Armored Saint Announce NEW Album "Emotion Factory Reset"

The Nwothm

2–4 minutes

American heavy metal veterans ARMORED SAINT will return this spring with their ninth studio album, “Emotion Factory Reset”, arriving on the 22nd of May through Metal Blade Records. The band have also unveiled the first single and video, “Close To The Bone”, now available to watch on YouTube.

Watch “Close To The Bone”:

A New Chapter for a Legendary Band

“Emotion Factory Reset” marks the group’s first full‑length release since “Punching the Sky” and continues their long‑standing partnership with producer and bassist Joey Vera, with mixing handled by Jay Ruston. The album represents a period of renewal for the band, built across eleven tracks that explore varied musical ideas and lyrical themes.

Vera explains:

“Each ARMORED SAINT record, to me, is like a new skin for the band, a different chapter. I do not think we have ever repeated ourselves. Every album has been pretty different from the previous one, a snapshot in time. In 2026, ‘Emotion Factory Reset’ is where our heads are at.”

Vocalist John Bush adds:

“When we start coming up with songs, I always say we can do whatever we want. Use all our influences through the years, diverse music that we listen to and love, and let that seep in and bring something new out of us. It leads to something more adventurous.”

The album title originated from guitarist Phil Sandoval, who describes it as “resetting yourself back to clarity. Take a pause and breathe before you respond or react. You cannot control outside events, but you can control your mind.”

New Single: “Close To The Bone”

The album’s opening track, “Close To The Bone”, sets the tone for the record. Bush comments:

“The first track on the record sounds like vintage ARMORED SAINT. Yet vintage that comes out in 2026. How did we do that? The title of the record, ‘Emotion Factory Reset’, appears as the first line of the bridge. Killer riffs, awesome rhythms and attacking vocals gets this train rolling.”

Vera notes that the song draws inspiration from the era of the NWOBHM, reimagined with a modern edge. Guitarist Jeff Duncan adds:

“When the five of us play together, we have a special chemistry and our first single ‘Close To The Bone’ demonstrates this perfectly. It is musically sophisticated but still retains the ARMORED SAINT signature sound.”

Recording and Editions

“Emotion Factory Reset” was recorded across several studios, including 606 Studios, Secret Hand Studios, Skullseven Studios, Constantine Studios and Bridge Recording. Engineering was handled by Oliver Roman, Bill Metoyer, Joey Vera and Jason Constantine. The cover art is by DDKing.

Vinyl Variants

Amber Marble (US)
Orange and Red Marble (US)
Brutal Panda Exclusive: Citron Smoke (US)
180g Black (EU)
Beige Gray Marbled (EU)
Clear Black Gold Smoke (EU, Ltd. 500)
Metallic Gold Black Dust (EU, Ltd. 300)
Clear Gold Splatter (EU, Ltd. 200)

Special European Editions

CD digipak with bonus track “One Chain (Don’t Make No Prison)”
Single gatefold LP with insert, DL card and 7” vinyl of “One Chain (Don’t Make No Prison)” featuring an etched B‑side, plus poster and slipmat