UMUR "Ample Destruction" is the debut full-length studio album by US, Colorado based US power/heavy metal act Jag Panzer. The album was released through Azra Records in August 1984. It´s the successor to the "Tyrants" EP from 1983 and it would be Jag Panzer´s only full-length studio album in their original run before disbanding in 1988. Lead vocalist Harry Conklin went on to front Titan Force on their two albums before returning for Jag Panzer´s 1997 "The Fourth Judgement" album (he also sang on the 1986 "Metal from Hell" album by Satan's Host). There has been one lineup change since the release of the 1983 EP, as guitarist Joey Tafolla has been added to the ranks, making Jag Panzer a quintet on "Ample Destruction".

Stylistically the material is US power/heavy metal in the raw and early 80s style of that genre. Early 80s releases by similar sounding artists like Queensrÿche, Fates Warning, Helstar, Vicious Rumors, and Savatage are all valid references and Jag Panzer are musically also in the same high quality end as the other mentioned artists.

The original version of "Ample Destruction" featured 9 tracks and total playing time of 39:05 minutes, while later reissues typically have featured quite a few bonus tracks. The 9 tracks feautured on the original version of the album are all strong tracks, featuring thunderous drumming, hard rocking bass, sharp and heavy guitar riffs, blistering solos, and Conklin delivering a varied and commanding vocal performance. He is able to perform piercing high pitched screaming vocal parts as well as harder edged rough lower register vocals with the same amount of passion and conviction. A world class vocalist that one.

The songwriting is generally on a high level and all tracks are memorable, catchy, and powerful. Most tracks are relatively easy to follow vers/chorus structured US power/heavy metal tracks, but album closer "The Crucifix" is a 7:28 minutes long mini-epic and actually quite progressive in nature. There is overall good variation in the songwriting and the album never stops being entertaining. "Ample Destruction" also features a well sounding production for the time (mayby a bit thin sounding for some ears today) and upon conclusion it´s a strong debut album by Jag Panzer. A 3.5 - 4 star (75%) rating is deserved.

Kev Rowland It seems like Jag Panzer have been around forever, but given that John Tetley (bass), Mark Briody (guitars, keyboards) and Harry Conklin (vocals) formed the band more than 40 years ago, I guess they have. Drummer Rikard Stjernquist joined in 1987, and it is only new lead guitarist Ken Rodarte who has not been there for any length of time. This is their first album in six years and follows the conceptual storyline of the band's comic book of the same title which came out in late 2022. This means it is probably best to have a physical copy of the album to be able to understand the storyline a little more, as I am sure it will be in the booklet or inner sleeve. Briody has even created a lyric video to go with the track “The Dark Descent” and he says it, “can be interpreted as literal or metaphoric. In this part of the storyline, the group are descending down a cliff amongst the old city ruins. The group are also descending towards the final outcome of the story. Although at first glance it seems like a basic heavy metal song, those who breakdown the music will see that it is one of the most musically complex songs on the album.”

Jag Panzer have always concentrated on American style power metal, and this is no different, although there are times when they come across as quite similar to Sabaton, yet with more theatricality and not quite so much drive. Conklin still has a superb voice which has more baritone elements than many, while he also subscribes to the Dickenson style of providing loads of power. This album is being viewed by many critics as nothing short of absolutely essential, and there is no doubt there are some good performances here from a band who are totally tight and locked in. However, the songs are not always as dramatic and interesting as they might be, and the result is something which is undoubtedly something of a standout within the American power metal scene, but there are often times when it feels like the soul is missing. When they get it right, with the band blasting beneath Conklin as he reaches for the heights then it is very special indeed, and Rodarte is a superb shredder, yet there are too many instances when I found my attention wandering as they repeated a bridge, or the verses just were not dynamic enough.

It has been six years since ‘The Deviant Chord’, which in itself was six years from ‘The Scourge of Light’, neither of which are judged to be classics, and for me the jury is very much out on this one. There is little here to make me wish to return, but fans of the band may well disagree. Best to try it out for yourself.

UMUR "Tyrants" is an EP release by US, Colorado formed heavy/power metal act Jag Panzer. The EP was relaesed through Azra Records in 1983 and is the second official label release by the band (the first being the "Death Row" single released earlier the same year). Jag Panzer was formed under the Tyrant monicker and released a couple of demos, but changed their name to Jag Panzer in 1981, because another band was already using the Tyrant name.

