Los Angeles heavy metal veterans ARMORED SAINT have announced their ninth studio album, 'Emotion Factory Reset', due May 22 via Metal Blade Records. With it comes the lead single "Close to the Bone," the album's opening track, accompanied by a music video directed by My Good Eye: Music Visuals.
Produced by bassist Joey Vera and mixed by Jay Ruston (ANTHRAX, Stone Sour), 'Emotion Factory Reset' is an 11-track record that Vera describes as "a new skin for the band, a different chapter." The title was inspired by a murder trial — a detail that speaks to the album's willingness to engage with uncomfortable real-world subject matter alongside personal themes.
Vocalist John Bush commented: "The first track on the record sounds like vintage ARMORED SAINT. Yet vintage that comes out in 2026." That dual identity — classic instincts sharpened by contemporary production — has been ARMORED SAINT's calling card throughout their 40-year career, and 'Emotion Factory Reset' sounds no different.
The full lineup remains intact: Bush on vocals, Vera on bass, Jeff Duncan and Phil Sandoval on guitars, and Gonzo Sandoval behind the kit. A European CD digipack edition includes the bonus track "One Chain (Don't Make No Prison)."
Full tracklist: Close To The Bone, Every Man-Any Man, Not On Your Life, Hit A Moonshot, Buckeye, Compromise, It's A Buzzkill, Throwing Caution To The Wind, Ladders And Slides, Bottom Feeder, Epilogue.
'Emotion Factory Reset' is available for pre-order now via Metal Blade Records.