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two key members of the Ample Destruction line-up, Jag Panzer, or more accurately Briody and Tetley, as Hilyard had also been replaced by Reynold 'Butch' Carlson (who also left in 1986 along with Tafolla), revamped the band by recruiting vocalist Bob Parduba, and guitarist Christian Lasegue.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)
Face Of Fear
Jag Panzer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Birnham Wood is growing to meet the walls of Dunsinane
Prophecy is unfolding. Can it be I've gone insane?
None of woman born can take my life
Now the end is here
Yet my kingdom falls here on this night
All my plans are laid open for all eyes to know
With my lady now taken, is my throne now next to go?
None of woman born can take my life
Now the end is here
Yet my kingdom falls here on this night
None of woman born can take my life
Now the end is here
Yet my kingdom falls here on this night
Heed the face of fear
Time will tell my end is near
Now the end is here
Can no one know my face of fear
Heed the face of fear
None of woman born can end this reign
Now the end is here
Can it be I've gone insane?
Heed the face of fear
The lyrics of “Face of Fear” by Jag Panzer tell the story of a ruler who is facing the end of his reign, and ultimately his life. The first two lines are a reference to the prophecy in Shakespeare’s Macbeth, where the forest of Birnham Wood moves to Dunsinane. The singer wonders if he has gone insane because of the events that are unfolding around him. He is aware that his kingdom is falling apart and his throne may be in jeopardy since his lady, likely his queen or wife, has been taken away.
In the chorus, the ruler repeats the phrase “None of woman born can take my life,” which is another nod to Macbeth’s fate. The witch’s prophecy was that no man born of woman could harm Macbeth, but in the end, he was defeated by a man born via Caesarean section, which technically means he was not born of a woman. The ruler acknowledges that even though he cannot be killed by any woman, his kingdom is still falling apart, and he now faces the face of fear.
The lyrics of “Face of Fear” are a powerful tale of a ruler facing the end of his reign, and the fear that comes along with it. The reference to Macbeth adds an extra layer of depth to the story, and the chorus leaves the listener wondering what will ultimately happen to the ruler.
Line by Line Meaning
Birnham Wood is growing to meet the walls of Dunsinane
The prophecy is unfolding as even the trees move towards their destination, blending reality and imagination.
Prophecy is unfolding. Can it be I've gone insane?
The prediction is coming true, making confusion arise whether it is real or just a figment of my imagination.
None of woman born can take my life
The prophecy has set forth that only a man can end the king's life, offering a false sense of security.
Now the end is here
The inevitable conclusion of the prophecy has finally arrived, and there is no way of escaping it.
Yet my kingdom falls here on this night
Despite the king's belief of invincibility, his kingdom crumbles on this very night as per the prophecy.
Heed the face of fear
One must pay attention to their fear and sense of danger, as it can lead to one's downfall.
All my plans are laid open for all eyes to know
The king's strategies and secrets are now revealed to his enemies, making him vulnerable and powerless.
With my lady now taken, is my throne now next to go?
The capture of the queen leads the king to question whether the prophecy is true and whether he will also lose his throne.
Time will tell my end is near
The passing of time will reveal that the king's life is nearing its end, as per the prophecy.
Can no one know my face of fear
Despite the king's facade of strength and courage, he cannot hide the terror he feels within himself.
None of woman born can end this reign
The prophecy has foreshadowed that the end of the king's reign will come from someone born through unconventional means, complicating his fate even further.
Can it be I've gone insane?
The king's mind is fraught with confusion and paranoia, wondering if his own madness is what is causing his downfall.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind