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.
Mess
Armored Saint Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Let the decadence marinate
Farmers with a dire prediction
Who planted massive seeds we ate
Flower, grower, cultivating seeds we ate
Pilfer, slower, inching closer to checkmate
There's many been bought before, lots before
There's many who've fought before, and lost before
And this ain't no different
The price of an all you can eat buffet
Will put you away
You ain't no different, I ain't no different
There ain't no difference
Between the likes of us
Except were all gonna bust
The mess, the mess that we continue to make
Living in our culture of waste
The mess that we all make will
Annihilate
The mess, the mess that we continue to make
Mom said better clean your plate
The mess that we all make will
Annihilate
Waste
Fat the hero modus operandi
Gluttons eat all in their path
Sell the public items they must buy
Use 'em once then they get the shaft
There's many been bought before, lots before
And this ain't no different
There's many who've fought before, and lost before
And this ain't no different
The line at the all you can eat buffet
It blows me away
You ain't no different, I ain't no different
There ain't no difference
Between the likes of us
Except we're all gonna bust
The lyrics of Armored Saint’s song “Mess” are a commentary on the consequences of living in a society of waste and excess. The first verse describes the effects of tradition and the repercussions of overconsumption on agriculture. The line “Analyzing chains of tradition, let the decadence marinate” can be interpreted as taking the time to examine and understand the traditions and habits we’ve inherited and how they contribute to the problems we face. The second half of the verse depicts how farmers, who once planted “massive seeds,” are now experiencing a dire prediction due to the large-scale, unsustainable practices that have become common in agriculture. The chorus then addresses the idea that no one is exempt from the effects of the mass-consumption culture we live in, symbolized by “all you can eat buffets.” The repetition of “there ain’t no difference between the likes of us” emphasizes this message that we are all contributing to the mess we are making.
The second verse of “Mess” delves further into the consequences of indulgence, this time in the context of consumerism. The lines, “Fat the hero modus operandi, gluttons eat all in their path, sell the public items they must buy, use 'em once then they get the shaft,” can be interpreted as a critical eye on a society that encourages overconsumption and the production of low-quality products with built-in obsolescence. The stanza, “There's many been bought before, lots before, And this ain't no different, There's many who've fought before and lost before, And this ain't no different,” emphasizes the pattern of destructive behavior which has been happening for centuries, and how it keeps repeating without any end in sight.
Overall, “Mess” is a powerful critique of the modern society driven by consumption and greed. It highlights the need to take responsibility for the waste we create and to question the traditions and habits that have become normalized if we want to avoid the imminent destruction we are racing towards.
Line by Line Meaning
Analyzing chains of tradition
Examining long-held beliefs and practices
Let the decadence marinate
Indulging in excess and letting it fester
Farmers with a dire prediction
Who planted massive seeds we ate
People who could see the inevitable consequences of their actions, but still went ahead and caused harm
Flower, grower, cultivating seeds we ate
Pilfer, slower, inching closer to checkmate
Drawing a parallel between the farmers who grew crops that were detrimental to the environment/health and the moves of an opponent in a game who is steadily approaching victory
There's many been bought before, lots before
And this ain't no different
There's many who've fought before, and lost before
And this ain't no different
History repeats itself and the current situation is no exception
The price of an all you can eat buffet
Will put you away
You ain't no different, I ain't no different
There ain't no difference
Between the likes of us
Except we're all gonna bust
Indulging in unlimited resources without a thought for the consequences will eventually lead to a downfall; nobody is immune to this
The mess, the mess that we continue to make
Living in our culture of waste
The mess that we all make will
Annihilate
Our society's disregard for the environment and perpetual cycle of waste will lead to its own destruction
The mess, the mess that we continue to make
Mom said better clean your plate
The mess that we all make will
Annihilate
A reminder of the importance of being mindful and not wasting resources, which will eventually cause our own downfall
Waste
A simple, one-word statement emphasizing the topic at hand
Fat the hero modus operandi
Gluttons eat all in their path
Sell the public items they must buy
Use 'em once then they get the shaft
Highlighting the mindset of those who consume excessively, even if it comes at the cost of others, and the pattern of products being marketed as necessary but only meant for one-time use
The line at the all you can eat buffet
It blows me away
You ain't no different, I ain't no different
There ain't no difference
Between the likes of us
Except we're all gonna bust
Expressing disbelief at the sheer amount of waste caused by people blindly indulging in unlimited resources and reiterating that this will not end well
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: BUSH JOHN ROBERT, VERA JOSEPH JOHN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind