***AMERICAN MELODIC POWER METAL PIONEERS THE SCOURGE OF THE LIGHT ALBUM RELEASED FEBRUARY 28TH ON SPV / STEAMHAMMER***
Harry Conklin vocals,
Mark Briody guitars,
Chris Lasegue guitars,
John Tetley bass,
Rikard Stjernquist – drums
US Melodic Power Metal pioneers Jag Panzer have inked a deal with SPV Steamhammer, to release the bands highly accomplished new ten track studio album, The Scourge Of The Light, on SPV / Steamhammer, on February 28th 2011. The Scourge of The Light marks a major return to Jag Panzers classic, melodic power metal style, rather than the harsher, harder sound found on their most recent studio album, Casting The Stones, released in 2004.
After guitarist Chris Broderick, who was a band member from 1997 2007, left to join Megadeth, Jag Panzer were reunited with guitarist Chris Lasegue, who had originally been in the band from 1986 1988. There can be no question that Chris Broderick is an amazing guitarist, and we were really happy for him that he got this chance with Megadeth. But we feel that thanks to Christian Lasegue, Jag Panzers classic, clearly more melodic power metal style has returned and that the fans will definitely be happy about this. (John Tetley).
The Scourge Of The Light, which was mastered by Jim Morris at his legendary Morrissound Studios in Florida before being mastered at New Yorks renowned Sterling Sound is, states Tetley, the best-sounding album in the history of Jag Panzer.
Jag Panzer were formed in Colorado by vocalist Harry Conklin, guitarist Mark Briody, bassist John Tetley and drummer Rick Hilyard, who got together in 1981, initially named Tyrant, in tribute to Judas Priest, one of their New Wave Of British Heavy Metal heroes. They soon had to change their moniker when they found out that a Californian band had already laid claim to the name of Tyrant, so, inspired by a poster featuring a World War II German tank, named a Jagdpanzer (tank destroyer) became Jag Panzer in 1983. Early in 1984 they recruited second guitarist Joey Tafolla and recorded their milestone debut album, Ample Destruction, released on small US indie label Azra Records later that year. Although Ample Destruction has since been acknowledged as an incredibly influential release original copies currently fetch high prices in online auctions it was poorly promoted at the time. Both Joey Tafolla and Rick Hilyard quit barely a year later and were replaced by Chris Lasegue and Rikard Stjernquist in 1986. A second album, which came to be known as Change Of Command, was recorded but never got an official release and the band called it a day in 1988.
In 1994 Jag Panzer reformed when Briody, Tetley and Stjernquist recruited singer Daniel J Conka and guitarist Chris Hosta to record the somewhat thrash-influenced Dissident Alliance, their first official album for 10 years, released on German indie label Rising Sun. Then vocalist Harry Conklin, who had joined Quiet Riot briefly at the end of the 80s before fronting Titan Force in the early nineties, returned to the fold, along with guitarist Joey Tafolla, marking a return to Power Metal devotion, and a new deal with Century Media Records ensued in 1997. The Fourth Judgement album, released at the end of that year, finally won the band the critical acclaim and commercial success that had so far eluded them. Late in 1997 Joey Tafolla left the band for good, and was replaced by Chris Broderick on 1998s The Age Of Mastery album, another critical and commercial success. 2000s Thane To The Throne, an epic concept album about Shakespeares Macbeth, further elevated Jag Panzers profile in the metal world, as did 2001s Mechanized Warfare, before the temporary power metal blip that was Casting The Stones.
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