SAINT – Immortalizer
While the history of Saint dates back to the early 1980s, when Richard Lynch and company recorded songs under the band name The Gentiles (some of those songs making making it to the debut Saint EP), we can’t help but point out that this year marks the 40th Anniversary since that first official Saint release, Warriors of the Son, hit the world in 1984. I discovered that release within a year of it’s initial appearance, but find it hard to believe it has been that long (after all, I’m not even that old).
Forty years later, the band appears stronger than even, dropping into the world their 14th recorded effort (counting the 2004 re-record of W.O.S. as a separate release), and what a release this is. While the band struggled a bit with member changes ten years ago, especially the loss of long time vocalist Josh Kramer, Immortalizer marks the third album in a row with the same solid line-up. Hopefully by now, fans have come to fully accept the modern Saint 2020’s sound with David Nelson at the helm.
The previous two releases featuring David, 2020’s The Calf and 2022’s Heaven Fell, are indeed top-notch and some of the band’s strongest material, yet this time around, the band has given us, dare I say, yet a stronger release. Maybe it is just because this material is so fresh with me at this time, but from the first listen, I felt somewhat wowed from song to song.
No, the band does not break any real new ground or make any radical changes in their sound direction like some bands have done from album to album, but their consistency is a strong point, especially when it doesn’t leave the listener bored with more of the same straight forward metal. This is 100% the Saint sound, but stepping it up time and time again.
The album opens with the title track Immortalizer. A real scorcher, and the first promotional video to drop from this release. Coming out of the gates with full guns blazing, the killer riff and high octane scream harkens back to excitement, energy and feel of when we first heard the opening track In the Night from 1986’s Times End, building the thrill for that is about to come.
There are no mellow songs on this album, the whole album is consistently hard or heavy, though at different speeds, containing enough dynamics from track to track to not give you listener’s fatigue.
Eyes of Fire strikes me as one of the strongest songs here, not due to heaviness of it, but more of a, dare I say, commercial appeal. The big vocal feel, and overall presentation just stand out as real potential for a single.
Repent alternates between mid and standard speeds, while the Congregation gives you straight metal with a chant-along section to engage the audience. From the almost regal sounding guitar intro of Into the Kingdom, the battle themed heaviness of The Loyal, the anthemic beat and feel in Blood of God, to the more emotional feel of Where Is the Faith, this album should keep the interest of most listeners.
My Cemetery almost fools you into thinkin it is a ballad, as it starts softer, almost somber, before kicking in. Due to the title/topic and the occasional slow down in speed at times throughout the song, it feels like the band toys with a slightly doom metal sound on this one. I love it.
Another stand out song for me is Pit of Sympathy. A guitar players dream, filled with shredding and solo after layered solo throughout the entire song; so much so, that when the song ends, you might be left asking—were there any words in that tune? There are, but it is more of a few simple verses without any real chorus section, truly making the guitar shine throughout.
The album ends with the longest track found this time around, Salt In the Wound, taking you on a musical journey, starting out with a mellow, almost classical sounding guitar part before launching full force into another barrage chanting intro. What a powerful ending track, taking you through high energy, to mid energy, to slower energy, and then right back to high energy transitions layered with shredding guitars and high screeching screams, this is a powerhouse way to end another impressive notch in the belt of the Saint catalog.
After forty years, the Saint train shows no signs of getting tired or slowing down, which is absolutely fine by me when they continue to give us material like this.
Be sure to check out the recent band appearance interview on the Area 312 show HERE.
Track list:
- Immortalizer
- Repent
- My Cemetery
- Eyes of Fire
- The Congregation
- Pit of Sympathy
- Into the Kingdom
- The Loyal
- Blood of God
- Where Is the Faith
- Salt In the Wound
Available from Saint’s Site HERE
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I somehow found Warriors of the Son right after it was released. It was a great album, for sure. I found their subsequent albums hit or miss after that but over the years they keep getting better. I’m glad to see they’re still putting out great material!
Really digging this album. Shocked by the melodic intro to “My Cemetery.”
How can you say that, “After 40 years, The Saint train shows no sign or getting tired or slowing down” when they had an 11 year break, and then return with a new singer? That is a significant break and slow down.
Huh? After the break, they return with the SAME singer for five more albums before changing singers, and have released four albums since, three in the last few years with the same singer. THAT is what I meant by not slowing down. They have continued, and still continue, to release new material.