Jag Panzer - The Deviant Chord (2017)

If you remove the classic, excellent Ample Destruction and its sad successor, the miserable Dissident Alliance from the equation, Jag Panzer must have the longest streak of 'good but not great' albums in my entire collection of heavy/power metal. Always something to look forward to, even if you can't expect genius or timelessness, a bastion of consummate USPM professionalism for twenty whole years since they cleaned up their act and dropped The Fourth Judgement through Century Media. The Deviant Chord is just another example...a record with a great title, very cool cover art, and performances so reliable and polished that they seem like we're at the point they could crank them out like treadmill exercises while watching the morning news and drinking freshly squeezed juice.

On every technical level, The Deviant Chord is a success. Between Conklin's nuanced, Dickinson influenced wailing and howling, to Tafolla's controlled shredding, to a rhythm section anyone would be happy to have at their backs. Soaring, anthemic power metal which is busy and majestic enough to capture the European audience, with huge chorus sequences, backing harmonies, and a nice mixture of rhythmic variation between hard-hitting mutes, triplets, open atmospheric chords, and other standard but seasoned techniques to permit these songs to feel distinct from one another, even if they're all barking up the same tree. The Tyrant's sustained howls still sound comparable to a couple decades ago, with perhaps a small measure of understandable strain, but even at his mid range he knows how to let that voice get a wingspan over the workmanlike hustle and bustle beneath. When the band needs to slow it down, and get a little meaner, they do so, as with the title track. When they want a chance to flex their 'sensitive side', they do so, also in the intro to the title track, or during their metallic transformation of the traditional English folk song "Foggy Dew", which is seamless.

But if this album lacks anything, it's just having killer cuts that are going to ricochet back and forth through your subconscious until you can satisfy a craving by listening again. The Deviant Chord is a pleasure to experience while in the act, and proof positive that the Panzer hasn't skipped a beat despite its six-year hiatus since The Scourge of the Light (itself coming after a seven year period), but it doesn't really stick around for long after the listening. They simply haven't stumbled upon the level of hooks that their genre gods like Maiden, Priest or even Helloween have, but there's no way you can write that off as any 'lack of trying'...this is some carefully constructed, dramatic, graceful, melodic, occasionally fist raising metal by a bunch of elder statesmen whose proficiency levels simply exceed the songsmithing by a small order of magnitude. But you know what? It's enough. I'll listen to it again, and I'll listen to their next one, because Jag Panzer doesn't fuck around, and doesn't waste your time, and if you enjoyed records like The Scourge of the Light or Thane to the Throne then I'd be shocked if you didn't also get something out of this one too.

Verdict: Win [7.5/10] (each note rings out a glimpse of truth)

http://www.jagpanzer.com/

Jag Panzer - The Scourge of the Light (2011)

A lot of listeners weren't too keen on the previous Jag Panzer album, Casting the Stones, since it took a more modern, crunchy turn from what they were likely used to. I didn't mind it, but let's face facts: the Colorado power metal legends had already evolved so far from their roots on the mighty Ample Destruction that such minor changes were to be expected. As long as they don't write and release Dissident Alliance II, I can sleep at night, and the Panzer's own seven year hibernation has finally ended with The Scourge of the Light, a tighter and controlled effort that brings them back to the sounds of the 1997-2001 era, in which the band had transformed into a glinting, melodic and professional entity with hints at progressive metal.

In essence, it's a step back, but also a step forward. There is a general lack of the explosive passion of the band's brighter years; The Fourth Judgement could run this into the ground on sheer energy alone. A lot of this is due to the production, which is so incredibly clean that had the engineer scratched his jock itch during a lead sequence, you'd probably hear as if it were in the cubicle next to you. That's not necessarily a bad thing, because it brings out the very intricate melodies being woven through cuts like "The Setting of the Sun" and "Overlord", and gives the Tyrant a clean slate over which to flaunt his veteran pipes, which are admittedly solid throughout the entire play list. Christian Lasegue, who had appeared on the band's Chain of Command album (released 17 years after its recording) returns to replace Chris Broderick (now in Megadeth), and he and Mark Briody are a dynamic and fluent team, leads bristling off in either direction and rhythms complex enough to hold the curiosity even when the heart roams elsewhere.

"Condemned to Fight" is a fairly strong opener, giving the guitars a chance to flex and Harry a chance at a half-decent chorus, but the slower "Setting of the Sun" has a more interesting riff structure in the verses, and "Bringing the End" continues this trend, with the addition of a pretty ballsy, swaggering guitar line here that returns in the chorus. I didn't love "Call to Arms", though it was fun to hear the band go all Maiden, and while immediately accessible, "Cycles" and "Overlord" didn't leave a lasting impression, nor the more old school sounding "Let It Out". But the next piece "Union" is one of the more interesting on the album, refined melodies threading through another of their brighter mid-paced numbers, and once "Burn" picks up from its piano intro, it too soars. Closer "The Book of Kells" is the most ambitious track, 8 minutes of slowly rising, epic thunder, and it also stands as one of the better composed.

All said and done, The Scourge of the Light is another good album in a long stretch that has suffered only a few (considerable) hurdles, and I can't think that fans of Thane to the Throne or Mechanized Warfare are going to scoff at it. There are certainly a few tracks that some might deem filler, and I found a lack of fire in about half the album, but then I'm an old hanger on to the displaced illusion that we might someday hear something as decadent as another Ample Destruction from these guys. I've never been a huge fan of the guitar tone used in their 1997-2001, since I've always felt it was thin and processed, and I don't exactly love it here; but performance-wise this band is the very definition of professional, and they tend to wring out some depth from their riffs due to their skill level, and this 9th album is far from run of the mill power metal.

Verdict: Win [7.5/10]

http://www.jagpanzer.com/

Jag Panzer - Casting the Stones (2004)

Jag Panzer have made numerous evolutionary leaps through their career, generally kick-started by lineup alterations or the dread of repeating themselves too often, and Casting the Stones is but the latest such paradigm shift, a more complex piece of work than one might have expected in the same year the band and their label would re-issue the lost Chain of Command. This is essentially the album that would upgrade the band to that 'modern' power metal sound, so its not really a surprise to hear some similarities to an Evergrey, Kamelot, Nevermore or Manticora. Casting the Stones has a denser, digitized tone to it which is certainly a far cry from their 80s years, and love it or hate it, this will probably be the side of the band that continues into the future.

My overall impression is that Casting the Stones carries this transition well, but with only a mere few exceptions, I found the material written for this neither bad nor exceptionally good. This is the same lineup the band have used for several albums, and the musicianship is clearly on fire. One needs listen no further than opener "Feast or Famine" to hear how the band have incorporated the use a constantly twisting helix of aggression, atop which they lay out baleful backing vocals to Tyrant's lead line and keyboard condiments. Aside from its general busyness, though, the song is really not that impressive. "The Mission 1943" is glimmering melodic power metal with some similarities to their Mechanized Warfare material, and I found myself drawn to Tyrant's crystal chorus here and the wiry guitar fills, and to the following "Vigilant", which crawls along with bell strikes, excellent melodies and a cautious pace.

Further in we go, and the album really becomes a mix of average, forgettable fare like the brief anthem "Achilles" or the fairly Euro feel of "Legion Immortal", which promises a lot in its spikes of opening melody but doesn't create much of an atmosphere outside of the descending backing vocal patterns; and the more promising muse of "Battered and Bruise", with its rising and descending patterns of progressive shred, or the vampiric, slowly rocking "Cold" with its crests of cautionary melody. "The Hearkening" offers a lot of shine through the technical flow of the guitars and soothing melodies, whereas the closer "Precipice" is almost completely driven by Conklin's inner siren against a fairly dull musical backdrop whose highlight are the Eastern strings and acoustics plucking alongside the softer climes.

Certainly if we are to pick out a Jag Panzer effort with the best technical grasp of its players abilities, we'd have to choose Casting the Stones, because they've upped the amount of technique considerably here over Thane to the Throne or Mechanized Warfare. You'll still hear the same traces of modernity that the band have fostered since their reunion of The Fourth Judgment, and in fact this is album that would end the band's unstoppable productivity. But in the end, it's another 'good' album that never quite roots itself deep enough in the memory like their excellent debut Ample Destruction, and despite the increased performance levels, it feels hollow and charmless like so many modern or futurist power metal albums. It's been six years now since this release, and we can assume when the band finally sums up the drive to offer new material, it will further this direction, but one can only wonder if they've got it in them to ever write songs equivalent to their early highlights.

Verdict: Win [7/10] (glowing with fire and fury)

http://www.jagpanzer.com/

Jag Panzer - Chain of Command (2004)

Perhaps it was riding the wave of nostalgia created by the previous year's Decade of the Nail-Spiked Bat compilation, or perhaps the band and the heads at Century Media had long been in agreement that this long lost album was in need of a proper release. In any event, Chain of Command, an album recorded in the 80s and left to languish on the cutting room floor would finally see the light circa 2004 with a remastering job and new cover art, and it was about time. This is clearly a different direction than the band were taking with the classic Ample Destruction, and perhaps this, more than anything would be responsible for the haze of silence over its failure to launch where it belonged, smack dab at the close of a decade in which it might have mattered most.

Harry Conklin was not on board for this release, nor was Joey Tafolla, and their replacements here were vocalist Bob Parduba and guitarist Christian Lasegue. Unlike Daniel Conca, who was chosen for the 'official' second album to see release, Dissident Alliance, Parduba's vocals were very well suited to the band, and in fact he's a worthwhile replacement for the 'Tyrant', though not as frenetic or unhinged. He tends towards a classic, higher range, spot on as he soars to each note. If he's got any flaw at all, it's that he stays within his safety zone for much of the record. But this is not a huge detriment, because Chain of Command is a less aggressive effort than Ample Destruction, and the band were headed towards higher, cleaner melodic ground that eschewed the savagery of the debut without sacrificing much quality in the songwriting.

Speaking of the songs, we've heard several of these before on the band's later output. The stores of this sophomore were plundered for years, the band likely thinking it would never see any official release, so why not snap up the stronger numbers and strengthen them alongside freshly written material? "Shadow Thief", the band's ninja anthem, appeared on The Fourth Judgement, while "Sworn to Silence", "Chain of Command" and "Burning Heart"all appeared on The Age of Mastery, and "She Waits" was re-recorded for Decade of the Nail-Spiked Bat. Still, though the new versions of "Shadow Thief" and "Burning Heart" are probably superior to these, it's still worth hearing the originals with Parduba at the helm, because they were perfectly suited to his vocal tones.

Have no fear, because they're not the only fetching tracks to be found on the original release. "Ride Through the Storm" is solid melodic power metal which arrives at a gallop. "Never Surrender" takes a simple, plodding Slayer-like riff and dowses it in huge, rising vocal patterns that remind me of Lips' upper range on the earlier Anvil records. There are a pair of instrumentals in the progressive metal of the "Dream Theme" and the classical piece with keyboards "Gavotte in D". The balladic bonus track "When the Walls Come Down" erupts into some shrill vocals not unlike a lower ranged Lizzy Borden, complete with classic flurries of piano and acoustic guitar. Lastly, there's a decent cover of "In a Gadda da Vida" by Iron Butterfly, making great use of Parduba's range, and I actually might prefer this to the Slayer version. Ultimately, there might not be a lot here that you haven't heard if you've followed or collected the band's records, but combined with hearing the original vocals, there is just enough to warrant some value.

Personally, my preference runs towards Tyrants and Ample Destruction, but Chain of Command shows what the band might have evolved into had they treaded further down an accessible, melodic metal path instead of reverting to subhuman, mediocre thrash and the other bizarre ideas they'd cultivate for Dissident Alliance. It goes without saying that this record, despite the difference in approach, would have been a vastly superior successor had it come out when intended, but there is no changing history now, and we are forced to appreciate it for what it is. This was a limited run CD, so I'm betting only the diehards and a few random people were able to get their claws on it, but I would commend the band on releasing it as is with a simple remaster, rather than trying to re-record the entirety with Tyrant on the microphone like they did with the material on Decade of the Nail-Spiked Bat.

Verdict: Win [7/10] (how will we know if it's worth fighting for?)

http://www.jagpanzer.com/

Jag Panzer - Decade of the Nail-Spiked Bat (2003)

So the laughable seductress who graces the covers of Jag Panzer's much-beloved classics Tyrants and Ample Destruction would return once more, this time for a collection of re-recordings titled the Decade of the Nail-Spiked Bat. Now, I like nail-spiked bats, they were a weapon of choice in my thrash years as an 80s teen, complete with denim jacket with sawed-off sleeves, bandana, cut-off leather gloves and hi-top sneakers, essentially representing any random thug from a Police Academy film. Such an album title could only bring about baited fondness and nostalgia for the era, until I heard the contents and realized what this was all about.

The original intention of the band was to re-release their earliest material with new packaging and make it readily available to a fan base of younger or newer fans who might not have had exposure to their greatest works. Unfortunately, due to some difference or financial stipulation with former guitarist Joey Tafolla, this could not come to fruition, so the band just decided to re-record it all, tack on a few new other unreleased gems and release it as a two disc fan package. The downside to this is that the band clearly were not in the same head space as they were in 1983-84, and thus the revisions of the material lose a lot of the charm of their initial versions, rendering this almost completely worthless when you can track down the re-issue of the originals directly pressed to CD.

What's worse, is that this is no way some complete recreation of Ample Destruction or Tyrants, because there is material missing, material inserted from the unreleased Chain of Command album, and in general this is just a mess. The modern production feels almost unfinished, as the band have not attempted to morph any of the material into a state flush with their recent albums like Thane to the Throne or Mechanized Warfare. It might have been interesting to hear the material upgraded to such standards, but instead this feels like a watered down and less inspirational alternative. I don't think there are more than 1-2 revisions to the old tracks here among the 20 present that I would prefer to the original, and it's a sad thing to hear a song like "Warfare", "Iron Shadows" or "Licensed to Kill" reduced to such a dull medium, even if the band do not technically make many mistakes. The youth has faded. The life bar drained from these compositions, and the corpse lying festered and exploited, spent condoms thrown haphazardly about the scene.

All of the Tyrants debut is present, including the additional track "Towers of Darkness" that was later added to the EP, but not a single one of the five tracks is given any burst of life, any modern infusion or evolution. They are performed adequately, so its good to know the band could still pull them off live, but Conklin's vocals are simply not up to the task of his storied past, at least not on this recording. What sounded brash and fresh now sounds gimped, and that is certainly not acceptable for the long term fan. Most of Ample Destruction also made it to the track list, with the exception of "Harder Than Steel" or "Cardiac Arrest", and the tracks are all mixed up order, so no, this is not some fan friendly packaging that simply seeks to service the new, negligent fan, but a sordid compilation. The unreleased album Chain of Command is also represented here through "She Waits", and though the original mix of the song is not great, I'm not sure if I find this new take all the more compelling. Regardless, Century Media will be issuing this album in full just a year after Decade of the Nail-Spiked Bat, so what is the point.

Probably the most worthwhile material found in the package would be the re-recordings of the rare demo track "Fallen Angel" from the 1985 demo, or the three Dissident Alliance tracks with Conklin's vocals, which as a given sound immeasurably superior to the Conca-fronted originals. "The Church", "Spirit Suicide" and "Edge of Blindness" are all included, and though the updates do not exactly render them 'good', they are certainly more acceptable, especially the "Edge of Blindness". "Forsaken" is also included from a Metal-Rules.com compilation, but its a pretty dull tune that is not on par with either the band's 80s work or their recent, 21st century spurt. On the other hand, "Black Sunday" is a decent, rare track worth hearing.

Often a band will release one of these re-recorded fan packages of note, like the Iced Earth collection Days of Purgatory, which I surprisingly enjoyed despite never much cared for that band in general. Few can ever really match the energy and intent of the original conceptions, though, and most of Jag Panzer's offering suffers from the 'so what' syndrome. There is no way in a million years I would ever opt to hear this over Ample Destruction or Tyrants, which remain the band's two best recordings to date, and thus Decade of the Nail-Spiked Bat feels like so much needless ballast on the float. It's unfortunate the band could not come to terms with Tafolla, because surely that guy had little on his plate in a time when shredders are about as passe as shoulder pads and Strawberry Shortcake (the cartoon and toy line, not the dessert). Alas, this was the band's means of coping and offering something to their fans regardless, and with the exception of the rare track here or there, it truly comes up short.

Verdict: Fail [3/10]

http://www.jagpanzer.com/

Jag Panzer - Mechanized Warfare (2001)

It's probably no secret that I'm a steady consumer of science fiction and fantasy, mostly the good stuff (sometimes the awful), and I've always lauded the use of such genre concepts in fusion with metal music. Thus, my first glimpse of Jag Panzer's sixth full album Mechanized Warfare had the underpants stirring for sure. Could it be that the restless Colorado warriors had crafted a concept album about futuristic military operations involving giant mechs? This was my hope as I first dove into the contents of this record, but to my disappointment, it would not turn out to be the reality. No, Mechanized Warfare is not another unified concept album like Thane to the Throne before it, and while the topics of war are certainly explore in the lyrics to several of the songs, this is no Battletech or MechWarrior of power metal proportions. It could still be done, though. Someone? Anyone...

Essentially, we've got another album in the vein of The Age of Mastery or The Fourth Judgment, and though that's no immediate cause for complaint, it seemed a less impressive followup to Thane to the Throne, which had released only a year earlier and sent the band's stock skyward for its solid and able execution. I will go so far as to claim that Mechanized Warfare features some of the band's best, modern 'power metal' atmosphere. There are some tight tracks to be had in its mobilized depths, and the same consistent lineup ensures that the writing is fluent and consistent with past efforts. The leads here are developed quite nicely from even their 2001 audio documentary on the MacBeth tragedy, though I feel Conklin has had better days. He performs without any hangup or hesitation, but the mere selection of his lines does not feel quite up to snuff.

For this reason, a lot of the tracks arrive with little fanfare, well-executed exercises in pure USPM glossed in studio clarity that simply don't leave a lasting impression, like the bombastic melody of "Frozen in Fear" or the sailing of "The Silent" with its great solo. Nathaniel Hawthorne is given a nod in "The Scarlet Letter", a fairly interesting piece with a fine curve of melodic, muted expression that the band has developed so wonderfully in their reunion material. "Choir of Tears" is one of the most climactic pieces here, with charging mid-paced melodies that twist through the lattice of Conklin's steady narration. I'd offer that the album improves as it proceeds, with "Cold is the Blade (And the Heart that Wields It)", "Hidden in My Eyes" and "Power Surge" among the best three-hit combos the band have ever laid out in the studio, but I'd also consider "Take to the Sky", the only real proof of concept of my fantasies over the cover art, one of the best pieces on the album, and that's the very first track.

The only tracks I don't care for would be "Unworthy", which starts with some chanting but devolves into an average piece with only a sole welcome melody, and the closing power ballad "All Things Renewed", which is essentially Jag Panzer gone Queen, but offers nothing else of interest aside from the choir vocals and touch of orchestration (similar to 21st century Blind Guardian's usage). Of course, this is a band now quite removed from their 80s roots, and even the very brightest stars burning on Mechanized Warfare pale in comparison to the primal inspiration the band evolved out of. The end result is an album which is competent, and fitting the status quo of their productivity streak from 1997-2004, but not all that gripping or memorable compared to better years. And for fuck's sake, do not put a giant robot on the cover of your album without following through?! A thousand years of nerd rage will now descend upon you like napalm rain!

Verdict: Win [7.25/10] (demeanor tough as leather, skin soft as feathers)

http://www.jagpanzer.com/

Jag Panzer - Thane to the Throne (2000)

There are a great number of Shakespeare's works which are well suited to adaptation into unexpected mediums, but when one really examines Macbeth, its transition into a heavy metal concept album seems only natural. Death, betrayal, paranoia, and dark magics are all common themes in a myriad of the genre's categories, and who better to tackle this topic head on than a band which by this point had already tucked a few decades beneath their collective belts, and were seeking new ground to cover, as evidenced by the 1998 album The Age of Mastery and its varied leanings. What Jag Panzer only hinted at there, they find themselves diving into here in full creative bloom, transforming the haunted landscape of the tale into a raging and glorious epic of traditional power metal.

That being said, Thane to the Throne is not among my favorite Jag Panzer works. It shows tremendous accountability to its source material, a solid array of songs which suit its genre, and yet it ultimately fails to stand out beyond so many other albums in this field, despite a ribald effort. Part of its consistency is no doubt due to the solidified lineup, the first time in the band's career thus far that they've maintained their roster, unbroken, from one album to the next, and they feel like they've truly gelled and grown together here, the material written with the sure hand of a veteran. I was also impressed that Conklin explores so much of his mid range vocals on this effort. He'll still screech to the rafters when called for, but dabbles primarily in an honest, expressive tone which occasionally reminds me of Blaze's work with Maiden, only manifested with a thousand times more quality! Serving as your first person narrator for the characters' interactions from the play, he is adept at capturing the appropriate levels of desperation and madness implicit in the play.

What could have been an endless sequence of intros and interludes to herald each of the metal tracks is thankfully not the case here: the meat of the record is all metal, almost all the time, and thus much of the 65 minute playtime is spent banging the head to elegant power rooted in the British origins of the form and the spry melodic muted patterns Jag Panzer is so fond of from the last two albums, The Fourth Judgment and The Age of Mastery. There are a few short interludes like the classical guitar of "The Premonitions", the violin, piano and vocals of "Banquo's Final Rest", and the bells, chimes and atmosphere of "Requiem for Lady Macbeth", all of which suit the surrounding material fine, but these are kept brief and the album doesn't suffer from an excess of such pieces, as some might claim of a Nightfall in Middle-Earth.

The album follows the progression of the play, each of the tracks slowly building a sense for faded glory and frustration through the narrative of the guitars and vocals. "Thane of Cawdor" elevates from percussion and Enya-like vocals to strings and ultimately the slow, plodding power metal which is part soaring anthem. "King at a Price" returns to the familiar environs of the previous few albums, and "Bloody Crime" sees Harry in his higher range with a well crafted lead sequence. In fact, the leads here are in general superior to the aimless shredding that dragged down a few of the tracks on The Age of Mastery. Broderick and Briody have very carefully laid out each piece to match the brooding, serious structure of the tracks. Sadly, though all of these songs show moments of grace and promise, one must reach deeper into the content to find something that eclipses mere potent pleasantry and gives us the Jag Panzer we desire.

"Treachery's Strain" is a marked improvement, with some choppy, complex rhythms and arching vocal lines, and "Spectres of the Past" does one better, the first song on the album that I felt lived up to my favorite material of the reunion lineup, all swollen melodies and pumping bass. "Three Voices of Fate" sees Conklin inserting a Dickinson (and Bayley)-like fury to the narrative, and "Hell to Pay" has some appreciative, glinting melodies that roll along like the hills of the Old Country, descending synth-lines falling across the overcast skies of the tale like early snowflakes. Deeper still, we get the creepy, cavorting of "Insanity's Mind", with John Tetley's bass plucking each strand of reason out of the characters' minds, and some superb siren-like vocals. Other gems include the epic chorals of "Face of Fear", the raging mirth of "Fate's Triumph" and the steady bliss which anoints "Fall of Dunsinane", though I felt the finale "Tragedy of MacBeth" a mildly bloated, if suitable conclusion.

