Gonzo Sandoval Speaks Out: The World Needs Armored Saint

9:30 am in the US and 5:30 pm in the UK, I speak with Gonzo Sandoval, the drummer for the iconic Armored Saint. The band, founded in Los Angeles in 1982, is preparing to release their latest album, Emotion Factory Reset.

During our conversation, Gonzo shared his thoughts on how interviews have evolved over the years. He recalled a promotional tour in Germany with bassist Joey Vera. “We did 156 interviews, eight hours a day for four days. It was crazy. This is a lot easier than doing that.”

I started by asking Gonzo about the sunglasses he lost at the Rainbow Bar, a story he had shared on social media. The band was recently celebrating the venue’s 54th anniversary. Gonzo admitted he was disappointed but philosophical about it, explaining that he had the last photo taken before losing them and suspects they might have fallen out of his bag, where he was eating. Despite being a material item, their loss still stung.

Having received an advance copy of Emotion Factory Reset, I have been listening to it alongside the band’s other albums. It stands out as another strong addition to Armored Saint’s discography.

I tell Gonzo that due to the way I work, earlier in the week, I was able to play every Armored Saint album in sequence, starting with March Of The Saint, and enjoying the journey through their catalogue.

Gonzo is happy to recall those early days when the band started. “March Of The Saint was in ’84. Obviously, we hung out together. We went to shows together. We basically hung out most of the time together. John and Joey and I went to the same school in the beginning. That’s how we met.

“It was just a great friendship as young kids. And my brother, of course, was my brother. So, he’s always been around with us. And we met David Pritchard in high school. But before that, John, Joey, my brother and I had another little band, which was our first band called Royal Decree. And that was the beginning of this group. Then it disbanded. And then we went to high school and decided, let’s form another band, which eventually turned into Armored Saint”.

I have always thought that Armored Saint was a cool name but the origins of it were unknown. Gonzo explains that he was responsible for it. “We went to a movie together in John’s car. He had a little black car we called the Roach. We were piled in all the time and went to this movie, and it came out, and I said to myself, this armoured thing, and I was so impressed by the movie and all the knights and all the action.

“I was thinking to myself as I walked out in the parking lot, I need something. I need to walk away with a name or a theme or something that will stay with me. And I was thinking Armored Sky, Armored Blades, Armored Horses. And then Armored Saint came in, and I was like, whoa, Armored Saint. It just had a ring to it.

“I got in the car. I was excited. I said, guys, I came up with the name. I said, Armored Saint and there was silence for about one or two seconds. Then all of them turned around to me, and together in unison, they’re like, ‘That sucks’.

“But a couple of weeks later, we had our first gigs. We did need a name, and I did have a vision when I woke up one morning, and I did write it down. The thing I did write down was hope, strength, power and in the world of today, there’s evil and good, and the battle of that. Whether internal or outwardly in the world, it’s happening and it’s real.

“I was saying Armored Saint could be the positive entity that battles in this environment and wins. So that’s what I wrote down, and I presented that weeks later. The rest is history.”

Although the band does not gig extensively, they still draw good crowds when they play. Their fan base spans the generations, and Gonzo is very clear that the younger fans are important.

“The loyal fans are there, and we’re very grateful for that. There are a lot of young fans. There are two or three generations. The loyal fans that were there from the beginning, they, like yourself, were young at 14. They grew up, they got married, they had kids, and they’re bringing their kids, and then they grew up and had kids.

“So, there’s like three generations, sometimes the older, the middle-aged and then the young cats. I’m totally about attracting the youth. I truly believe that the future of Heavy Metal, hard rock, or heavy music, but really all music, is in the youth. They’re the ones who are going to either learn the instruments, get into it, get with their friends, and form a band.

“In the future, there’s going to be some big bands. We don’t know where it’s going to come from. But if the kids don’t learn to play, we’re going to come up with some computer band that isn’t real. Then you go to the show, and it’s a giant screen, and everyone’s just watching TV and not even being at a concert.

“I think that would be a shame because there’s nothing better than watching a professional play and then feeling the energy, and giving it back and going, yeah, that was awesome. That’s human, that’s a human gift.”

Emotion Factory Reset has themes about de-technological awakening, planetary resetting, and realignment. Gonzo described the current era as transitional, with new technology presenting countless options that can be overwhelming.

He explained the concept behind Emotion Factory Reset as humans possess emotion, the world is the factory, and together we inhabit the planet. Gonzo believes everyone needs to reset, embrace kindness, and appreciate the beauty of the world despite its challenges.

He reflected on the briefness of life, urging people to be grateful, help one another, and love each other. Gonzo feels blessed by his creative talents and encourages others to open their awareness and shift their thoughts towards positivity and gratitude.

