Jag Panzer

Biography

Jag Panzer is an American power metal band from Colorado Springs, Colorado, formed in 1981.

History

Jag Panzer came together in late 1981, being inspired by the onslaught of the new wave of British heavy metal. The original lineup consisted of Harry Conklin on vocals (later nicknamed "Tyrant"), Mark Briody, the sole guitarist of the group in its first incarnation, John Tetley (bassist) and Rick Hilyard (drummer). The band was known as Tyrant in its first incarnation, but they soon had to change the name, because another band already existed in California with that name.
They saw a poster featuring a German World War II tank destroyer named Jagdpanzer which they decided to name their band after. They were, however, unable to pronounce the name correctly and as a result, dropped the letter "D" from the name and simply called it Jag Panzer. The band, who were all in their late teens at the time, played at local venues in the Denver club circuit, and recorded an EP in 1983, later known as Tyrants.
In early 1984, the band recruited guitarist Joey Tafolla, a native of California, and promptly recorded their first album, Ample Destruction×Ample DestructionAugust 1984 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 9 tracks1Licensed to Kill2:592Warfare5:193Symphony of Terror4:224Harder Than Steel4:515Generally Hostile3:176The Watching4:047Reign of the Tyrants3:328Cardiac Arrest3:119The Crucifix7:17. After the release of the album, the band relocated to Southern California. Tafolla quit the band in 1986, releasing a solo album, Out of the Sun, in 1987, while Conklin played with Riot for a brief period in the late 1980s, before forming his own band, Titan Force. Without the two key members of the Ample Destruction lineup, Jag Panzer, or more accurately Briody and Tetley, as Hilyard had also been replaced by Reynold 'Butch' Carlson (who also left in 1986 along with Tafolla), revamped the band by recruiting vocalist Bob Parduba, and guitarist Christian Lasegue. Swedish drummer Rikard Stjernquist was added to the lineup and the band proceeded to record the follow-up to their debut LP. The album was recorded in late 1987, but never got an official release.
By 1993, the band had reunited, this time with vocalist Daniel J. Conca, with Tetley and Briody on bass and guitar. Guitarist Chris Hostka and drummer Rikard Stjernquist were employed on their first official album in almost 10 years, Dissident Alliance×Dissident Alliance1994 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Jeffrey-Behind The Gate7:222The Clown3:113Forsaken Child5:304Edge Of Blindness4:005Eye Of Penance7:156Last Dying Breath5:137Psycho Next Door4:058Spirit Suicide5:459GMV 4074:3310The Church5:0211Whisper God4:19. It was released by the German indie label Rising Sun and was a stark departure from their usual power metal sound.
The next album was on Century Media, The Fourth Judgement×The Fourth Judgement25 August 1997 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Black4:542Call of the Wild3:173Despair4:214Future Shock3:545Recompense4:466Ready to Strike2:337Tyranny3:158Shadow Thief5:339Sonet of Sorrow2:2110Judgement Day6:47, which came out in late 1997, followed by Age of Mastery (1998). They again featured original vocalist Harry Conklin, who had rejoined the band. Around that time, guitarist Chris Broderick also joined the group. Jag Panzer sought to tackle more ambitious territory for their next album, 2000's Thane to the Throne×Thane to the Throne9 May 2000 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 17 tracks1Thane of Cawdor4:512King at a Price3:493Bloody Crime5:354The Premonitions0:285Treachery's Stain4:116Spectres of the Past3:467Banquo's Final Rest0:228Three Voices of Fate5:139Hell to Pay4:3210The Prophecies (Fugue in D Minor)1:4311Insanity's Mind5:2512Requiem for Lady MacBeth0:2413Face of Fear3:2114Fall of Dunsinane5:1715Fate's Triumph4:3816The Downward Fall2:4917Tragedy of MacBeth8:19, a concept album about William Shakespeare's Macbeth.
Mechanized Warfare was released in 2001, before the band released a double album in 2003 that featured previously unreleased tracks as well as songs from their first LP. Decade of the Nail Spiked Bat came out in 2003, and featured re-recorded and remixed old material. In 2004, the band released Casting the Stones. The previously unreleased Chain of Command album was remixed and was issued in 2004 as a limited edition.
In 2008, Chris Broderick left the band to join Megadeth, and was replaced by Christian Lasegue, who handled lead guitar duties on Chain of Command.
By 2014, Jag Panzer had commenced working on their tenth album for a near future release, also featuring lead guitarist Joey Tafolla for the first time since 1997's The Fourth Judgement. Jag Panzer announced in August 2014 that it was looking for a new vocalist. However, it now appears that Harry Conklin has rejoined the group as of March 2015. In October 2015 the band announced their new album title would be The Deviant Chord×The Deviant Chord29 September 2017 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Born of the Flame4:002Far Beyond All Fear3:513The Deviant Chord5:334Blacklist4:185Foggy Dew3:206Divine Intervention3:257Long Awaited Kiss6:158Salacious Behavior4:089Fire of Our Spirit4:3710Dare5:18 and would be released sometime in 2017. The album, which was released by SPV/Steamhammer on September 29, 2017, included a cover version of the Irish folk song "Foggy Dew".
Jag Panzer's eleventh studio album, The Hallowed×The Hallowed23 June 2023 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Bound As One3:452Prey!3:273Ties That Bind4:104Stronger Than You Know5:055Onward We Toil5:306Edge of a Knife6:057Dark Descent5:458Weather the Storm4:149Renewed Flame5:1310Last Rites9:52, was released on June 23, 2023.

Current

Harry "The Tyrant" Conklin – lead vocals (1981–1986, 1995–present)
Mark Briody – guitar, keyboards (1981–1988, 1993–present)
John Tetley – bass (1981–1988, 1993–present)
Rikard Stjernquist – drums (1987–1988, 1993–present)
Ken Rodarte – guitar (2018–present)

Former

Rick Hilyard – drums (1981–1984)
Joey Tafolla – guitar (1984–1986, 1995–1997, 2013–2017)
Reynold 'Butch' Carlson – drums (1985–1986)
Bob Parduba – lead vocals (1986–1988)
Christian Lasegue – guitar (1986–1988, 2008–2013)
Daniel Conca – lead vocals (1993–1995; died 2004)
Chris Kostka (Hostka) – guitar (1993–1995)
Chris Broderick – guitar (1997–2008)

Studio albums

Ample Destruction (1984)
Dissident Alliance (1994)
The Fourth Judgement (1997)
The Age of Mastery (1998)
Thane to the Throne (2000)
Mechanized Warfare (2001)
Decade of the Nail Spiked Bat (2003)
Chain of Command (2004, recorded in 1987)
Casting the Stones (2004)
The Scourge of the Light (2011)
The Deviant Chord (2017)
The Hallowed (2023)

Other releases

Tyrants (EP, 1983)
Death Row (single, 1983)
Demo 85 (1985)
Demo 86 (1986)
Shadow Thief (demo, 1986)
Jeffrey Behind the Gate (single, 1994)
The Return (demo, 1996)
The Era of Kings and Conflict (DVD, 2002)
The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald (single, 2005)
Historical Battles – The Early Years (LP box set, 2013)