Some bands are just made to tour together, and the current 2026 Metal Saint tour pairs two OGs from the early evolution of ’80s metal: Armored Saint and Metal Church. Both bands released new quality full-length albums in 2026, Emotion Factory Reset and Dead to Rights, respectively, and are out on the road blasting across the West Coast, flying the metal flag proudly. The 16-date tour started and ends in Southern CA with seven CA dates in total. On Tuesday night, November 3, the Metal Saint tour made a stop in Pomona, CA, at the Glass House, the perfect venue for this show.
Fort Lauderdale’s Livekill is opening all shows with their high-energy brand of heavy metal. The SoCal rush hour traffic did not allow arriving at the venue in time to catch their opening set. Still, the buzz in the venue made it clear that Livekill completed their mission of igniting the metal fire for the night and getting the crowd primed and ready for Metal Church and Armored Saint.
Metal Church, without a doubt, played a key role in defining key attributes of heavy metal music, led by founding member and guitarist Kurdt Vanderhoof. The band has had a revolving door of members over the years, and the current lineup consists of guitarist Rick Van Zandt, vocalist Brian Allen, drummer Ken Mary, and former Megadeth bassist David Ellefson. It’s an impressive collection of musicians, and the combination brings renewed energy to the band’s established catalog along with a full album of new songs that sound killer live.
The band kicked things off with two songs from 1986’s The Dark album, “Ton of Bricks” and “Start the Fire,” and it was instantly clear that Allen’s vocal range and power were spot-on for handling the band’s demanding material. His voice gives the classic songs the strength they deserve while bringing his own identity to the performance—a perfect fit.
Of course, Vanderhoof is the centerpiece of the band with his crushing riffs and intricate guitar arrangements, but all eyes were on Ellefson, who anchored Megadeth on all their groundbreaking albums. And long-time guitarist Rick Van Zandt lays down some blistering solos, and Ken Mary from Flotsom and Jetsam is a monster on the drums.
Allen has a great stage presence and sense of humor, with lots of crowd interaction between songs, and the song “Badlands” was dedicated to the late Mike Howe while his image was displayed on the massive video backdrop. Two new songs were played: “F.A.F.O.” and the title track “Dead to Rights”—both songs fit comfortably alongside the classics, proving the band remains interested in moving forward rather than simply recreating its past.
An unexpected highlight was the band’s cover of Deep Purple’s “Highway Star,” a fitting tribute to one of the foundational bands of hard rock and heavy metal. The night ended with a one-two punch of “Beyond the Black” and “Metal Church”—an epic set by this new lineup and the perfect segue to Armored Saint.
John Bush is one of the premier vocalists in heavy metal; between his work in Armored Saint, the music he made with Anthrax, his side project Electric Spaghetti, and playing cover songs with Metal Allegiance, he proves over and over again his vocals only get better with age. Alongside Bush, the band remains with original members: Gonzo Sandoval on drums, his brother Phil Sandoval on guitar, the amazing Joey Vera on bass, and Jeff Duncan on guitar (who replaced the late David Prichard after his untimely passing in 1990).
Like Metal Church, Armored Saint was influential in the ’80s metal scene and has new music that complements their classic catalog perfectly. It is inspiring to see these bands that have been around for 40+ years not only making new music but also very good new music. The set opened with a new track, “Close to the Bone,” then right into the ageless “March of the Saint.” This band consists of artists who, when they step onstage, are like superheroes; they seem larger than life, have an infectious stage presence, and an obvious relational chemistry, all accompanied by extreme musical talent.
Sandoval and Duncan trading solos and infectious riffs is only second to Bush’s distinctive voice and powerful delivery, which ooze intensity. Gonzo Sandoval is a precise and entertaining drummer, and Vera on bass makes a lot of low-end noise with his animated delivery. “End of the Attention Span” is one of the band’s modern-day masterpieces from 2020’s Punching the Sky, and another new song, “Every Man-Any Man,” was even more enjoyable live than on the record.
Sandoval gave a brief drum solo for that old-school live performance vibe, and the night ended with two totally kick-ass bangers, “Can You Deliver” and “Mad House.” Armored Saint’s unapologetic commitment to heavy metal was on full display, and the band gave a powerful reminder that classic American heavy metal is alive and well in 2026.
To see two bands with such deep histories sharing the same stage made for a memorable night of heavy metal. Old school fans were satisfied, and new fans were blown away. The Glass House was an ideal setting for this pairing. The intimate atmosphere brought the musicians and audience together in a way that larger venues often cannot replicate.
METAL CHURCH
