Jimmy Kay from Canada's The Metal Voice recently spoke to Armored Saint (and former Anthrax) singer John Bush about the band's current Symbol Of Salvation tour, and the filming of a live DVD.

Bush also spoke about the band's plans for writing a follow-up to their last album Win Hands Down, and the possibility of playing his Anthrax-era songs live someday. Listen to the complete interview via the YouTube clip below:

This July/August, Armored Saint will embark on a North American tour, commemorating their classic Symbol Of Salvation album. On this special run, the band will perform Symbol Of Salvation in its entirety, with select shows to be recorded for a live DVD.

Frontman John Bush comments: "Symbol Of Salvation! Arguably Armored Saint's most important record. These songs came out of us being dropped from Chrysalis Records and finding out about guitarist Dave Prichard developing Leukemia. The songs took on a much more emotional meaning than any other previous record. We wrote songs of desperation like 'Another Day 'and 'Last Train Home'. Experimental tunes like 'Tainted Past' and 'The Truth Always Hurts'. Classic Saint rockers like 'Reign of Fire', 'Dropping Like Flies' and the title track. After Dave passed, the band regrouped with Phil and Jeff returning as the guitar tandem. It was a family again. Dave Jerden produced the record and this marked the beginning of Joey becoming the producer of the band. It's going to be a memorable tour. Songs like 'Burning Question' and 'Spineless', we've never played live before. Come share it with us. Let's make Dave proud."

Label mates Act Of Defiance will join Armored Saint on this trek. See below for all dates.

July
10 - Poughkeepsie, NY - The Chance
11 - Sellersville, PA - Sellersville Theater
13 - New York, NY - The Gramercy Theatre
14 - Boston, MA - Brighton Music Hall
15 - Montreal, QC - Petite Campus
17 - Toronto, ON - Mod Club
18 - Cleveland, OH - The Cambridge at House of Blues
20 - Detroit, MI - Shelter
21 - Chicago, IL - Reggie's
22 - Milwaukee, WI - Shank Hall

August
16 - Las Vegas, NV - Count's Vamp'd
17 - Anaheim, CA - Parish at House of Blues
18 - Los Angeles, CA - The Regent

To further celebrate the legacy of this album, Metal Blade Records will reissue Symbol Of Salvation on CD and LP on May 18th. The LP will feature a vinyl remastering from Patrick W. Engel as part of the "Metal Blade Originals" series. Special treatment and 400g heavy cardboard spine sleeves (inside out print), 60x60cm two-sided artwork posters and 250g inserts guaranteed. The CD will include 4 bonus tracks. See below for an overview of all versions and tracklistings.

- CD (tour edition digipak w/ 4 bonus tracks)
- 180g black vinyl
- dark red maroon marbled vinyl (limited to 300 copies - EU exclusive)
- clear red/purple/black/white splattered vinyl (limited to 200 copies - EU exclusive)
- violet rosy brown marbled vinyl (limited to 300 copies - USA exclusive)
- pastel pink lilac marbled vinyl (limited to 200 copies - USA exclusive)

CD tracklisting:

"Reign Of Fire"
"Dropping Like Flies"
"Last Train Home"
"Tribal Dance"
"The Truth Always Hurts"
"Half Drawn Bridge"
"Another Day"
"Symbol Of Salvation"
"Hanging Judge"
"Warzone"
"Burning Question"
"Tainted Past"
"Spineless"
"Medieval Nightmares" (Demo)
"Get Lost" (Demo)
"Toungue And Cheek" (Demo)
"Pirates" (Demo)

Vinyl tracklisting:

Side A
"Reign Of Fire"
"Dropping Like Flies"
"Last Train Home"
"Tribal Dance"
"The Truth Always Hurts"
"Half Drawn Bridge"
"Another Day"

Side B
"Symbol Of Salvation"
"Hanging Judge"
"Warzone"
"Burning Question"
"Tainted Past"
"Spineless"

After being dropped by Chrysalis Records in 1988, Armored Saint began writing for a new record and searched for a new label. During 1989, founding guitarist, songwriter Dave Prichard was diagnosed with Leukemia. In January 1990, Dave went into the hospital for a bone marrow transplant but succumbed to the treatment, passing away on February 28th, 1990. By this time, the band was writing as a 4-piece, with Dave being the sole guitarist; they had written 25 songs and demoed all of them.

Metal Blade Records CEO/founder Brian Slagel approached Armored Saint and offered a recording deal in late spring of 1990. They regrouped with original guitarist Phil Sandoval and Jeff Duncan, who was hired as a touring guitarist during a 1989 tour with King Diamond. Recording of this new album - which would become Symbol Of Salvation - began in winter of 1990 with producer Dave Jerdan (Alice in Chains, Janes Addiction, Red Hot Chili Peppers), and it was engineered by Brain Carlstrom (Alice in Chains, The Offspring, Rob Zombie). During recording, the band used a guitar solo from a demo track played by Dave, and included it on the song "Tainted Past".

Armored Saint went on to tour with the likes of The Scorpions, Suicidal Tendencies, Wrathchild America, Sepultura, and more, in support of Symbol Of Salvation. Now, in 2018, the band is bringing back these classic tracks to the live setting, for fans to enjoy once again, in honor of Dave's memory.

(Photo: Stephanie Cabral)