History
Schoolmates Harry Conklin, John Tetley, Mark Briody and Rick Hilyard under the tyrant monicker formed Jag Panzer in 1981 in Colorado Springs. At first playing covers the band soon recorded its first demo, Tower Of Darkness. This session would be followed by another in a better studio where the band recorded the songs Battle Zones and The Crucifix. The band played many local shows and soon obtained interest from both Azra and Metal Blade Records. Simultaneously, the band had to change names in order to avoid confusion with the other tyrants seeking to dominate the metal scene. Having chosen a new name inspired by a tank the band duly signed with Azra Records of California. The band entered Startsong Studio in order to record a debut EP. Following the recording the band relocated to Los Angeles to be nearer to the metal scene. It was here that the band auditioned and recruited future guitar phenomenon, Joey Taffola. The Tyrants EP was released in 1983, but the band moved back to Colorado a refugee from poverty and the glam scene. The band soon recorded Ample Destruction at Startsong Studio. Canada’s Banzai Records issued this album with a new cover. Azra also issued a limited run of the album with the License To Kill title. Denver drummer Reynold Carlson soon replaced drummer Rick Hilyard. The new line-up began the process of demoing new material in search of a new deal. With the search not going well Conklin would soon join Riot. Next to depart were Carlson and Tafolla who would work on the guitarist’s solo outing. A guitarist called Christian Lesegue and a drummer called Rikard Stjernquist were soon drafted. For a while, a Bob Parduba fronted the band. With no contract in the offing the new singer and guitarist soon left. The band had recorded an album called Chain Of Command that did not have a home. The band would go on hiatus at this point. It was not until the ‘90s that the band resurfaced and signed to the German label/store Rising Sun. The band’s new sound was thrashier and influenced by new singer Daniel Conca and the metal bands of the day. A single called Jeffrey preceded the CD which itself was adorned with a red case. Reviews were generally poor, but America’s Pavement Music would license the product nonetheless. Conca would be let go and would go on to work for Pit Magazine as an advertising salesman before dying soon thereafter. All was not lost however. Heavy metal was undergoing resurgence and the band managed to secure a new deal with Century Media. The band had also brought graphics work in-house and built itself a studio making things easier. Most importantly, Conkin ‘The Tyrant’ was back and the band had a demo called The Return it was shopping to the labels. The band’s first album for the new label was called The Fourth Judgement and like its follow-up featured older material. It even featured guitarist Taffola. Many shows followed on both sides of the Atlantic. Thane To The Throne was based on Shakespeare’s Macbeth and, once again, produced by Jim Morris. Jag Panzer issued a compilation of older material called Decade Of The Nail-Spiked Bat in 2003. The band had sought permission from former guitarist Taffola for the right to the music and having failed had opted to rerecord the material. Century Media would also re-issue the bootlegged Chain Of Command with a new cover. Chris Broderick, once again, was tapped to fill in for Nevermore in 2006. Nevermore’s guitarist Smyth was unavailable due to a medical emergency. Chris Broderick joined Megadeth as replacement for Glen Drover in January of 2008. That band returned guitarist Chris Lasegue to his old position. Jag Panzer, in the meanwhile, was trying to record a live album, but was limited by a frugal Century Media budget.
