Tethered to the End: An Interview with Joey Vera (Armored Saint, Fates Warning)
Though they’ve been together since 1982, and known each other for even longer, you might be surprised to learn that Armored Saint has only released eight studio albums to date despite their long history as a band. When it’s released on May 22nd through Metal Blade Records, Emotion Factory Reset will become the ninth record in their 44 year history. While most would consider that a low total for a band that’s been at it for as long as they have, most groups don’t exactly have the unique history, or bond, that the boys in Armored Saint do.
Breaking through the emerging Los Angeles metal scene with 1984’s March of the Saint led to many high profile touring opportunities for the band right out of the gate. The group’s subsequent releases were hampered by mishandling of promotion by their record label, leading them to sign with Metal Blade ahead of 1991’s Symbol of Salvation, a hugely successful record that helped Armored Saint regain some momentum after a brief hiatus after the death of guitarist Dave Prichard. That momentum would cease a year later when frontman John Bush left the group to famously front Anthrax after the departure of Joey Belladona, and putting Armored Saint’s future into jeopardy for years to come.
During this time, bassist Joey Vera would release a solo record and eventually join progressive metal legends Fates Warning, a band he still plays with today. During that time, he learned new approaches to songwriting that he’s taken and adopted for Armored Saint, while also refining and expanding his repertoire on the four-string by playing a significantly different style of metal. When Armored Saint eventually reunited in 1999 after Anthrax went on hiatus, they released a new album the next year and have been active on and off based on the commitments Bush and Vera have with their other groups and projects.
The bond between the members of Armored Saint has always been paramount when compared to their commitments to other bands, and its with good reason. As Joey describes it, Armored Saint is held as sacred and treated as such, largely in part because the guys in the band have known each other since they were in second grade. Both Bush and Vera had a chance to join Metallica in the early days, and both declined. No matter where their musical careers have led them, whether it be Fates Warning or Anthrax or any other number of endeavors, they always eventually find their way back home to Armored Saint. The results of this bond can be seen on Emotion Factory Reset, which sees the group delivering the classic sound Armored Saint is known for, but evolving in a way that feels appropriate to the modern day.
Ahead of its release, I had a chance to catch up with Joey and talk about the new record, and a number of other things, including:
- the writing process for Emotion Factory Reset, getting together in the same room for the first time in decades to pen “Throwing Caution to the Wind,” how the band is breaking new ground on the new record, and where we can see the R&B influences in Armored Saint’s music.
- why Joey waits to record his bass parts until the very end of the songwriting process, how he learned that technique during his time in Fates Warning, and an overview of their tour plans for the year including their first appearance at Milwaukee Metal Fest.
- an upcoming special show at the legendary Rainbow Bar and Grill, the importance of that venue to the group in their infancy, and a little history lesson about the legendary L.A. scene.
- memories of touring with Saxon in 1985 and “Kerrang Magazine coming to life,” opening for Judas Priest and learning they wrote Stained Class while still working in the factories, the band’s very first tour outside of California with Whitesnake and Quiet Riot, and a gentlemanly encounter backstage with David Coverdale.
- reflections on always coming home to Armored Saint and what it’s like to play with the same guys he’s known since he was 7 years old.
You can view the entire interview HERE:
Joey was a pleasure to speak with and his passion for Armored Saint is evident in the way he describes the group as a family business and the intricacies and delicateness that comes with that. The results of their shared experience for the better part of nearly four and a half decades shine through on Emotion Factory Reset, showcasing the band’s ability to evolve with every release. Though the path to this point was anything but linear, the sanctified regard each member has for the band as a whole has created an unbreakable bond between these guys who grew up playing together. Or, like John Bush wails on the appropriately titled “Compromise” from the new record, they are truly “tethered to the end.”
Emotion Factory Reset will be released on May 22nd through Metal Blade Records. The first two single, "Close to the Bone" and "Hit a Moonshot" are available on all major streaming platforms. You can find pre-order information at the link below.
Starting later this month, Armored Saint will be playing festival shows and tour dates throughout Europe. Their lone appearance in the United States (so far) will take place at Milwaukee Metal Fest in early June. For ticket information, visit their website, linked here:
