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two key members of the Ample Destruction line-up, Jag Panzer, or more accurately Briody and Tetley, as Hilyard had also been replaced by Reynold 'Butch' Carlson (who also left in 1986 along with Tafolla), revamped the band by recruiting vocalist Bob Parduba, and guitarist Christian Lasegue.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)
Warfare
Jag Panzer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We're on the prowl and our claws are bared
There is no holding back so you'd better beware
My sights are homing in, I feel the power surge
No time for excuses now that I have the urge
Madame and mister listen up and take heed
I was raised in hell and I'm spreading the seed
Won't leave you alone until I leave you dead
We're the restless breed livin' day by day
So get down on your knees 'cause this time you're gonna pay
I'm living my life causing, Warfare!
Reigning king of the night,Warfare!
Take it from the streets, Warfare!
Put it in the sheets, Warfare!
Trample the cities leaving dust in our wake
Not a thing left alive, run before it's too late
The women, the children, the young and the old
Nothing will escape the Panzer stronghold
Sound of crushing bones, scent of burning flesh
Posting skulls on a pole terrorizing the rest
We're the restless breed leaving nothin' behind
Can't reason with a man who has death on his mind
Total destruction from the Panzer patrol
Fire and brimstone taking its toll
Black leather lords we're so tall and so proud
Warfare is our battle cry, shout it aloud
[Repeat Verse 1]
The lyrics of Jag Panzer's song Warfare depict the life of a ruthless, unrelenting warrior on a mission to dominate and conquer all in his path. The first verse describes the fierce and unforgiving nature of the central character, a predator on the prowl with no mercy for those who cross his path. He warns his adversaries to beware, as he's honed his instincts over time and won't hesitate to unleash them. The lyrics suggest that he's molded by his upbringing in hell, and he relishes every opportunity to spread his seed of chaos with no remorse.
The second verse amplifies this theme, as the character assumes the role of a conqueror trampling cities, leaving dust in his wake, and leaving no stone unturned. He shows no mercy to anyone who gets in his way, regardless of their age or gender, and he celebrates his ruthless savagery through the destruction he causes. The lyrics suggest that he's the master of his own fate, as he reigns over the night and causes his unique form of warfare that makes him unstoppable.
The song ultimately concludes with a depiction of the character's pride and boldness, as he's the reigning king of the night, and he exudes that with abandon. The song comprises a high-octane tribute to a warrior, who's determined to leave behind a wake of havoc, and reigns supreme as the lord of the black leather.
Line by Line Meaning
We're on the prowl and our claws are bared
We are alert and ready for action
There is no holding back so you'd better beware
We are not going to back down, so be cautious
My sights are homing in, I feel the power surge
I am completely focused, and I'm feeling confident in my abilities
No time for excuses now that I have the urge
I have no desire to listen to your excuses, I am motivated and determined
Madame and mister listen up and take heed
Attention everyone! Listen carefully and act accordingly
I was raised in hell and I'm spreading the seed
My upbringing was difficult, and now I am making sure others know about it
Breakin' your face and bustin' your head
I'm going to harm you physically and violently
Won't leave you alone until I leave you dead
I will persist with my attack until you are killed
We're the restless breed livin' day by day
We are always active and adventurous, taking risks each day
So get down on your knees 'cause this time you're gonna pay
Surrender now, the consequences will be harsh
I'm living my life causing, Warfare!
My life is all about creating conflict and fighting
Reigning king of the night,Warfare!
I am the dominant force in the battle
Take it from the streets, Warfare!
Engaging in combat on the streets is a common occurrence
Put it in the sheets, Warfare!
Even during sex, the conflict and aggression continue
Trample the cities leaving dust in our wake
We are destroying entire cities, leaving nothing but rubble
Not a thing left alive, run before it's too late
We make sure every living being in the city is killed, flee while you can
The women, the children, the young and the old
No one is spared from our violence and attacks
Nothing will escape the Panzer stronghold
There is no way to avoid or escape our forces
Sound of crushing bones, scent of burning flesh
The noise of bones breaking and the smell of burning flesh signifies our destructive actions
Posting skulls on a pole terrorizing the rest
We are leaving skulls on display as a warning to others who dare to challenge us
We're the restless breed leaving nothin' behind
We are always on the move and never leaving anything in one place for too long
Can't reason with a man who has death on his mind
There is no way to persuade someone who is motivated by violent and deadly intentions
Total destruction from the Panzer patrol
We bring complete and utter destruction with our fighting tactics
Fire and brimstone taking its toll
The effects of our violent actions are devastating and irreversible
Black leather lords we're so tall and so proud
We are proud of our style and reputation as warriors
Warfare is our battle cry, shout it aloud
We revel in conflicts and make no secret of our violent intentions
[Repeat Verse 1]
The themes of violence and aggression are repeated throughout the song
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: GREGORY HARGES, TONY MATUZAK, Greg Harges
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind