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Armored Saint: La Raza

Melodic Heavy Metal/Hard Rock

Rating: 5.0/5.0

Metalblade Records
www.armoredsaint.com
www.myspace.com/armoredsaint1
Review: Craig Hartranft,  03.21.2010

If you thought you knew metal legends Armored Saint, then I dare you to listen to their new album La Raza. This is not the seminal early 80's band from California that garnered massive underground, and slight MTV, attention back in the day. Always the bridesmaid and never the bride, Armored Saint had the talent to kick ass and take names. True metal heads and historians dig their albums like they love their first sleeveless denim jacket plastered with buttons and patches. Nevertheless, La Raza shows all the energy that Armored Saint had back then, but with an immense amount of brilliance and creativity for a new era.

After a first listen, I was ready to call La Raza progressive rock (slash) metal simply because of the generous amounts of rock and metal variation. I'm not sure how to classify this work. A song like La Raza moves equally between melodic rock, metal, and prog. Frankly, listening to Loose Cannon, Left Hook from Right Field or Chilled had me scratching my head. Somewhere between Aerosmith, GnR, and old school Armored Saint is 2010 Armored Saint. For another twisted loop of genres, Blues and Bandit Country both confound and mesmerize. Damn, whatever I think or expound, it's all good. Armored Saint's La Raza defies both their history and musical category. This is somewhere between genius and 'Frag you, we'll do what we want.' And I dig it. Get it!

Note: All Amazon advertising in this review first benefits the artist, then Craig Hartranft also receives a residual. Click, and thanks for your support.

Armored Saint's La Raza defies both their history and musical category. This is somewhere between genius and 'Frag you, we'll do what we want.' And I dig it. This could be the best trad metal album of the year. Get it!

Alphabetical Index

eviewing my archives, I was pleased to find that I have had the privilege to review every Lionville since their self-titled debut in 2011. Formed by Stefano Lionetti, a songwriter, singer and guitarist based in ... [ Read More ]