Armored Saint – Emotion Factory Reset: A Legacy Reforged for the Present

Armored Saint continue to prove that experience, conviction and great songwriting do not fade with time. With their ninth studio album Emotion Factory Reset, the legendary American heavy metal band delivers a focused and energetic record that looks back at its foundations while continuing to move forward.

Released in 2026 via Metal Blade Records, Emotion Factory Reset represents another chapter in the long-running story of a band that has been active since 1980. Across eleven songs, Armored Saint explore themes of resilience, emotion, identity and the human experience while combining their established heavy metal character with hard-rock dynamics, sharp songwriting and a fresh sense of urgency.

The album was produced by bassist Joey Vera, who has also produced the band’s previous four albums, and mixed by Jay Ruston, whose production credits include Anthrax and Stone Sour. Recording took place across several studios, including 606 Studios, Secret Hand Studios, Skullseven Studios, Constantine Studios and Bridge Recording. Engineering credits include Oliver Roman, Bill Metoyer, Joey Vera and Jason Constantine, while the album artwork was created by DDKing.

Tracks including “Close To The Bone,” “Hit A Moonshot,” “Every Man-Any Man” and “Not On Your Life” demonstrate the band’s ability to maintain its recognizable identity while continuing to explore new territory.

The response from international metal media has reflected the album’s combination of experience and renewed energy. German publications including Break Out, Rock Hard and Deaf Forever, alongside Brave Words, Grave Noise Media, Metal Talk and Maximum Volume Music, have highlighted the record’s songwriting, power, versatility and ability to sound both rooted in classic heavy metal and relevant to the present.

Rather than simply relying on nostalgia, Emotion Factory Reset presents Armored Saint as an active, creative force. The band’s long history is clearly part of its identity, but the record is ultimately focused on what the band can still create today.

“Not On Your Life”

The album’s visual campaign continues with the visualizer for “Not On Your Life,” created by Costin Chioreanu of TWILIGHT13MEDIA.

The track itself carries the band’s characteristic combination of attitude, melody and heavy metal drive, while the accompanying visual expands the atmosphere of the song into a distinctive cinematic presentation.

The Metal Saint Tour

Armored Saint will join forces with Metal Church for the Metal Saint Tour 2026, beginning November 2 in San Juan Capistrano, California and continuing across North America through November 21.

The bands have also announced a second leg for spring 2027, extending the Metal Saint package from March 19 through April 10.

Metal Saint Tour 2026

November 2 — Coach House — San Juan Capistrano, CA

November 3 — The Glass House — Pomona, CA

November 4 — The Nile — Phoenix, AZ

November 6 — Sunshine Theater — Albuquerque, NM

November 7 — Sunshine Studios — Colorado Springs, CO

November 8 — The Federal — Denver, CO

November 10 — Neurolux — Boise, ID

November 11 — The Newberry — Great Falls, MT

November 13 — Dantes — Portland, OR

November 14 — Redwood Theater — Bremerton, WA

November 15 — Rickshaw Theater — Vancouver, BC

November 17 — Great America Music Hall — San Francisco, CA

November 18 — Goldfield Trading Post — Roseville, CA

November 19 — The Whisky — Los Angeles, CA

November 20 — Observatory North San Diego — San Diego, CA

November 21 — Canyon Club — Agoura Hills, CA

Metal Saint Tour 2027

The spring 2027 run will begin in Austin, Texas on March 19 and conclude in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 10, with One Machine appearing as support on the announced dates, with the exception noted for the Las Vegas show.

The 2027 itinerary includes stops in Texas, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska, Utah and Nevada.

Armored Saint

John Bush — vocals

Joey Vera — bass

Jeff Duncan — guitars

Gonzo Sandoval — drums

Phil Sandoval — guitars

More than four decades after the band’s debut, Armored Saint continue to build on the musical foundation they established in the 1980s while maintaining a forward-looking approach.

Emotion Factory Reset is a record that places the band’s history and present-day creative energy side by side — a contemporary Armored Saint record made by musicians who know exactly where they came from, while continuing to push their sound forward.

Official

Armored Saint: https://www.armoredsaint.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thearmoredsaint

X: https://x.com/thearmoredsaint

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thearmoredsaint

Label: Metal Blade Records

Album: Emotion Factory Reset

Studio album: No. 9

Tracks: 11

Credits & Rights

Album and official release information: Metal Blade Records

Album artwork: DDKing

Band photography: Travis Shinn

“Not On Your Life” visualizer: Costin Chioreanu / TWILIGHT13MEDIA

All official album artwork, promotional imagery and label-supplied materials used in connection with this feature remain the property of their respective rights holders, including Metal Blade Records where applicable. Images are presented for editorial and promotional purposes with the appropriate credit.

Photo credit: Travis Shinn.

Metal Madness Weekly presents this feature as an editorial publication based on official promotional information supplied by the artist/label and the accompanying press materials.