The music on the album is a strongly NWoBHM influenced heavy metal style, and there are quite a few nods toward Iron Maiden in particular. On "Tyrants", Jag Panzer is a four-piece and consisting of The Tyrant (aka Harry Conklin) on vocals, Mark Briody on guitars/keyboards, John Tetley on bass and Rick Hilyard on drums. The four guys produce a very raw and intense form of heavy metal delivered with passion and conviction, but it´s not devoid of sophistication or melody. The latter elements provide the music with memorability while the former provide it with authenticity and the sweaty and filthy feeling of experiencing a raw heavy metal band play live, because the sound production is so raw, that it almost sounds like the tracks on the EP were recorded live in the studio. That´s not the case though and I hear some harmony guitars to back that claim up.

The original release featured 4 tracks and full playing time of 16:36, but some reissues features a 5th track titled "Towers of Darkness", which was also recorded at the same sessions as the other tracks on the EP, but ultimately left ff the original release.

Even for 1983 "Tyrants" doesn´t feauture a very unique sound, but the rawness of the release, the high level musicianship (strong vocals, raw pounding rhythm section, and blistring raw yet melodic tinged guitar work), and the obvious joy of playing are what carry this EP forward. The material are generally also pretty well written, but as mentioned does lack an original sound. A 3 - 3.5 star (65%) rating is deserved.

UMUR "The Scourge of the Light" is the 9th full-length studio album by US power/heavy metal act Jag Panzer. The album was released through SPV/Steamhammer Records in February 2011. Jag Panzer was formed under the Tyrant monicker as far back as 1978. They changed their name to Jag Panzer in their formative years and released their debut full-length studio album "Ample Destruction" in 1984. They weren´t as successful as they had hoped for and lineup changes and other problems meant that the band split in 1988. They reunited again in 1994 and were particularly active in the years 1994 - 2004, releasing seven full-length studio albums in that period. However "The Scourge of the Light" is the first album since "Casting the Stones (2004)" and it looks like it´s also going to be the last as the band called it quits in July 2011.

...if that is true, it´s a crying shame, because the music on this release is high quality US power/heavy metal. The music is vocal/guitar driven with only moderate use of keyboards. The musicianship is brilliant and especially lead vocalist Harry "The Tyrant " Conklin shines throughout. The man has got a set of really powerful pipes. He is fully able to reach the really high notes as well as deliver more raw type singing. The music on the album reminds me a lot of how many US power/progressive metal acts sounded around the end of the eighties. Acts like Queensrÿche, Lethal and Heir Apparent but maybe with a sligthly more traditional heavy metal sound (once or twice I´m reminded of Iron Maiden). In addition to the excellent musicianship and the powerful, clean and well sounding production, the songwriting is also on a high level. The album features both fast-paced power metal tracks like the opening track "Condemned to Fight" and slower epic tracks like the closing track "The Book of Kells", but common for all tracks is that they are hook laden (at times anthemic) and memorable.

To my ears "The Scourge of the Light" is quite the great US power/heavy metal album and a 4 star (80%) rating is fully deserved.

The Block The Book of Kells

It seems that today’s metal world is over stuffed with progressive, death, and power metal. With all this it is hard to find a band that is original, plays good, and makes you want to listen to them. After being around for 27 odd years, Jag Panzer has still found a way to do all these things, and it has accumulated into this: “The Scourge of the Light”.

With traces of bands such as Savatage and Iron Maiden it is hard not to like this album. What’s great about it, though, is not the sound, but the style. Jag Panzer plays power metal like the heavy metal of the 1980’s, but with a few twists such as great keyboard work by Mark Briody, that brings in an Iron Maiden like feel, and some nice clean guitars by Christian Lasegue. Another thing that I like about this album is that it is not cheesy at all. Every single one of the songs on this album are well thought out and don’t fall into any genre clichés that many bands seem to find themselves trapped in these days. But, I guess since Jag Panzer has been around for so long they can easily bypass these things.

One complaint I have is some of the songs, like ‘Union’ for example, seem a bit repetitive. They repeat the chorus a little too much and make the song just one big chorus. But, the vocals by Harry Conklin are top notch on this track, so it basically wipes out any complaints that I have. The 8 minute mini-epic ‘The Book of Kells’ is perhaps my favorite song on “The Scourge of the Light” mainly for the small bit of progressive leanings it has. The beginning vocals by Harry Conklin are top notch and blend nicely into the harmony section with what sounds like a chorus in the background. The guitars are also very good in this song, offering up a nice drive to it. The tempo of this song is also brought way, way down, really changing up the feeling of the album, and creating a nice creative tone.

The production is perfectly done by Jim Morris of Morrisound Studios, so there’s nothing more to say there except great job.

Not only has this album given me reason to look at Jag Panzer’s earlier albums, but it is also the best power metal I’ve heard this year. It has something for every fan of traditional heavy metal, power metal, or even progressive metal. For this great release Jag Panzer gets 4 stars.