Armored Saint - 'Left Hook from Right Field' (live in Dallas)

Looks like I’ll burn at the stake and you’ll float
Unless I swim across this holy moat
you say your castle’s the only way
To gain access through the heavenly gates

Rabble rouser rabber rouser
Stirring up doubt wherever I turn
PEDALING fast PEDALING slow
just to get away
it’s a lot of energy just to not get saved

Ruined
I is a goner

Left hook from right field
Left out with no appeal
You think I’m not getting into heaven
Left hook from right field
Left to rot and no last meal
You know I’m not getting into heaven

your approach is politely rude
And such a condescending view
Other beliefs are invalid
Convert if I want to raise from the dead

You want this you need this
you want this you need this
this whole thing is making me tired again
God does this God does that
What has he done
All these preachy people make me haul ass and run

Ruined
Apparently I am a goner

Left hook from right field
Left out with no appeal
You believe I’m not getting into heaven
Left hook from right field
Left to ponder why I ain’t healed
I guess i’m not getting into heaven

It’s not between some so called father and I
It’s not between me and some deity in the sky
Whether my heart is good
it’s good
it’s not between some so called father and I
it’s not between me and some deity in the sky
Whether my soul is good
It’s a competition with myself

Left hook from right field
they’re not letting me into heaven
Left hook from right field
left out with no appeal
i’m being turned away from heaven
Left hook from right field
Left out with no appeal
You belive I’m not getting into heaven... heaven
Left hook from right field
Left to fight without a shield
I guess I’m not getting into heaven
Heaven... Heaven... Heaven

Τον Μάρτη του 2010 οι Armored Saint επέστρεφαν δισκογραφικά, μετά από μία δεκαετία, με το full length album "La Raza", το οποίο βρήκε θέση τόσο στα καλύτερα της χρονιάς της ιστοσελίδας μας, όσο και στους κορυφαίους δίσκους της πρώτης δεκαετίας "ζωής" του Metal Daze. Παραθέτω απόσπασμα από την (τότε) κριτική μου:

«Οι "άγιοι με τις πανοπλίες" έβγαλαν δίσκο που όχι μόνο δεν ντρέπεται να κοιτάξει το ένδοξο παρελθόν στα μάτια, μα απαιτεί... Κι αν σας προβληματίσει το "συμβατικό" ξεκίνημα κάντε υπομονή, μετά τα δύο - τρία πρώτα τραγούδια ο δίσκος απογειώνεται. Αλλού πιο στακάτος, αλλού πιο μελωδικός (στα όρια των blues). Το ρεφρέν στο ομότιτλο θυμίζει έντονα Priest αλλά είναι τόσο καλό που συγχωρείται, ενώ το επιλογικό Bandit Country μας αποχαιρετά μεγαλοπρεπώς.»

Προς τί η αναδρομή στο παρελθόν και η σχετικά αναφορά; Ανάμεσα στα (δέκα) τραγούδια του δίσκου βρίσκεται και το "Left Hook from Right Field", το οποίο οι Armored Saint αποδίδουν "ζωντανά" στο Ντάλας και μας παρουσιάζουν το σχετικό βίντεο, με το δελτίο τύπου να αναφέρει:

Leaders and stalwarts of the American heavy metal scene since the early 80s, Armored Saint's eighth full-length Punching The Sky sees them returning hard. A diverse, attitude-drenched collection, it's everything the band's faithful have come to expect from them while pushing their signature sound forward.

"The goal is to write really good music. I know I'm stating the obvious here but that's about the size of our agenda," says bassist Joey Vera.

"We've been able to shed a lot of expectations that sometimes plague a band like ours that has been around a long time, and we've recently moved into a comfort zone with just being ourselves. We have this kind of freedom now that we didn't really have early in our career, and we can take some chances and make the kind of music that we want to hear. This record is a reflection of where we are at, right now."

Exploding to life with the crunchy, rousing "Standing On The Shoulders Of Giants" and not letting up until the closing ruthless riff of "Never You Fret", the record is possessed of an urgency and vigor which very much places it in the right now, but could only be the work of Vera, guitarists Phil Sandoval and Jeff Duncan, drummer Gonzo Sandoval and vocalist John Bush.

"When you're a band that began four decades ago, you really have to push yourself harder than ever when it comes to making a new record," states Bush.

"The last thing you ever want is for it to appear as though you were going through the motions or that you're just putting a product out to do some touring. The records are immortal. They'll be here long after us. Every one needs to count in its own individual way."