Jag Panzer
The Scourge Of The Light

In the dazzling wake of the English Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, and Saxon, Jag Panzer was also born. Assimilating the principles of NWOBHM, they brought them to America (their country of birth) where, on an underground level, they contributed to the development of heavy metal along with bands like Omen and Manilla Road.

Jag Panzer was born in 1981 in Colorado. Their debut "Ample Destruction" is one of the most underrated heavy metal albums in the entire history of the genre, just as underrated is the band, despite having respectable members, among which stands out the voice of Harry "The Tyrant" Conklin, a voice like few others have survived from the metal prehistory to today. Their path has always been troubled: after the initial album, it took them ten years to return to the scene. More recently, after releasing two full lengths in just one year (2004), the band was unable to re-enter the market and even lost the eclectic axeman Chris Broderick, attracted by the call of Dave Mustaine and Megadeth. So, after replacing him with Christian Lasegue, Jag Panzer returned to the studio among their usual difficulties, with the desire to make their name stand out in American heavy metal, which for no particular reason has never managed to emerge.

"The Scourge of the Light" is the ninth work of the band, returning to the scene with another demonstration of power, melody, and rarity of class that can hardly be found in today's multitude of bands. A CD that reaffirms, seven years after "Casting the Stones," the notable depth of the five; the instrumental part is impeccable, the recording is clean and very fitting, while Conklin's vocal performance doesn't even need to be commented on: those who know him know what he's capable of. That said, "The Scourge of the Light," despite representing yet another positive experience, certainly does not reach the heights of works like "Ample Destruction" and "Dissident Alliance," but "limits" itself (if that might seem little to you) to aggressively bringing back a band long absent from the metallic scene. If the "present" response of "Condemned to Fight" does not convince because it's too stereotypical and close to power, tracks like "The Setting of the Sun" (where violins reappear), "Call to Arms", the purely eighties heavy metal of "Bringing on the End", and the hard rock of "Let It Out", emphasize a group that has finally returned to make its voice heard. To demonstrate that the early-decade Jag Panzer doesn't only propose heavy metal, there is time for the more complex "The Book of Kells", a perfect closure of a well-built album in all its fundamental aspects.

It may not be the release of the year, they're not a stratospheric band, but they still know how to make good heavy metal. They leave the orchestra and the spoken parts to others. Jag Panzer has returned with an album that fully reflects their style: simple but well-balanced between power and class. A reality to rediscover. Rating: 3 and a half.

1. "Condemned To Fight" (4:23)
2. "The Setting Of The Sun" (3:26)
3. "Bringing On The End" (5:03)
4. "Call To Arms" (3:26)
5. "Cycles" (4:08)
6. "Overlord" (5:27)
7. "Let It Out" (3:34)
8. "Union" (5:15)
9. "Burn" (6:04)
10. "The Book Of Kells" (8:02)