mob followed.
The following year, the band released "Nod To The Old School", a collection of rarities, demos and outtakes (many from the Prichard years), plus a few new tracks.Soon after, John Bush returned to the studio with Anthrax, and Armored Saint was on indefinite hiatus.
in 2004, Joey Vera re-joined Bush in Anthrax on a temporary basis, replacing bassist Frank Bello. In early 2005, Anthrax's Scott Ian announced that their classic "Among The Living"-era lineup was reforming, leaving the membership of Bush and Vera in question. Bush stated his involvement with Anthrax was over, and Dan Nelson took over vocal duties in the band in 2007. This move gave new hope to many that Armored Saint would soon again record. A one-off show with the "Revelation" lineup took place in 2005 and in 2006 the band embarked on a new tour.
As part of their 20th anniversary, Metal Blade Records released a special edition of "Symbol Of Salvation". Also reissued was the band's long out of print live video, "A Trip Thru Red Times".
In Fall 2009, the band returned to the studio to record a new album called "La Raza" which was released in March 2010.
On February 11, 2013, Vera officially announced that the band had begun working on their seventh studio album. The album, titled Win Hands Down, was released on June 2, 2015. Win Hands Down debuted at number 183 on the Billboard Top 200 chart. The album also reached number 33 on the German Top 100 albums charts.
On February 24, 2017, Armored Saint released their first live album in 29 years, Carpe Noctum.
On May 23, 2019, Armored Saint announced that they had begun writing and demoing songs for their eighth studio album. The resulting album, titled Punching the Sky, was released on October 23, 2020. Metal Hammer named it the 33rd-best metal album of 2020.
In October 2020, Armored Saint released a teaser trailer to their documentary "Armored Saint: The Movie" which includes appearances from such as James Hetfield from Metallica and Scott Ian from Anthrax.
In a July 2023 interview, Bush confirmed that he and Vera have "started writing some songs a little bit" for the next Armored Saint album.
Burning Question
Armored Saint Lyrics
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Her silky hair
Her ghostly glare
Burns holes everywhere
I waited long
I held out strong
One step beyond
On my mind all day long
I want to blame uncontrolled desire
It set my fury free
The level of my need shot up higher
Confused my mind guaranteed
She's a burning question
Does the answer lie up ahead
Burning question
The eternal flames fire red
My make believe
It made me leave
Had to achieve
Every part of her that breathed
I want to blame it all on obsession
It set my fury free
It's a fine line between possession
And smothering at the seams
She's a burning question
Does the answer lie up ahead
Burning question
The eternal flames fire red
It's got the shrewd man mesmerized
Perplexed and hypnotized
The rule of thumb sure ain't on the rise
Lost
Losing control
Raging up from my soul
Violence is in command
Her life is in my hand
Inside my hand
I want to blame uncontrolled desire
It set my fury free
The level of my need shot up higher
Confused my mind guaranteed
She's a burning question
Does the answer lie up ahead
Burning question
The eternal flames fire red
It's got the shrewd man mesmerized
Perplexed and hypnotized
The rule of thumb sure ain't on the rise
Burning question
Burning question
Burning question
The lyrics of Armored Saint's "Burning Question" depict a narrator who is deeply obsessed with a woman. He describes her physical appearance with praise and admiration, noting her "painted stare," "silky hair," and "ghostly glare," but also hints at the danger she poses with her ability to "burn holes everywhere." The singer confesses to feeling "confused" and out of control due to his intense desire for her. He is aware of the fine line between passion and possessiveness, but still struggles to resist her pull. The chorus suggests that the woman represents a mysterious and unanswerable question, one that haunts the singer and fuels his obsession.
The song's lyrics conjure a sense of danger and urgency, as if the singer is on the brink of losing control. The lines "lost, losing control, raging up from my soul" and "her life is in my hand" hint at the possibility of violence. However, it is unclear whether the danger is directed towards the woman or towards the singer himself, as he seems to be battling with his own desires and inability to resist her. "Burning Question" creates a sense of tension and unease, with its heavy guitar riffs and urgent vocals, highlighting the destructive power of unchecked desire.
Line by Line Meaning
Her painted stare
The intense gaze of the subject of the song
Her silky hair
The alluring quality of her hair
Her ghostly glare
Her stare seems to be otherworldly
Burns holes everywhere
The intense effect that her presence has on the artist
I waited long
The artist has been patient in his pursuit
I held out strong
He has not given in to temptation easily
One step beyond
He has pushed the boundaries of his restraint in his pursuit of her
On my mind all day long
He can't get her out of his head
I want to blame uncontrolled desire
He acknowledges that his obsession with her is not rational
It set my fury free
His fixation on her has unleashed uncontrollable emotions
The level of my need shot up higher
His desire for her intensifies
Confused my mind guaranteed
He is unable to think clearly because of his obsession
She's a burning question
The woman represents a mystery that he must solve
Does the answer lie up ahead
He wonders if he will be able to attain her
The eternal flames fire red
The passion and intensity of his desire cannot be quenched
My make believe
The fabricated image of her that he has created
It made me leave
His fantasies have consumed him to the point of leaving reality
Had to achieve
He must conquer this fixation
Every part of her that breathed
He wants all of her
It's a fine line between possession
He acknowledges that his obsessive feelings can cross into unhealthy territory
And smothering at the seams
He risks suffocating her with his intensity
It's got the shrewd man mesmerized
The woman's allure has captivated even those with discerning judgement
Perplexed and hypnotized
He is befuddled and fixated
The rule of thumb sure ain't on the rise
The common sense approach to relationships is not applicable here
Lost
He feels overwhelmed and consumed by his desire
Losing control
He worries that he is unable to maintain his restraint
Raging up from my soul
His emotions are unleashed and overwhelming
Violence is in command
His feelings have taken over and clouded his judgement
Her life is in my hand
He feels that he has power over her
Inside my hand
He has control over the situation
Burning question
The mystery of the woman and his obsession with her
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DAVID EARL PRICHARD, GONZALO SANDOVAL, JOHN ROBERT BUSH, JOSEPH JOHN VERA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind