They saw a poster featuring a German World War II tank, named Jagdpanzer literally "hunting tank" in German, but actually referring to what in English would be called a tank destroyer, 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 Joey Tafolla, a native of California, and promptly recorded their first album, Ample Destruction. The album was released in August of that year by the independent record label Azra Records. The album was an underground hit in the United States, and in Europe and Japan it was available on import only.
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two key members of the Ample Destruction line-up, Jag Panzer, or more accurately Briody and Tetley, as Hilyard had also been replaced by Reynold 'Butch' Carlson (who also left in 1986 along with Tafolla), revamped the band by recruiting vocalist Bob Parduba, and guitarist Christian Lasegue.
The Swedish born drummer, Rikard Stjernquist, was added to the line-up 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 1994, 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. It was released by the German indie label Rising Sun.
The next album was on Century Media, The Fourth Judgement, which came out in late 1997, followed by Age of Mastery (1998). Jag Panzer sought to tackle more ambitious territory for their next album, with Thane to the Throne, a concept album about William Shakespeare's Macbeth.
Mechanized Warfare was released in 2001, then 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.
On December 23, 2008, Briody made a post on the band's official forum stating that the title of their next album would be The Scourge of the Light. On the official site, the band announced that SPV/Sony planned to release the album in February 2011. The album was released March 8, 2011.
Two weeks after its release, The Scourge of the Light placed at No. 117 on the Billboard New Artist Chart, making the album Jag Panzer's most successful to date.
On July 25, 2011, the band announced that they are to disband due to the rising costs of touring. Jag Panzer played a special early days show tour with Joey Tafolla for the first time in Europe. They played two shows in Greece, one in Austria and they headlined the Keep It True Festival XVII on April 25, 2014, in Germany.
High Roller Records released a 4-LP vinyl box set entitled Historical Battles – The Early Years, on April 19, 2013, limited to 500 copies.
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 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".
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jag_Panzer
Discography
Ample Destruction (1984)
Dissident Alliance (1994)
The Fourth Judgement (1997)
The Age of Mastery (1998)
Thane to the Throne (2000)
Mechanized Warfare (2001)
Chain of Command (2004, inedits in 1987)
Casting the Stones (2004)
The Scourge of the Light (2011)
The Deviant Chord (2017)
The Hallowed (2023)
Iron Eagle
Jag Panzer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Throughout the ages war has brought forth change
A promise for our children's sake
Tyrants and their visions build us walls of fear
The price of these walls are lives at stake
A change of seasons causes wills to bend
A rising of the populations hand
One glance at freedom begins a raging fire
Uniting every race throughout the land
(IRON)
Forged in fire
(EAGLE)
Flying free
It's presence brings forth victory
(IRON)
Forged in fire
(EAGLE)
Flying free
It's power commands respect
IRON EAGLE
Condemned to silence a lifetime full of tears
Regrets forever scarring empty souls
Cursed by a past that no man should have to bear
Evict the madman, regain control
One heart, one mind
We leave the past behind
One heart, one voice
We have made our choice to fly
Up from the ashes springs life anew
Shedding the skin of repression and remorse
Renew the vision of union hand in hand
Raise the flags let the IRON EAGLE soar !
The lyrics to Jag Panzer’s Iron Eagle explores the theme of change, specifically in relation to war and the impact it has had throughout history. The lyrics call for a unification of races and nations, and the shedding of the past. The song speaks of the cost of walls built by tyrants and the lives lost as a result. The imagery of the Iron Eagle is used to convey a sense of power and respect, and its presence brings forth victory. The lyrics urge unity and perseverance, and the need to rise above regret and repression to create a better future.
Line by Line Meaning
Throughout the ages war has brought forth change
War has been a catalyst for change throughout history
A promise for our children's sake
The purpose of change brought by war is to improve the future for our children
Tyrants and their visions build us walls of fear
Leaders with oppressive views create barriers that instill fear in their people
The price of these walls are lives at stake
The cost of these barriers is often the loss of human life
A change of seasons causes wills to bend
Changes in circumstances can force people to adapt and reconsider their beliefs
A rising of the populations hand
When the masses rally together, they can create significant change
One glance at freedom begins a raging fire
The mere prospect of freedom can ignite a passionate desire for change
Uniting every race throughout the land
Bringing people of all races together in a common cause can create lasting change
(IRON)
Forged in fire
The IRON symbolizes the strength and resilience that comes from overcoming adversity
(EAGLE)
Flying free
The EAGLE represents freedom from oppressive forces
It's presence brings forth victory
The IRON EAGLE is a symbol of triumph over adversity
(IRON)
Forged in fire
The IRON is a reminder that great strength can be born out of difficult circumstances
(EAGLE)
Flying free
The EAGLE represents the power of freedom and self-determination
It's power commands respect
The IRON EAGLE is a symbol of power and strength that earns respect
IRON EAGLE
The IRON EAGLE is a powerful symbol of hope, freedom, and strength
Condemned to silence a lifetime full of tears
Living in fear and oppression can create a lifetime of pain and suffering
Regrets forever scarring empty souls
The pain and regret of the past can haunt individuals and communities forever
Cursed by a past that no man should have to bear
The legacy of oppression and injustice is a burden that no one should have to endure
Evict the madman, regain control
Overthrowing a tyrant is a necessary step in the fight for freedom
One heart, one mind
We leave the past behind
To move forward, the people must unite as one and let go of the past
One heart, one voice
We have made our choice to fly
The people have come together with a common purpose and are ready to take flight toward freedom
Up from the ashes springs life anew
From the destruction of the old, new opportunities and possibilities can arise
Shedding the skin of repression and remorse
Freeing oneself from the weight of past injustices can open the door to a brighter future
Renew the vision of union hand in hand
The people must keep sight of their common goal and work together to achieve it
Raise the flags let the IRON EAGLE soar !
The IRON EAGLE represents the hope and freedom that comes from overcoming oppression, and it should be celebrated and revered
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind