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two key members of the Ample Destruction line-up, Jag Panzer, or more accurately Briody and Tetley, as Hilyard had also been replaced by Reynold 'Butch' Carlson (who also left in 1986 along with Tafolla), revamped the band by recruiting vocalist Bob Parduba, and guitarist Christian Lasegue.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)
The Crucifix
Jag Panzer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When your love exists no more it's time to find another door
Rekindling flames that have gone dim, let feelings spread on a whim
Look toward the light and fix your eyes, let the white dove fly
When your love exists no more it's time to find another door
Hearts are dry it's time they burn
Pound the flesh unto the tree
Bound and hung before me
Cast your lots unto him now
Search your hearts before the bow
Life's too short, why throw away
Save the best for the final day
Bleed into the world of sin
The blood will flow to the hearts within
Agonizing pain and death
Well, it's burning everything that's left
Kneel before the one so true
He's the king of all and even you
Darkness ruling everyone
Praising another as the one true son
Burn his number into the flesh
666 the final test
See the mark sweep the land
On the forehead, on the hand
Hang the one that we all know
Crucify the inner soul
Sell your soul unto the maker
The Crucifix
In Jag Panzer’s song The Crucifix, the lyrics depict themes of love, loss, and loyalty. The opening verse suggests that when a relationship comes to an end, one should move on and seek love elsewhere. The lines “when your love exists no more it's time to find another door, rekindling flames that have gone dim, let feelings spread on a whim” capture the idea that love is a renewable resource and that it's essential to keep seeking it even after one relationship ends. The next verse takes a sharp turn into darker themes, with lines like “hearts are dry it's time they burn, pound the flesh unto the tree, bound and hung before me”. Here, the imagery becomes graphic and brutal, as if the pain of love lost has driven the singer to seek revenge.
The final verse speaks of a darker power, one that rules over everyone and is described as the “king of all”. This ruler is the only true one, and everyone is urged to kneel before him. The references to the number 666, the mark of the beast, and the Crucifix suggest a religious theme. The song contrasts the idea of seeking love with the consequences of not following the “one so true,” and the potential eternal damnation that could result. Overall, the song presents an interesting mix of themes, combining the ideas of love and revenge with religious imagery.
Line by Line Meaning
When your love exists no more it's time to find another door
If your love has diminished, it's time to move on and find new love.
Rekindling flames that have gone dim, let feelings spread on a whim
Revive the passion that has been lost, let your emotions flow freely.
Look toward the light and fix your eyes, let the white dove fly
Focus on the positive aspects of life and let your spirit soar.
Hearts are dry it's time they burn
Emotions are stagnant, it's time to ignite them.
The wheel of life has stopped its turn
Life has become stagnant and unchanging.
Pound the flesh unto the tree
Punish the body for its sins.
Bound and hung before me
The punishment for sin has been carried out.
Cast your lots unto him now
Give everything you have to the divine.
Search your hearts before the bow
Examine your conscience before the divine.
Life's too short, why throw away
Life is brief; don't waste it.
Save the best for the final day
Keep the best things in life for the end of life.
Bleed into the world of sin
Be corrupted by the world of sin.
The blood will flow to the hearts within
The consequence of sin is the internal wounds it causes.
Agonizing pain and death
Death is painful and excruciating.
Well, it's burning everything that's left
The consequences of actions have destroyed everything it has left behind.
Kneel before the one so true
Submit to a being that is the epitome of truth.
He's the king of all and even you
The divine rules over everyone, even the individual.
Darkness ruling everyone
Evil has taken over humanity.
Praising another as the one true son
Worshiping someone other than the divine as a savior.
Burn his number into the flesh
Marking oneself with the number of the beast.
666 the final test
The ultimate challenge is to resist the beast.
See the mark sweep the land
The number of the beast has consumed everything.
On the forehead, on the hand
The mark of the beast permeates the entire being.
Hang the one that we all know
Executing someone who has committed a crime we are all aware of.
Crucify the inner soul
Destroying the inner self by committing sin and ignoring morality.
Sell your soul unto the maker
Lose your sense of self to a divine being or religion.
The Crucifix
The emblem of the Christian faith.
Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: HARRY R. WILSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind