HELL YEAH! Listen up, because the Prince of Darkness and his unstoppable wife just won a massive battle! Sharon Osbourne finally settled a huge legal war with Black Sabbath’s first manager. This guy was trying to mess with the band’s legendary history, but Sharon shut that down!

We are talking about the "Earth" era, man! Before they were the gods of Black Sabbath, they were a raw, hungry band called Earth. These recordings are the holy grail of heavy metal! They are the roots of every crushing riff we love. This manager guy wanted to release them his own way, but Sharon said NO WAY!

This is a victory for the fans! This is a victory for metal! Now these killer early tracks won't be trapped in some lame legal cage. This is the stuff that started it all! It’s dark, it’s heavy, and it’s pure fire! Sharon fought like a beast to protect the Sabbath legacy, and she won!

I am so pumped to hear these raw tracks. It’s going to be like a punch to the face! Heavy metal history belongs to the legends who made it, not some suit in an office! THIS RULES! STICK IT TO THE MAN! SABBATH LIVES FOREVER!

Want more headbanging action? Tune into THE CLASSIC METAL SHOW LIVE every Saturday night from 9pm to 3am Eastern on Rumble, X, Substack or Odysee!

American heavy metal icons, ARMORED SAINT, are pleased to present their new single, “Hit A Moonshot.” The track comes off the band’s upcoming new full-length, Emotion Factory Reset, set for release on May 22nd through Metal Blade Records.

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“Hit A Moonshot” is a band favorite. A “moonshot” is a baseball term referencing a homerun that’s hit at a high angle and distance. An avid sports fan, vocalist John Bush was considering the parallels between sports and entertainment.

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“It’s like you knocked something out of the park,” elaborates Bush, “I use a lot of sports analogies because I love sports. Sports IS entertainment…’Hit A Moonshot’ is inspired by the people who keep landing on their feet. Like, no matter what the fuck this person does… Some people just get lucky. This applies to anyone. And landing on your feet is commendable. So, I'm busting balls, but I'm also giving accolades. Sometimes people can do that all the way to their grave. Then there are other people who are so good or talented or creative, and they struggle forever. I don't think life is balanced all the time, and I don't think it's fair.

“It has a ferocious riff, cool tempo changes, scorching leads, huge chorus with lots of backing vocals,” he continues. “We love Queen and The Sweet! It’s a cool breakdown with an epic ending. Once again, it sounds just like ARMORED SAINT.”

Says bassist Joey Vera, “The intro riff is an echo of a memory from age 17 when I was in a garage band in Los Angeles. After I came up with this new version, the familiarity of it revealed itself once I stood back and listened. The riff is very different from the original one but there's no doubt the feel and vibe has stuck with me ever since then. I added a half-time feel to the chorus to steer the arrangement away from predictability. It feels like classic SAINT to me.”

“I think the song defines what ARMORED SAINT sounds like now,” adds guitarist Jeff Duncan. “I used my Les Paul and an EVH amp for the rhythm guitars on everything. My solos were done with a couple different guitars; it’s simple, just good guitars plugged into a good amp and let it rip.”

Emotion Factory Reset, ARMORED SAINT’s ninth studio album since 1984’s March Of The Saint, is a resurrection of sorts, a tearing down and a rebuilding in eleven songs of diverse musicality and lyrical themes. Produced, as were the previous four albums, by bassist Joey Vera and mixed by Jay Ruston (Anthrax, Stone Sour), the record finds the quintet challenging themselves. Songs like “Close To The Bone,” today’s single, “Hit A Moonshot,” and “Every Man-Any Man” have ARMORED SAINT honoring their past as one of the most respected and recognizable bands in heavy music while making forward-thinking music rooted in the present.

“When we start coming up with songs, I always say we can do whatever we want,” vocalist John Bush says. “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.”

“Each ARMORED SAINT record, to me, is like a new skin for the band, a different chapter. I don't think we've ever repeated ourselves,” says Vera. “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.”

Bush, one of music’s most respected vocalists, operates from a place of passion and presence in the studio and on stage. In fact, about 85% of his vocals from the last three ARMORED SAINT records are taken from the demo sessions, capturing the raw power. While Vera is a granular and detailed writer, like Bush, the bassist says, “I try not to overthink and be right where I'm at that time. I really don't look over my shoulder much, like, ‘what did I do in the past? What's going on in the next lane?’ Once the ball starts rolling, I just sit back and let it happen.”

The collaborative nature of Emotion Factory Reset led to the album title, a phrase from Phil Sandoval. “To me, ‘Emotion Factory Reset’ means to reset yourself back to clarity. Take a pause and breathe before you respond or react. You can't control outside events, but you can control your mind,” the guitarist says. “How you interpret things is what hurts you, not the event itself.”

His brother, drummer Gonzo notes, “the world is going through a technological upswing/awakening. I look at our planet as the factory and in the most positive way we need to realign, reimagine, reset for our better selves.”

ARMORED SAINT’s Emotion Factory Reset was recorded across several studios including 606 Studios, Secret Hand Studios, Skullseven Studios, Constantine Studios, and Bridge Recording, engineered by Oliver Roman, Bill Metoyer, Joey Vera, and Jason Constantine, and features cover art by DDKing.

The record will be released on CD digipack (w/ 20-page booklet) and digital formats as well as vinyl in the following color variants:

Amber Marble (US)

Orange and Red Marble (US)

Citron Smoke (US - Brutal Panda Exclusive)

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)

Additionally, a special European edition of the CD digipak includes the bonus track “One Chain (Don’t Make No Prison),” only available digitally until now! 

A special European edition of the single gatefold LP comes w/ insert and DL card + 7” vinyl “One Chain (Don’t Make No Prison),” (only available digitally until now!) w/ an etching on the B-side, a poster, and slipmat.

Find all preorders at metalblade.com/armoredsaint.

ARMORED SAINT has confirmed performances spread throughout the Spring and Summer months, as well as a special free listening party on May 21st at Cafe Nord in Essen, Germany where fans can meet the band, hear the new album, and get the CD or vinyl signed (with purchase). The event will be followed by an Emotion Factory Reset record release show at Rock Hard Festival on May 22nd! More dates will be announced in the weeks to come. Stay alert.

ARMORED SAINT Live:

5/17/2026 San Luis Metal Fest – San Luis Potosí, MX

5/21/2026 Cafe Nord – Essen, DE * Free Listening Party *

5/22/2026 Rock Hard Festival – Gelsenkirchen, DE * Record Release Show *

6/06/2026 Milwaukee Metalfest @ The Rave/Eagles Club – Milwaukee, WI

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 *ARMORED SAINT 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

ARMORED SAINT:

John Bush – vocals

Joey Vera – bass

Jeff Duncan – guitars

Gonzo Sandoval – drums

Phil Sandoval – guitars

Neeley and Chris Akin kick off this raw, no-bullshit segment of The Classic Metal Show by diving straight into the drama surrounding Poison’s so-called “reunion” plans for 2027. Brett Michaels is hyping it up while Ricky Rocket stirs the pot with his 40th anniversary solo gigs for Look What the Cat Dragged In. The guys call it exactly what it is: not a reunion, just another cash-grab shed tour packaged with other hair bands. They question if anyone still gives a damn, break down the band’s endless cycle of hiatuses and package tours, and wonder why the other three members seem content to let Brett rake in the dough while they sit at home. Envy? Annoyance? Straight-up frustration that Brett’s the showman who can still tour Poison tunes solo? They don’t hold back.

From there, the conversation turns unhinged as they roast Dave Mustaine’s advice to young bands: surround yourself with talent, not buddies or relatives, and build a solid team. Solid advice on paper, but the guys point out the irony — Mustaine’s a massively successful prick with a revolving door of fired bandmates and zero stories of anyone ever saying he was a good guy. They wonder if the Megadeth leader will end up a lonely old man once the five-year “go-away tour” ends, with no real friends left in the business. Harsh but honest talk about talent vs. personality, bitterness toward Metallica, and what success really costs.

The episode wraps with the new Iron Maiden documentary trailer for Burning Ambition. Neeley and Chris react live to the footage, marveling at how Steve Harris hasn’t aged a day, how the band still sounds identical to 1985, and debating whether the guys still enjoy playing their epic catalog after decades on the road. They also drop a quick note on Savatage uncovering a lost 1990 Chris Oliva show (dropping in June) and the band’s plans for new music despite John Oliva’s health issues.

Pure CMS energy: zero corporate fluff, straight talk, laughs, and that signature shock-jock edge fans crave. If you love real rock talk that doesn’t pull punches, this one’s for you.

Watch the full episode now, smash subscribe, and join us on Locals or Substack for exclusive rants and bonus content.

#ClassicMetalShow #CMSNetwork #PoisonDrama #DaveMustaine #IronMaiden #Savatage #MetalTalk

Timestamps
00:00:00 - Intro: Tim from The Watchers & Danny Vaughn
00:01:42 - Back Pain Rant & Massage Chair Dreams
00:02:29 - Poison “Reunion” BS – Who Still Cares?
00:05:53 - Ricky Rocket’s 40th Anniversary Solo Gigs
00:08:08 - Brett vs. The Band: Envy, Money & Showman Life
00:12:53 - Dave Mustaine’s Advice to Young Bands
00:15:44 - Is Mustaine’s Advice Actually Good?
00:17:44 - Mustaine’s Lonely Retirement – Zero Friends Left?
00:23:40 - Megadeth vs. Metallica Bitterness & What-Ifs
00:28:01 - Iron Maiden “Burning Ambition” Documentary Trailer Reaction
00:31:07 - Why Maiden Still Sounds Exactly the Same
00:33:51 - Do Bands Still Enjoy Their Old Hits?
00:35:43 - Savatage Lost 1990 Chris Oliva Show & New Music Plans
00:39:03 - Spotify Rant & Outro Tease