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two key members of the Ample Destruction line-up, Jag Panzer, or more accurately Briody and Tetley, as Hilyard had also been replaced by Reynold 'Butch' Carlson (who also left in 1986 along with Tafolla), revamped the band by recruiting vocalist Bob Parduba, and guitarist Christian Lasegue.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)
Vigilant
Jag Panzer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I see my prey
Never seeing with my eye
Senses are raging from this troubled world
I fell his heart
Feeling only with my mind
I am the light in the darkened place
Stangind ever strong and powerful
I stand alone
The lyrics to Jag Panzer's song Vigilant speak to an individual who feels like they are able to see through the darkness of the world and hone in on their prey, despite not having traditional sight. Their senses are heightened by the troubling world they live in and they feel their prey's heart beating, despite not physically seeing them. They describe themselves as the light in the dark, standing strong and powerful while being alone in their vigilance.
The interpretation of this song could be viewed as a representation of a vigilante who is able to see through the darkness and sense danger before it happens. Their heightened sense of awareness allows them to protect themselves and others from harm even when they can't physically see their threats. This individual stands alone in their efforts to protect, but their strength and power come from the belief that they are doing what is right.
Overall, the lyrics to Vigilant exude a sense of strength, power, and courage. The individual described is vigilant, aware, and able to protect themselves and others despite the darkness surrounding them. They see themselves as the light in the dark and use their heightened senses to stay one step ahead of any potential threats.
Line by Line Meaning
Through the canopy of this darkened world
Despite the darkness, I can see my prey clearly, as if looking through a canopy.
I see my prey
I am hunting and watching my target closely.
Never seeing with my eye
My vision is not physical, but rather intuitive and perceptive.
Senses are raging from this troubled world
I am acutely aware of the chaos and negativity in the world around me, which fuels my power.
I fell his heart
I can sense the emotions and feelings of my prey, making it easier to target them.
Feeling only with my mind
My sixth sense, or intuition, is my primary tool for hunting and sensing my environment.
I am the light in the darkened place
I am a source of hope and strength in a world that is often dark and negative.
I stand alone
I am self-sufficient and do not rely on others for support or guidance.
Standing ever strong and powerful
My inner strength and resilience are unwavering, even in the face of difficulties.
I stand alone
I am self-reliant and independent, capable of standing alone in the face of adversity.
Contributed by Dominic A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.