Reviews
JAG PANZER - THE FOURTH JUDGEMENT - CENTURY MEDIA
Aptly titled The Fourth Judgement, Colorado's Jag Panzer latest release is a reunion of sorts for the band which seemed to gather more momentum in absentia than when actually releasing albums in the mid-'80s. The band's history is rather complicated and extends into the BC era. Suffice to say that original vocalist Conklin is back after releasing three albums with Titan Force and guitar virtuoso Taffola is back from a band called Gravity and an acclaimed solo career. Not recalling the band's original albums I am unable to draw direct comparisons, but compared to the band's 1994 record on Rising Sun where band and new vocalist came under fire for too much Pantera likeness this record is pure heavy metal. The vocalist Conklin closely sounds like Eric Adams of Manowar, while Taffola proves he is a match for the likes of Marty Friedman and Malmsteen and to the benefit of the album channels his fret board runs into the context of the songs. The album, overall, is not revolutionary then; yet fans of '80s metal like Manowar, Metal Church, Dio et al will most likely want this. - Ali "The Metallian"
JAG PANZER - THE AGE OF MASTERY - CENTURY MEDIA
The Colorado heavy metallers need little introduction as they have been at it since the mid-'80s. Little has changed here as the band, now minus axe man Joey Taffola, deliver the goods old and new via songs like Iron Eagle, Twilight Years and the belting Viper. The guitar work is also just fine. One cannot be certain whether these songs are all new or old, but the powerful voice of singer The Tyrant and the in-your-face production work of Jim Morris stack the odds in the band's favour. The band is now at renewed crossroads. With the advent of classic metal again by bands like Hammerfall, Jag Panzer can pick up the pieces and push its career forward or pick a more commercial path and sacrifice the future. In the meanwhile, Age Of Mastery is a good testimony to the band's potential. - Ali "The Metallian"
JAG PANZER - THANE TO THE THRONE - CENTURY MEDIA
American metallers Jag Panzer are back with TTTT which recounts Shakespeare's Macbeth. Both label and the band have made a gutsy move here, releasing an album with so many intricacies, both in its concept and market potential. For as bands like King Diamond and Virgin Steele have already discovered, such complex concepts are best left to theatre. As in most musical concepts, Panzer's music has become enslaved to the theme of Macbeth. Such a limitation means the band sound both forced and unnatural at times, with many phrasings and riffs directly clashing with the flow of the music. A pity, seeing that the band circa 2000 is musically and vocally at its best ever. - Ali "The Metallian"
JAG PANZER - MECHANIZED WARFARE - CENTURY MEDIA
Yeah Jag Panzer's heavy metal has its banging moments and I like this CD's cover art, but Harry Conklin's voice has always been an acquired taste. The band's musical abilities have always been hit and miss and I am simply getting sick of all the trendy elements every little silly band uses believing it to be the launch of the dawn of a new era of originality. As if the use of a classical four piece (cheap - Moscow String Quartet) on the last album wasn't cliche enough, this one features keyboard fillers in the background, a violin and the usual quart of Iron Maiden riffs especially on track three interestingly named Unworthy. Bands forget how they achieve their growth and status without the use of K&F, orchestras, banjos and other miscellaneous non-metal elements. A lesson only today's elite seem to have internalized. - Ali "The Metallian"
JAG PANZER - DECADE OF THE NAIL-SPIKED BAT - CENTURY MEDIA
Here is an uncommon release. Decade Of The Nail-spiked Bat is a two-CD set featuring songs from the US metal band's pre-Century Media era. Since the band was unable to get permission from its original guitarist Joey Tafolla to re-release the material it opted instead to redo everything from scratch and here is the outcome.
On the one hand, this compilation is a god-send for the fans of the band. An old, but unpublished cover artwork, explanations about and trivia on the songs, etc. form a compelling package of vintage Jag Panzer material.
On the other hand, Jag Panzer has never been one of the better metal bands. While fans remain grateful for the band's steadfastness to its style, JP's take on all things Maiden/Priest/Accept never quite approached the originals' excellence. Furthermore, classic material should be entrusted to the underground. Diehard fans will find the material and the band itself will never match the originals' atmosphere or passion and will, invariably, end up hurting its own legacy. Certainly, and this is no secret, there is money to be had by re-releasing older material and placing them into a proper royalty regime, but is it worth the above-described price? - Ali "The Metallian"
JAG PANZER - CASTING THE STONES - CENTURY MEDIA
Jag Panzer has always been an also-ran, a band that wants to occupy the same territory as Tad Morose or Nevermore and never comes close. It is not for lack of trying either. It's just that all the production, promotion and fan boy-ism in the world is not going to transform bad songs and bad singing into good songs and good singing. Casting The Stones is an improved product and the band's best work. Still, it is a case of two steps forward and one step backwards.
In the past the panzers have suffered from ugly vocals, indifferent music and a monotonous approach and the new album's opener, entitled Feast Or Famine, seems to repeat the formula. Irksome vocals, second-rate music and even background synthesizers get in the way of a good guitar solo, a crunchy rhythm guitar and competent drumming. All is not lost though, for beginning with the next track The Mission (1941) things do pick up. This song has upper tempo, nice riffing and a couple of welcome and interesting guitar parts. Things seem to finally be coming together in order to resemble something respectable. Jag Panzer featuring innovative melodies, nice harmonies and lots of axe work, who knew it is possible? A couple of weaker songs and the standard indifferent vocals follow, but there is some redemption to be had in a song like Tempest with its great solo and thrashing power, the urgency of The Harkening which approaches Nevermore in heaviness and the quirky Zeppelin-influenced melody of Cold.
Casting The Stones is more melodic, more harmonic and more layered, but the resulting better songs are hampered by the presence of the silly keyboards and a couple of standard Jag Panzer performances. The band has nonetheless put forth its best effort ever here. - Ali "The Metallian"
Interviews
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