Armored Saint guitarist discusses John Bush departure

Guitarist Phil Sandoval has revealed that Armored Saint briefly considered replacing vocalist John Bush after he left to join Anthrax in 1992. However, the band ultimately decided against finding a new singer due to the deep personal bonds between the members, whom Sandoval describes as a “brotherhood” and a “family.”

Sandoval noted that the departure occurred at a critical time for the Los Angeles metal band, following the release of their influential album “Symbol Of Salvation.” This period had already been marked by the loss of guitarist Dave Pritchard to leukemia in 1990. While Bush’s move to Anthrax was described as a “big atom bomb” that led to the band's subsequent disbandment, Sandoval acknowledged that Bush was pursuing his own path.

Following various reunions, the band has since stabilized, with Bush returning as their lead singer for their most recent work.