Thane to the Throne is likely the most difficult material Jag Panzer has ever had to concoct, and the band deserves some credit for such a full-bodied, flesh out adaptation to the material. The quality is consistent, the breadth of instrumentation commendable, but outside of the whole, very few of the tracks stand out as superb or inspirational. None of the compositions will have you clutching your knees in awkward despair. In fact, the material ranges from inoffensive to good, to occasionally something more, but I have always found it bizarre that this most ambitious effort, despite its high level of professionalism and effort, can at its best only wallow in the tall shadow of the legendary Ample Destruction. However, I must point out that this is truly the de facto interpretation of the Macbeth material, perhaps all of Shakespeare, into metal music, vastly outclassing other lame attempts like the flimsy Italian Gothic metal band Macbeth. It's a solid album that I will occasionally spin in culmination when revisiting the band's catalog, but there are few individual tracks that I count among the band's best.

Verdict: Win [7.5/10] (the moon will bring a change tonight)

http://www.jagpanzer.com/

Jag Panzer - The Age of Mastery (1998)

Once the 'Tyrant' Harry Conklin had returned to the fold, and the Colorado chain gang had produced The Fourth Judgment, they were embarking on a streak of productivity that would quickly surpass the band's 80s output in no time flat. The Age of Mastery was the next statement in this sequence, an attempt to expand upon the Panzer revival, the unhinged leather rebels of the 80s expounding into a mature, melodic territory. Joey Tafolla had once again parted with the squad, but the band made an adequate choice in Chris Broderick (who would go on to Nevermore and Megadeth) as the cult shred legend's replacement, so the Jag would not be at a loss in this area for the immediate future.

The Age of Mastery is a bit of an anomaly, for while it presses forward with both the legacies of their 80s material and the melodic surge of the previous year's comeback, there is a hint at a wider ambition here which will carry forward into the following album Thane to the Throne, a progressive slant that proves the band were not content with merely rehashing themselves, despite their newfound motivations and career second wind. That's not to say the execution here is well enough rounded, and the mix of such materials with a "Lustfull and Free", or "Iron Eagle" creates a jilted experience that feels more like a pair of diverse EPs tacked together than a pure, consistent effort, but thankfully there is just enough here to enthrall and immerse a listener into the broader field of ideas.

"Iron Eagle" is the gateway, a roll of melodic muting given graceful airs through the insertion of early, taut leads that hook off the verse and offer ballast to Conklin's efficient if average lyrical patterns, similar to the material on the previous album. There are some nice touches of backing, male choral vocals, and I love the percussion ringing off against the lead sequence, though the solo itself feels like little more than indulgence that eludes the memory. "Lustfull and Free" feels like the band returning to the virile and infectious explosion of 1984's Ample Destruction, though polished and given an elevated sense of atmosphere. "Sworn to Silence" fords into darker climes, essentially a mix of melodic heavy and thrash metal with a great chorus and charging axes, while "Twilight Years" bounces is a personal favorite here, a bouncing juggernaut of melodic mutes that erupts into a memorable, fluid chorus and a fairly progressive/power bridge.

After this potent initial outburst, featuring some of the highlights, the record levels off somewhat and becomes a more muted palette of color, competent and yet somewhat less inspiring. For instance, the bridge and lead of the band's cover of "False Messiah" (from ex-Virgin Steele stringer Jack Starr's solo effort Out of the Darkness) are well crafted, but the surrounding environs are less notable; "The Age of Mastery" pumps along at its mid pace, but its not until the twisting, serpentine melodies of "Displacement" that we get another rouser with a progressive presence that hints at the myriad possibilities this band might explore as they proceed into their mid life. "Viper" is a soon forgotten rocker, and "Take This Pain Away" fails to truly function as a soaring power ballad. Conklin seems shaky in the verses as he hits a mid range, though its interesting to hear him paired with a violin.

We next have "Chain of Command", a track that would naturally have appeared on Panzer's yet unreleased sophomore studio effort. It's an acceptable piece of melodic power metal which once again utilizes some strings, but not ultimately memorable. As compensation, "Burning Heart" is a great, brazen spike of inspiration driven deep into the listener's icy chest, all crystal melodies and excellent presence of John Tetley's bass lines, with Conklin transforming into some ethereal, female entity in the chorus. The curtains of The Age of Mastery are drawn with "The Moors", a pretty ambitious piece with choral arrangements, strings and an epic composition which is about half on, half off, or better yet a glimpse into the crystal ball of the band's next full-length.

There are enough ideas present on this fourth album that the long-term Jag Panzer fan must surely listen back with some fondness, at least for a handful of the tracks, but it's true that the album just feels off as far as its presentation and consistency. That said, were I to craft some mix of my favorite songs from the Coloradans, I would absolutely include "Twilight Years", "Burning Heart" and "Displacement", if not "Lustfull and Free" for its more rocking, old school fare. What is perhaps most important about The Age of Mastery is that it shows a band about to embark on a conceptual phase of their career which elevates them from mere power/heavy metal to something more substantial and interesting. But will their strong musical foundation hold?

Verdict: Win [7/10] (lessons learned, so many retained)

http://www.jagpanzer.com/

Jag Panzer - The Fourth Judgment (1997)

While Jag Panzer's 1994 distinct failure Dissident Alliance was a positive reinforcement of both our civilization's need for the profession of psychological counsel and large, ample supplies of booze available over counters everywhere, the band would not dwell on this ill conceived and dourly received effort for a long period of time, hashing out any delusions that they could proceed down the path of bad thrash and bringing the 'Tyrant' and Joey Tafolla back on board for The Fourth Judgment, the band's first album in a deal they inked with Century Media, who were truly gaining ground as one of the world's premiere metal labels by this point (well before the singing spree of trendy commercial fashion-core and metal bands).

