Maximum Metal Rating Legend

SAINT - COLLECTION 1984-1999 - Reviewed by EC

Warriors Of The Son 1.Plan II 2.Legions Of The Dead 3.Abyss 4.Warriors Of The Son 5.Vicars Of Fear 6.Times Wasting Times End 1.In The Night 2.Island Prisoner 3.Space Cruiser 4.Through You 5.Times End 6.Primed And Ready 7.Destroyers 8.Phantom Of The Galaxy 9.Steel Killer

Too Late For Living 1.Too Late For Living 2.Star Pilot 3.Accuser 4.The Rock 5.On The Street 6.Returning 7.The Path 8.Through The Sky 9.The War Is Over Perfect Life 1.The Runner 2.Raise Your Hands 3.Show His Love 4.To Live Forever 5.The Perfect Life 6.Deceived

White metal lives again! Saint have finally received some much needed justice, being reissued in this smokin' 2CD set by Armor Records. This set is the perfect Saint collector's piece, serving up all four studio albums in one handy dandy jewel case.

Disc one gives us the debut record, 1984's "Warriors Of The Son", and 1986's followup "Time's End". Disc two offers "Too Late For Living" from 1989 and the band's reunion record, "The Perfect Life" from 1999.

If thats not enough, Armor Records also gives us a fairly decent biography on the act, detailing the band's beginnings through the new lineup of 2003. The packaging enhances this great collection with rare promo pics and live shots. Alot of 80s metal is getting reissued these days, whether they are deserving or not. This band certainly deserves a worthy reissue.

Saint were a Christian metal act that were widely ignored by metal maniacs and mainstream press worldwide. The band sounded nothing like white metal icons Petra or Stryper, opting for a more heavier sound than those groups.

The band's first record, "Warriors Of The Son", is a raw gritty masterpiece of Christian headbanging, slicing up Motley Crue, Judas Priest, and Iron Maiden into a heavenly brew of melodic metal. The followup, "Time's End", found the band playing a little faster, perhaps conjuring up "Defenders Of The Faith" with vocalist Josh Kamer a dead-ringer for Rob Halford. "Too Late For Living" was the group's most mature effort, recorded on 24-tracks the album found the band concentrating on song writing and adding intricate leads and rhythm to the pattern. "The Perfect Life" is kind of a throw-away here, as the band simply lost direction, striving for past glory but coming up short.

Whether you dig Jesus or not (and for the most part I hope you do), Saint are a worthy addition to any metal collection. If you like this band or want to hear some more good white metal acts, check out Recon, Joshua, Bloodstone, and Impellitteri. Jesus rock rules baby!!

--EC 9.26.03