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two key members of the Ample Destruction line-up, Jag Panzer, or more accurately Briody and Tetley, as Hilyard had also been replaced by Reynold 'Butch' Carlson (who also left in 1986 along with Tafolla), revamped the band by recruiting vocalist Bob Parduba, and guitarist Christian Lasegue.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)
Spectres Of The Past
Jag Panzer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
[MacBeth]
Banquo is gone, his soul I feel
My eyes are closed his words are real
So much to ponder, so much has changed
Not long ago I was a nobleman, now I am king
My thoughts haunt me inside on the path I've laid
I shake with fear, his voice I hear
Banquo is dead, now he's in my head
He haunts my night. He haunts my day
Leave my mind, my friend; leave my guilt, I pray
Leave my lady; excuse our guests for you see I'm mad
Rid with guilt I've slain my friend, lost the bond we had
I must flee to the witches' place and give my mind rest
I fear more murder to do; we'll be put to the test
The lyrics in Jag Panzer's song "Spectres Of The Past" are about a tragic and guilt-ridden character going through a period of torment caused by his actions. The character is MacBeth, who was once a nobleman but is now a king after he killed the previous king. He feels the weight of his choices as he faces the consequences. Banquo, his old friend and ally, is now gone, and his voice haunts MacBeth. The guilt and fear he feels have overtaken him to the point where his mind is clouded with doubts and anxiety.
The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a troubled mind, as the character wrestles with the ghosts of his past. MacBeth is consumed by his guilt and haunted by the memory of his friend. He wishes for Banquo to leave his mind and for his guests and his lady to excuse his madness. The lyrics suggest that MacBeth's character is on the path of self-destruction, as he contemplates more murder to come.
The song's lyrics are a retelling of Shakespeare's "Macbeth" play, that tells the story of the rise and fall of the Scottish nobleman Macbeth. The play is known for its themes of ambition, guilt, and the supernatural. Jag Panzer's song plays off these themes, emphasizing the darker aspects of Macbeth's story.
Line by Line Meaning
Banquo is gone, his soul I feel
Despite Banquo's death, his presence still lingers and haunts MacBeth, causing him to feel guilt and regret.
My eyes are closed his words are real
MacBeth can't escape the reality of Banquo's death and is tormented by the things Banquo said before he died.
So much to ponder, so much has changed
MacBeth is overwhelmed and struggling to come to terms with the changes that have come with his newfound power.
Not long ago I was a nobleman, now I am king
MacBeth reflects on how quickly his life has changed and the consequences that have come with his rise to power.
My lady and my guests await me in honor
In spite of his inner turmoil, MacBeth must put on a facade of normalcy and attend to his duties as host and monarch.
My thoughts haunt me inside on the path I've laid
MacBeth's guilty conscience is overwhelming him, and he's struggling to reconcile his actions with his morality.
I shake with fear, his voice I hear
MacBeth is so haunted by Banquo's memory that it's become a physical and mental source of torment.
Banquo is dead, now he's in my head
MacBeth can't escape the guilt and memory of Banquo's death, and it's affecting his mental state.
He haunts my night. He haunts my day
Banquo's presence looms over MacBeth even in his most private moments, and he can't shake the feeling of guilt and remorse.
Leave my mind, my friend; leave my guilt, I pray
MacBeth pleads with Banquo's memory to leave him alone and stop tormenting him with guilt and regret.
Leave my lady; excuse our guests for you see I'm mad
MacBeth can't hide the extent of his mental anguish from those around him, and he must make excuses for his behavior.
Rid with guilt I've slain my friend, lost the bond we had
MacBeth recognizes the gravity of his actions and the personal toll they've taken on him.
I must flee to the witches' place and give my mind rest
MacBeth seeks relief from his guilt by turning to the supernatural and hoping for an escape from his moral turmoil.
I fear more murder to do; we'll be put to the test
MacBeth recognizes that his actions have consequences, and he's afraid of the violent path he's set himself on.
Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
travis castillo
best of the album
waaaghboss64
So true. Every time he sing's "excuse my guest, for you see I'm mad" I get chills. And I've listened to this album for over a decade.
brnleague99
Banquo is dead...now he's in my head...