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two key members of the Ample Destruction line-up, Jag Panzer, or more accurately Briody and Tetley, as Hilyard had also been replaced by Reynold 'Butch' Carlson (who also left in 1986 along with Tafolla), revamped the band by recruiting vocalist Bob Parduba, and guitarist Christian Lasegue.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)
Reign Of The Tyrants
Jag Panzer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Neon lights are flashing as the tyrants raise their swords
Sounds of metal crashing the avenue overlords
Kings of black leather with words made of steel
Lock all your doors very soon you will feel
Under the knife. Feel the revenge.
Under the knife. You'd better run for your life.
'Cause you're under the knife!
Bishops of the street, authors of corruption, leaders
In the night just waiting for an eruption.
A rider dressed in black screams out
"You fuckin' clowns! Bring your best you fools and I will tear him to the ground!"
Hear the rumble around you, it's a blood curdling sound
Blood stained heads and bodies all are breaking on the ground
A .45 caliber flashing life's ending with a bang
Tyrants rule the king is dead! We are the gang that reigns!
The song "Reign of the Tyrants" by Jag Panzer paints a picture of a chaotic and violent world ruled by rogue leaders who reign with iron fists. The opening lines mention neon lights flashing as the tyrants raise their swords, setting a dark and dangerous tone for the rest of the song. The lyrics go on to describe the kings of black leather with words made of steel and their ability to instill fear in those around them. It's clear that the people living in this world are living in constant fear of these tyrants and their followers.
The chorus, "Under the knife. You'll get it in the end" describes the violence that these tyrants bring upon their victims. The sense of helplessness is palpable as the lyrics urge the listener to run for their life. The song then introduces the "Bishops of the street," who are authors of corruption and leaders in the night, waiting for an eruption. The imagery is vivid and intense, as the lyrics describe a rider dressed in black who screams at his enemies to bring their best, while he promises to take them down.
Overall, "Reign of the Tyrants" is an intense and vividly imagined song that describes a dystopian world ruled by violent tyrants. The lyrics are graphic and brutal, and the music is aptly heavy and foreboding.
Line by Line Meaning
Neon lights are flashing as the tyrants raise their swords
The tyrants are putting everyone in danger, which is shown by the flashing neon lights as they prepare to fight.
Sounds of metal crashing the avenue overlords
The sound of metal clashing means the tyrants are causing destruction to the area.
Kings of black leather with words made of steel
The tyrants have power and are intimidating with their black leather and threatening words.
Lock all your doors very soon you will feel
The danger is imminent, and people should secure themselves in their homes to avoid harm.
Under the knife. Feel the revenge.
The tyrants seek revenge and will stop at nothing to achieve it.
Under the knife. You'll get it in the end.
Those who oppose the tyrants will face their wrath and consequences.
Under the knife. You'd better run for your life.
Those who see the danger and try to escape will have a better chance of survival.
'Cause you're under the knife!
This line is a repetitive reminder that danger is near and people should be cautious.
Bishops of the street, authors of corruption, leaders
The tyrants hold positions of power and use it to corrupt the area.
In the night just waiting for an eruption.
The tyrants are always waiting for a chance to cause chaos and destruction.
A rider dressed in black screams out
A new danger arrives, dressed in black, announcing their arrival with a scream.
"You fuckin' clowns! Bring your best you fools and I will tear him to the ground!"
The rider challenges those in charge, vowing to bring them down with force.
Hear the rumble around you, it's a blood curdling sound
The sound of the fight around them is gruesome and terrifying, striking fear into those nearby.
Blood stained heads and bodies all are breaking on the ground
The violence is intense and leads to injuries or death on both sides, as seen by the bloody heads and bodies lying on the ground.
A .45 caliber flashing life's ending with a bang
There is no mercy in this fight, as deadly weapons are used to end lives in a flash.
Tyrants rule the king is dead! We are the gang that reigns!
The tyrants emerge victorious, killing the leader and establishing themselves as the reigning power.
Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind