Hitting a Moonshot with John Bush of Armored Saint

By Justin Smulison

It is always a huge rush for me to speak with iconic metal singer, John Bush of Armored Saint (and Category 7). I’ve been listening to him since his time with Anthrax in 1993 and the man constantly delivers both in terms of vocal range and lyrical prowess.

And I am beyond thrilled to spread the news that Armored Saint is back with their ninth studio LP, Emotion Factory Reset, which is out now from Metal Blade Records. The album has all the hallmarks of modern-day Armored Saint, albeit with more conciseness than their prior two records.

As you will hear in the interview, this was a strategic decision for the quintet, who have been metal champions since the 1980s (their legacy endured during the long pause in the 1990s and intermittently in the 2000s while Bush fronted Anthrax). We talked about some of the new lead tracks off Emotion Factory Reset, like “Hit A Moonshot” and “Every Man-Every Man.”

We also talked about Bush’s evolving approach to songwriting, excitement surrounding upcoming festival dates in the EU and UK this summer and a North American West Coast run of co-headline shows with Metal Church in the fall. And we catch up on what it was like to experience Bush and Category 7 playing tracks off their tremendous self-titled debut in December 2025 in New York, along with songs celebrating his time fronting Anthrax.

Horns Up!!!!!

Clips: “Every Man-Any Man,” “Hit A Moonshot,” “Close To The Bone”

Also check out John’s 2024 appearance on Jace Media talking about Category 7!

Armored Saint online:
 http://armoredsaint.com
 https://www.facebook.com/thearmoredsaint
 https://twitter.com/thearmoredsaint
 https://www.instagram.com/thearmoredsaint

ARMOREDSAINT EU Tour 2026:

7/30/2026 Pumpehuset – Copenhagen, DK  w/ Metal Church

7/31/2026 Skogsrojet Festival – Rejmyre, SE

8/01/2026 Pustervik – Gothenburg, SE w/ Testament, Metal Church

8/02/2026 Mejeriet – Lund, SE * w/ Testament, Metal Church

8/05/2026 Brutal Assault – Jaroměř, CZ

8/07/2026 Alcatraz Festival – Dessel, BE

8/08/2026 Poppodium Boerderij – Zoetermeer, NL *ARMOREDSAINT headlining show

8/09/2026 Keep It True Legions – Geiselwind, DE

8/11/2026 Progresja – Warsaw, PL w/ Savatage, Nevermore

8/12/2026 Collosseum – Kosice, SK  w/ Vio-Lence

8/13/2026 Klub Studio – Krakow, PL w/ Testament, Metal Church

8/29/2026 Stonedead Festival – Newark, UK

The Metal Saint Tour w/ Metal Church, LiveKill:

11/02/2026 Coach House – San Juan Capistrano, CA

11/03/2026 The Glass House – Pomona, CA

11/04/2026 The Nile – Phoenix, AZ

11/06/2026 Sunshine Theater – Albuquerque, NM

11/07/2026 Sunshine Studios – Colorado Springs, CO

11/08/2026 The Federal – Denver, CO

11/10/2026 Neurolux – Boise, ID

11/11/2026 The Newberry – Great Falls, MT

11/13/2026 Dantes – Portland, OR

11/14/2026 Redwood Theater – Bremerton, WA

11/15/2026 Rickshaw Theater – Vancouver, BC

11/17/2026 Great America Music Hall – San Francisco, CA

11/18/2026 Goldfield Trading Post  – Roseville, CA

11/19/2026 The Whisky – Los Angeles, CA

11/20/2026 Observatory North San Diego – San Diego, CA

11/21/2026 Canyon Club – Agoura Hills, CA