Like many musicians, Gonzo had time during the pandemic to focus on certain aspects of his playing. He says that the pandemic prompted him to use his time productively. While forced to stay home, he decided to improve his photography and drumming skills, focusing on hand technique and studying software and video editing.

He practised diligently, which improved his stick control and allowed him to relax while playing. Gonzo explained that this progress made learning songs and recording more enjoyable, transforming challenges into pleasures rather than struggles.

As he said in our conversation, “Yeah, well, that’s all about stamina, you know, and keeping the heart strong to be able to play as we get older, to be able to play as well or better than when we were 20.” This drive to keep improving is evident in his approach.

We discussed the importance of stamina and maintaining heart health for drumming as he ages. Gonzo is clear that although the band have aged, they are still on top form. John Bush is singing better than ever, Phil Sandoval is writing and playing guitar smoothly, Jeff Duncan and Phil make an amazing guitar team, and Joey Vera is a driving force in production and bass.

Gonzo feels more relaxed and comfortable with his drumming. “We’re playing the best we’ve ever played now, which is not an easy feat because some people, as they age, lose muscle or just can’t do it anymore.

“But for us, our chemistry is there. We did three rehearsals and hit the road after not playing for six months.”

He emphasised the importance of diet, saying, “I do have to make sure I’m eating properly. My diet sometimes isn’t the best. I must stay away from sugar and all these things. But to be able to play with power and at this age, I’m very grateful, humbled and honoured that God gave me the time and the energy to keep going. I myself will keep going till I can’t.”

We explored a favoured topic of mine, that of how people consume music these days and the change over the past couple of decades. Gonzo agreed, noting that the abundance of options and digital releases has changed how people experience music.

“The minds of us humans are being overwhelmed with options. With bands, digital releases, the ease of not even having to go to the store – just download it – it’s changing the way we take in music.”

He reminisced about the excitement of buying records at stores like Music Plus and Tower Records, and the anticipation of listening to new albums. “We used to pick up the records and look, and wow! I’m going to buy this one. It was exciting. Take it home and play it on your system. It was like, this could go on forever.”

Now, with digital downloads and streaming, the album cover is often missing, and there are many distractions, such as films and games. Gonzo realised that time spent on pursuits like gaming could be used to improve one’s craft. “Time is the most valuable thing we have. Whether you’re listening, and I’m really happy you did the March Of The Saint all the way through to the new record, because I don’t think I’ve even done that!”

He stressed that time is precious, and although people can listen to entire albums, attention spans are shorter, and there is less immersion in the music.

Gonzo also has a passion for photography and is keen to describe how having the right gear transformed his work. He credited legendary photographers Neil Slowzauer and Igor from Rock Exposure for their guidance, which helped him upgrade from consumer cameras to a full-frame SLR.

Gonzo felt that only the top photographers achieve phenomenal results, and he strives to be in that elite group. His approach to light and composition has changed, and he now looks for shots before they happen, positioning subjects thoughtfully.

He experiences what he calls ‘photophilia’, feeling compelled to take photos. Gonzo loves portrait and rock ‘n’ roll photography, and his lessons from Neil, Igor, and his sister have been invaluable. He balances his musician and photographer identities, enjoying the unique perspective this gives him when shooting bands at festivals.

Gonzo aims for creative exposure in every shot and prefers quality over quantity, wanting to spend his time creating rather than sorting through numerous photos. “I’m blessed because I’m the musician, but now I’m also behind the lens, taking pictures of musicians.

“I have the mentality of both sides, which allows me to see the shot before I take it. I want the right angle, the right light, not just snapping away for the sake of it. The results for me are far better. I seek the creatively correct exposure every time.”

Rare visitors to these shores, I reminded Gonzo that Armored Saint will be performing in the UK this year at Stonedead. I will be on duty for MetalTalk and look forward to meeting the main man if he decides to dive into the photo pit for some shots.

He welcomed the idea, offering some tongue-in-cheek advice to photographers. Capturing the drummer is challenging, which is why he stands up between songs for photos.

Gonzo believes Armored Saint is a positive force for the world, reminding everyone to love, help, and rock together, as we all share one planet.

“I think the world needs Armored Saint,” he said. “I think of it as a light through the darkness. We’ll get over this as humans, as a world, and just remember, it’s only one world. Nobody owns it. We’re all part of it.

“So, love each other, help each other, rock together. Let’s do it.”

Armored Saint release Emotion Factory Reset on 22 May 2026 via Metal Blade Records. For pre-orders, visit the Metal Blade Records website.

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