John Bush turned down an offer from Metallica years ago, but now he’s back in the studio with Armored Saint, working on their next album set for release in spring 2026. Bush shared, “It was an honor to be asked to sing in Metallica,” but he felt it wasn’t his destiny. He can’t imagine anyone other than James Hetfield as the lead singer.
After stepping back from touring to raise his kids, Bush is ready to hit the road again now that they’re older and supportive of his music career. Next month, Armored Saint will be at 606 Studios to record drum tracks for five new songs. Fans in the UK can catch them on tour with W.A.S.P. this fall, while U.S. audiences will see them with Michael Schenker soon after.
The opportunity with Metallica came after the release of their debut album, *Kill ‘Em All*. At that time, Hetfield didn’t want to sing while playing guitar. Bush chose to stay with his band, and Armored Saint ended up touring with Metallica during their *Ride the Lightning* tour. He admitted that joining Metallica would have been overwhelming.
Their friendship remains strong. At the Sonic Temple Festival, Metallica watched from the side stage while Armored Saint performed, and the crowd erupted when Hetfield praised them in front of 50,000 fans.
Starting October 2, Armored Saint will tour California, playing five songs from their classic album *Delirious Nomad* to celebrate its 40th anniversary. The tour will wrap up in El Paso, then Las Vegas, with Pomona as the final stop. The El Paso show will be their first performance there since 1984.
Stay tuned for more updates on Armored Saint!
