One of LA’s most enduring bands stick out a live album
The live album doesn’t half get some bad press, doesn’t it? Rather underserved too, we say. There have been some downright crackers over the years – and some even made a career.
Armored Saint have released a live collection before. 19 years back, so we can allow them another foray, don’t you think?
Especially as this wasn’t even originally be released at all. “Carpe Noctum” was supposed to be a Pledge only thing – given to those who helped fund a pre-Christmas tour – but it sounded so good, well it almost had to be released.
The story is this. Armored Saint went to Germany for the Wacken festival last year and recorded that and another, smaller show. The result is “Carpe Noctum” and, my how they seize the night.
Eight songs. A mix of old and new. Old, from their first period, and “March Of The Saint” sounds particularly mighty here, but then so does “Stricken By Fate”. And new from those brilliant records they’ve casually released since the turn of the century.
Maybe it’s because they came back with the original line up, but there’s a real chemistry, not to mention a real skill about the band, and that comes through in the glorious chugging of “Mess” and “Left Hook From Right Field”.
Not to mention the work from what we might call their “mid period”. When everyone else was losing their minds over grunge, these boys were sticking hard rock classics like “Last Train Home.”
In many ways the live album and John Bush’s merry men have a lot in common. Both never quite, somehow, get the plaudits they deserve. In the case of both it might be time for an urgent re-appraisal.
As a mini taster of everything that’s great about Armored Saint you will not find anything better.
Rating 8/10
