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two key members of the Ample Destruction line-up, Jag Panzer, or more accurately Briody and Tetley, as Hilyard had also been replaced by Reynold 'Butch' Carlson (who also left in 1986 along with Tafolla), revamped the band by recruiting vocalist Bob Parduba, and guitarist Christian Lasegue.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)
Sonet Of Sorrow
Jag Panzer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I see the remnants of our past
Were we there?
I see no light, no hope, we fall
Are we here?
We see our aspirations fail
No sign, no light, our lives are growing old
I feel the winters growing cold
No sign, no light, no hope, growing cold
The dove of dreams is flying overhead
Her wings are spreading softly signs of dread
So cold inside the earthly bounds below
Singing out her somber tales of woe
Her sorrow covers me
The somber tales of old
The sorrow covers me
Tis somber tales of woe
The lyrics of Jag Panzer's song "Sonet of Sorrow" depict a sense of hopelessness and despair. The singer seems to be reflecting on the remnants of their past, questioning if they were truly present in those moments. There is a feeling of uncertainty and confusion, as they see no light or hope and feel themselves falling. The aspirations they had seem to have failed, and there is a growing sense of the winters coming and the passing of time. The dove of dreams is the only glimmer of hope, but even she is spreading signs of dread and sorrow.
The lyrics suggest a feeling of being trapped, as the singers' lives are growing old and they see no sign of change or progress. The dove of dreams, who is usually seen as a symbol of hope and freedom, seems to be trapped in the "earthly bounds below." She sings out somber tales of woe, and her sorrow covers the singer, further emphasizing the feeling of hopelessness and despair.
In summary, "Sonet of Sorrow" is a melancholic reflection on the passing of time and the thwarted aspirations of the singers. It depicts a feeling of being trapped and hopeless, with no apparent way out.
Line by Line Meaning
I see the remnants of our past
Amidst the memories of what we were, I perceive remnants of our past existence
Were we there?
I question if we really were there, if we really lived through that time
I see no light, no hope, we fall
I witness the absence of light, of hope, and the fall that comes with it
Are we here?
I wonder if our current existence is truly valid, if we actually exist in the present
We see our aspirations fail
Our desires and pursuits are failing before our own eyes
I feel the winters growing cold
I become aware of the chilling, darkening effect of winter
No sign, no light, our lives are growing old
I observe that there is no hope, no light, as our lives slowly wear out with age
The dove of dreams is flying overhead
Above us, the symbol of imagination soars gracefully like a dove
Her wings are spreading softly signs of dread
In contrast to her gentle movements, she emanates signs of fear and anxiety
So cold inside the earthly bounds below
The world beneath her movements is frigid and lifeless
Singing out her somber tales of woe
She mournfully sings of the tragic stories she has experienced
Her sorrow covers me
The dove's sorrow and pain further envelop me
The somber tales of old
Her tales of misfortune and failure from the past seek to warn us
The sorrow covers me
I too, become enveloped in the sadness and grief felt by the dove
Tis somber tales of woe
Her stories are filled with great sorrow and lamentation
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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