This was rather a surprise, because power metal in the 90s had long been dominated by the Europeans, and it was really time for the US bands to start kicking it back into gear. This was not an immensely popular genre at the time, and considering the Colorado band's recent audio vomit, one can only assume this was due to the return of Conklin and reversion to the style of their 1984 classic, Ample Destruction, which still held considerable weight in the underground. The Fourth Judgment is not exactly what the doctor ordered, nor is it quite so memorable as that legendary cult effort, but its a step in the right direction, Jag Panzer with an added level of melody and maturity manifest largely through Tafolla's even further increased ability. Harry is not so wild as his early years, but his time in Titan Force has refined his voice into a crisp, professional weapon, still capable of launching into shrieking heights. Briody and Jon Tetley both seem to be back where they belong, and they've even kept on Rikard Stjernquist, who sounds more alive behind his sticks than on his unfortunate debut with the band.

"Black" sets the stage early with a surging string section that parts for spacey ambient synths and Tyrant's introduction which soon turns to churning, melodic mid-paced metal, a balance of angrier chords and fragile guitar patterns that beautifully set up the best leads the band had conceived since 1984. "Call of the Wild" sounds like an outtake from the Ample Destruction years given youth by the cleaner production standards, wailing vocals and ominous backing vocals, one of the more memorable tracks from this effort. "Despair' uses some twangy bent melodies to create an eerie effect not unlike King Diamond, stilted chords in the verse hammered out percussively before launching into the elevating chorus. "Future Shock" benefits from a good vocal performance, a touch of background synthesizers and another fine chorus and lead sequence, while "Recompense" fires up a thick NWOBHM influence with a cruising, bruising riff not unlike Saxon that cedes into spry, melodic grace. It might also be relevant here to note the band's lyrical improvements, as per "Future Shock":

Overlapping textures of pain
Nightmares race through information veins
Who claims what's wrong, who controls what's right and who cares anyway
The information highway will take you there for such a small price to pay

Deeper into the track list, there is no death in quality, as "Ready to Strike" and "Tyranny" provide another pair of titanic, melodic hymns which embrace the very best of both classic USPM and their European counterparts. I particularly enjoy the winding bass in the later verse of "Tyranny", with yet another beautiful Tafolla lead (it goes without saying that this man is a truly excellent match for this band). "Shadow Thief" is a piece that the band had originally written for several of their 80s demos post-Ample Destruction, and at long last it's given a golden makeover, a Maiden-like madness running through its bristling melodic thickets of sharpened steel leaves. "Sonnet of Sorrow" is an attractive if clunky acoustic interlude with Conklin dueling himself and some gorgeous violins, and "Judgement Day" follows suit with further acoustics that transform into a roiling, pompous metal beast with huge chords and angelic vocals, some of the best on the entire album.

With the exception of "Call of the Wild", there is not a lot of the wild, youthful abandon that we so loved on Ample Destruction, and yet this effort is truly elegant and mature, marking the band's turn towards ambitious concept albums and power metal narrative in later attempts. This is not a perfect record, and though many of its tracks are pleasant, most are forgettable within a short span of time, but there's nothing awkward or bad about it and its uncountable miles beyond the atrocity that was Dissident Alliance, a welcome return and a mirror into what the band might have become in that intermittent space between periods of undeniable inspiration.

Verdict: Win [7.75/10] (raised on leather, weaned on war)

http://www.jagpanzer.com/

Jag Panzer - Dissident Alliance (1994)

When you've taken the plunge from a sultry and (presumably) attractive metal raven carving up a band in a blown out urban space or leading the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, to a computer generated minefield floating in lava from the dawn of terrible 3D graphics generation, there is clearly something amiss with your career. Dissident Alliance is another of those laughable 90s mistakes in which a traditional metal band would reach far from their modus operandi into new territory, an attempt to 'branch out' or run with the times that would ultimately pan out as one of the most awkward in the USPM realm, at the very least, and one wonders exactly where and how the decade between the excellent Ample Destruction and this atrocity was spent...

After their debut EP and album in '83-'84, the band did actually record a more natural follow-up, the ill fated Chain of Command, in '87. However, it was not actually released until 2004, when the band were already well into their comeback phase and held some tout. In the intervening 80s, the band produced a few demos which would also avoid exposure, after which they vanished for very near a decade. Jag Panzer would return in 1994 with an official sophomore effort through Pavement Music and a new lineup, with Rikard Stjernquist replacing Hilyard, Chris Kostka replacing guitar icon Joey Taffola, and most disturbingly, Daniel J. Conca, a virtual unknown replacing the legendary Harry Conklin in the vocal booth. Conca had spent some time with the East Coast thrash band Gothic Slam, but did not appear on either of their albums, so one can hardly cite him as lacking any experience, but he was simply incapable of stepping into such brilliant shoes, and his deep, crude thrash vocal approach is one of the primary reasons this album is such a stinking, fecal mass.

But there's a bigger reason, and that is that the remaining original band members (Mark Briody and John Tetley) had lost their fucking minds! Dissident Alliance is essentially a poor excuse for a thrash album, with only faint traces of the traditional power metal virtues that dominated their prior output. Yet this is not simply content to be a poorly written thrash record with moron riffs you could catch from any random neighborhood band, in any random bar on a Friday evening during the early 90s fallout of this beloved genre, the offenders blissfully unaware that they were well past 'on the way out', doing nothing of note or value to reverse this dire fortune. What's more, Dissident Alliance is not simply CONTENT with this fate. No, it attempts to screw around with other musical genres like alternative hippie rock and tribal blues ("Forsaken Child") or moody progressive rock (the intro to "Spirit Suicide"). Shockingly, these actually prove to be some of the better moments of the disc, because at least they're not as annoying as the shoddy thrash that dominates so much of the bloated, nearly 60 minute length.

The first mistake is that the album shoves some of its less idiotic metal numbers into the aft positions. "GMV 407" has a few genuine seconds of classic Panzer wound about its thrashing heart, spikes of melodic force breaking through the crust of dull earth before the solo, though here the Taffola presence is clearly noticed since the lead blows. With Harry Conklin at the helm, "The Church" might have turned out a reasonable offering: the riffs are hardly inspiring, but it carries forward that cruel certainty of the previous releases, and the simple, crisp melodic surge in the bridge is not offensive. "Whisper God" is burdened by a lame verse with a bluesy, soon forgotten swagger, but the first :15 seconds showed potential. I mentioned "Spirit Suicide" already, which opens with melancholic acoustics, sparse percussion and slowly swelling synthesizers. But the most striking anomaly is that Conca provides his most elegant and worthy vocal lines on the entire album here, and continues to carry on throughout the track. Why couldn't this side of the man be spread throughout the album? Who would have known?

Now, before I sent mixed signals, let me establish that none of this later material is actually worth slogging through the album's early contents to arrive at, but it shows that the record, while tragic and terrible, does level itself out, find a groove and expose that the band were still capable of ideas that did not entirely suck. Unfortunately, we've got to get there first, wading through embarrassing stomp/thrash like "Jeffrey/Behind the Gate", full of horrible nu-groove thrash rhythms that even your local Pantera wannabes from 1994 would scoff at. "The Clown" teases with a slightly acceptable power/thrashing, until the verse arrives and Conca stumbles over himself with horrid, almost rapped lyrics that lead into the nasal chorus:

Little boy, little boy, tell me true
Johnny does the nasty, do you know who?
Little boy, little boy, did you cry?
Momma’s gone away, daddy tell a lie

"Forsaken Child" follows, perhaps the strangest piece here, all driving acoustic guitars, tribal drumming, and it evokes memories of university drum circles strung out on angel dust and folk records, with a rock structure to the guitars. Without vocals, this might have actually sufficed as as a decent piece of music, but as soon as Conca starts whispering all 'sexy' like or putting the same emotion in his voice that later functions well within "Spirit Suicide", it becomes very hard to take seriously. The stylistic deviance is not at fault, but it stands out here like some failed experiment to explore the band's alternative influences, and when the down-tuned vocals hail the entrance of "Edge of Blindness", a weak and repetitive mid-paced thrasher, the album has already become too much to bear. "Eve of Penance" throws away a promising intro with a weak, charging thrash tempo, and "Last Dying Breath" sounds like John Bush-era Anthrax with a bit more sneer to it, and lyrics like:

Widow bitch, ya gonna die
A devils whore, bitch tell a lie
A season’s witch, infidelity
Tricky little bitch, insanity

You might have noticed that this record came as quite the shock to a fan of the band's original lineup. It's not completely devoid of value, and will surprise you on the rare occasion that a riff still stands out, or Conca steps above himself and delivers a few acrid lines. Perhaps with some further vocal direction, he might have been a good thrash or death metal singer, as there is suitable vitriol when he reaches into the lower, 'smoker' range, but even if he was Rob fucking Halford on this record, it would not have saved the abysmal, uninspired compositions that dominate so much of its time in the stereo. Dissidence Alliance is clearly produced, with some extra fuzz to the guitars, but the drums feel inadequate and the few leads poorly integrated and mixed alongside the backdrop.

In the end, its another example of how the 90s were 'death' for most traditional metal bands, unless you knew exactly where to look. No wonder the more extreme metal genres flourished so in these bleak years; those of us who were worshipers of the edgier 80s material had our expectations flogged to incurable, and needed a fix of brutality to floss out the stains of an album like Dissident Alliance. Like many others, Jag Panzer took a chance and simply bet on the wrong color, when there was really nothing wrong with the band to begin. They would come to their senses just a few years after this, returning Conklin and Tafolla to the lineup and inking a deal with Century Media that would stoke the most productive phase of their career, but as they say, the stain remains.

Verdict: Epic Fail [1.75/10] (it's a chance to regret, my friend)

http://www.jagpanzer.com/

Jag Panzer - Ample Destruction (1984)

From a dull thud to a roar, 1984 would see the Panzer patrol achieve one of the very best traditional/power metal albums in all US history as they stepped into the studio to knock out their timeless offering to our delinquency: Ample Destruction. This is anything but elegant metal music, but it manages to capitalize on every strength of the 1983 Tyrants EP. The production has been polished, the riffs are improved, and the 'Tyrant' himself has managed to trump his prior performance, reining himself somewhat but still delivering a varied and unforgettable array of siren calls and soaring testosterone. The man is easily a match for a John Arch (early Fates Warning), Lizzy Borden or Joe Comeau (Liege Lord's Master Control), and he lends this effort an enormous appeal which was virtually unrivaled in this country until a few years after the fact.

He continues to mirror his UK counterpart Bruce Dickinson, and yet this is only when he fares in a particular range. The rest is pure Conklin. Fates Warning's Night on Brocken also comes to mind when drawing a comparison, yet the music of Ample Destruction is clearly superior to that record (which was released the same year). The riffs are bad ass American metal, clearly derived from your more street level, blue collar NWOBHM acts or the German pounding of Accept, but then scoured with spikes and blades of melody that easily helped to push this genre forward and never in reverse. The musical core of Mark Briody, John Tetley and Rick Hilyard were joined here by guitar guru Joey Tafolla, yet you'll find no excess of shredding indulgence beyond what is simply required of each track, carefully glazed in delightful, epic melodies that catapult the music beyond the steelyard and into the stratosphere.

If "Licensed to Kill" does not immediately get your heart raging and pining for the sounds of unfettered 80s heavy metal, I don't know what will. Congratulations, you are officially a poseur. Hang up your tights and go hang out at a yogurt bar with your Blackberry and $60 hairstyle. Frenzied, charging riffs moored by a solid rhythm section and Conklin's characteristic howling that utilizes both an acidic bite and a venomous bark, great leads and only 3 minutes to get your ass kicked by the next track, "Warfare", which is one of the most memorable and hilarious the band have released, with a stock NWOBHM rhythm akin to an "Am I Evil" or any number of Priest tunes, anchored by the Tyrant's extended versus that radiate charisma, before the ultimate gang shouts of 'warfare' by the band, enveloping his shrieking. A true highlight of fist shaking, head banging rapture.

Trample the cities leaving dust in our wake
Not a thing left alive, run before it's too late
The women, the children, the young and the old
Nothing will escape the Panzer stronghold

Laughing. My. Fucking. Ass. Off. Directly into the surge of the "Symphony of Terror", with its galloping momentum, elevating chorus vocals, squealing fills and a truly Maiden atmosphere, just a lot angrier. "Harder Than Steel" joins "Warfare" on the highlight reel, with its glamorous flowing melody that is almost impossible to escape, especially when dowsed in Harry's phrasing follies and the rich, full production that resonates across the nightscape of your childhood. "Generally Hostile" is a bit more sparse in nature, crashing along in due course but loaded with more epic guitar leads and a pissed off finale of the band shouting 'no mercy'! "The Watching" rocks along with delicious, almost folk like grace and powerful ballast, the chorus once again reminding me of something Maiden might have written in their heyday, if they were all adorned in black and spikes. "Reign of the Tyrants" channels some speed metal and cussing into a hard ass chorus glazed over with ascending melodies.

At this point, I do feel like the record takes a small dip in quality. "Cardiac Arrest" is every bit as intricate as any other track on the record, but for some reason I simply can never remember it, there is no single element of rhythm here that draws the ear, not even the tiny screaming teaser leads that herald the final verse. "The Crucifix" was originally intended for the Tyrants EP, a moody and slower piece than one is naturally accustomed to from Jag Panzer in this era, and it takes some time to truly develop into something special, after a mediocre middle sequence. The organs and vocal choir that serve as an intro are lovingly rendered here, and I did like the clean guitar, synthesizer and emotional, folkish vocals Conklin uses before the 2:00 mark.

I can think of very, very few USPM albums that I would hold in higher esteem than Ample Destruction, and most of those would have the names Fates Warning or Lizzy Borden attached, or maybe Riot's Thundersteel. It is astounding just how well this record holds up to the ages, sounding nearly as fresh in 2010 as 1984, and this is all due to the devoted songcraft and vibrant production values that were poured into it. The balance of simple rhythms and quality, proficient leads is undeniable, and this is easily my favorite performance in the recorded studio discography of Harry Conklin. This naturally would have been followed by the original Chain of Command (which didn't get a final release until many years later), but various complications forced the band into hibernation until the awful sophomore Dissident Alliance, which is not even worthy of devouring this record's steaming defecation. In fact, nothing else Jag Panzer will ever record can match this album's permanence, and I expect you all to do your part and own this.

Verdict: Epic Win [9.25/10] (nasty Alice tries to score)

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Jag Panzer - Tyrants EP (1983)

The annals of metal history are full of stories of bands that would have been, or should have been among the elite and the few, the celebrated and the rich. Some of these acts dropped off the face of the planet, some saw that metal had new life in later years and decided to give it another go, others went through a roller coaster of bad and good decisions, found a second wind and went on to a fairly successful career despite all odds. Jag Panzer of Colorado falls firmly into that last category, because while the band started off with only the sky as the limit, their first attempt to regroup was an astounding failure, and then, reuniting with their original vocalist in the later 90s, they managed to initiate a streak of new output with the help of high visibility metal label Century Media.

The Tyrants EP, named for the band's original moniker (there were already too many Tyrant bands out there) and adopted by Harry Conlkin as a stage handle, was a pretty potent, if endearingly silly piece which arrived in a year when metal was truly starting to kick into gear with the emergence of thrash. As if in unconscious rebellion, Jag Panzer were one of the few bands to arm their traditional metal missiles with some true balls, upping the ante for the droves of NWOBHM influenced acts without ever abandoning their influences. The prime distinction of this band has always been Conklin, for the large range of expression he places in his performance, from angst-ridden Bruce Dickinson-like heights (more prevalent on Ample Destruction) to vicious and acidic sneers and screams, shrill shrieking and a manly 'whoah whoah' that is often joined by the backing shouts of the band. However, let's not take away from Mark Briody's relentless riffing, aggressive alterations on Judas Priest, Black Sabbath and other metal staples.

Tyrants feels fresh, innocent, and surprisingly, it endures to this day as an example of classic USPM done justice, even if its not the band's best work. Samples of warfare herald "Battle Zones", a savage and dirty brawler above which Harry's vocals bounce to and fro in nearly schizoid patterns that are both hilarious and quite unforgettable. "Death Row" opens at a slow triplet trot, picking up with drums as Conklin creates a manic circus asylum of half narration, half howling, with an effect not unlike earlier Overkill on Feel the Fire or Taking Over, which came a few years later. "Metal Melts the Ice" is based on a cruel riffing pattern which just begs the listener to begin a fist fight, a primal simplicity joined with some delicious if fragile fills before the uncouth lead erupts. The fourth track on the original release of the EP, "Iron Shadows" is about the most ludicrous thing the band would offer in their early years, with a very rustic, medieval tone to the guitars which pound along like early Maiden, fantasy lyrics loaded with character and an almost absurd narrative quality.

The track later added is "Tower of Darkness", with a slightly more grimy production and horrendously silly lyrics about some witch or vampire chick waiting to seduce the Tyrant. Its all in good fun, but not up to the standards that dominate the core tracks of the release, and thus might be better passed off as 'invisible' when one decides to reminiscence on the cutting steel of the original release. Basic heavy metal, not offensive but too corny even for Jag Panzer. This is really the only complaint though, because Tyrants is ultimately a fond introduction to a band that would one year later release one of the most underrated and timeless efforts in all classic US metal, improving in every possible category over what you'll hear on this.

Verdict: Win [8/10] (get my orders from the overlord)

http://www.jagpanzer.com/