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.
Tribal Dance
Armored Saint Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Coca paste potent smell
Boats off for San Pedro
Good work men! Bring my dough
Tribal dance
Tribal dance
It's a full moon yeyo de coca
Son of a milacka
Distribute USA
Demand is high today
Coffee beans were our trade
But the market Prefers cocaine
Tribal dance
Tribal dance
It's a full moon yeyo de coca
Son of a milacka
Give me money then we'll do the tribal dance
Waiting for you
Come dance with me
That's the motto of the biggest party
Major supply
Families cry
When you gonna wake up open your eyes
The imported good is making America die
Rich Colombian man
Builds a zoo on his land
As long as we crave more
He'll dance
And win the drug war
Tribal dance
Tribal dance
It's a full moon yeyo de coca
Son of a milacka
Give me money then we'll do the tribal dance
The song "Tribal Dance" by Armored Saint delves into the power and impact of the Colombian cocaine trade on American society. The song describes the seductive allure of the drug and the dark world of cartels and drug lords behind it. The opening lines, "Colombian cartel, coca paste potent smell, boats off for San Pedro, good work men, bring my dough," vividly set the scene of the drug trade at work. The lyrics then shift to the demand for cocaine in the United States - "Distribute USA, demand is high today, coffee beans were our trade, but the market prefers cocaine." The chorus emphasizes the power the drug has over those involved in the trade, as well as those addicted to it - "Tribal dance, tribal dance, it's a full moon yeyo de coca, son of a milacka, give me money then we'll do the tribal dance."
The latter half of the song paints a bleak picture of the impact of cocaine on American society. The lyrics describe the devastation wrought by the drug - "Major supply, families cry, when you gonna wake up open your eyes, the imported good is making America die." The song also makes reference to the Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar and his infamous private zoo, demonstrating the vast wealth and power amassed by those involved in the drug trade.
Overall, "Tribal Dance" is a stark commentary on the destructive influence of the cocaine trade, which has left devastation in its wake for both those addicted to the drug and those whose lives have been impacted by its trade and distribution.
Line by Line Meaning
Colombian cartel
A group of powerful drug traffickers operating in Colombia
Coca paste potent smell
The strong odor of coca paste, an ingredient in cocaine
Boats off for San Pedro
Ships are departing for San Pedro, likely carrying drugs
Good work men! Bring my dough
A command to drug dealers to deliver the money earned from drug sales
Tribal dance
A term used to refer to the drug trade and the culture associated with it
It's a full moon yeyo de coca
A reference to a popular song about cocaine addiction and its effects
Son of a milacka
A derogatory term used to insult someone's mother
Give me money then we'll do the tribal dance
A demand for payment in exchange for drugs
Distribute USA
The distribution of drugs in the United States
Demand is high today
Increased demand for drugs
Coffee beans were our trade
A reference to Colombia's former history of exporting coffee
But the market prefers cocaine
The shift in demand from coffee to cocaine in the drug trade
Waiting for you
Waiting for buyers or clients to make a purchase
Come dance with me
A reference to the exchange or sale of drugs
That's the motto of the biggest party
Describing the drug trade as a party or celebration of wealth and power
Major supply
A large amount of drugs available for sale
Families cry
The impact of drug addiction and trafficking on families and communities
When you gonna wake up open your eyes
A call to action to address the issues caused by drug trafficking and addiction
The imported good is making America die
The negative impact of drugs on American society
Rich Colombian man
Wealthy drug lord in Colombia
Builds a zoo on his land
Using drug profits to build a zoo or invest in other lavish expenses
As long as we crave more
As long as there is demand for drugs, drug lords will continue to profit
He'll dance
Drug lords celebrate their wealth and power through extravagant lifestyles
And win the drug war
The success of drug lords in profiting from drug trafficking despite law enforcement efforts
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DAVID EARL PRICHARD, GONZALO SANDOVAL, JOHN ROBERT BUSH, JOSEPH JOHN VERA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind