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It's been years since we heard from Colorado Spring-based band Jag Panzer. Casting The Stones was released in 2004, with Scourge Of The Light they return. With the return of guitarist Christian Lasegue the songs are more melodic again... catchier. Chris Broderick was an important part of Jag Panzer for almost 10 years before he got an offer from Megadeth. Jag Panzer started in 1981 and have seen many bands and sounds coming and going, they always stick to their sound.
The open up with Condemned To Fight, the opening passage has a neo-classical touch, but then they storm off. Fast double-bass drumming and heavy riffs force them ahead, but for the refrain they slow down a bit. Singer Harry 'The Tyrant' Conklin is still an extraordinary singer. At the heavy, mid-paced The Setting Of The Sun Jag Panzer offer a melodic track with complex elements and a string section. The Tyrant adjusts to the song which has a melancholy touch. At Cycles the put an effect on the vocals and the riff-based track shows reminiscences to Judas Priest / Halford, but also has some typical JP trademark sounds. Overlord kicks off with a memorable riff, then enchants you with the expressive vocals. There is a line in the bridge which sound extremely familiar... It's on the tip of my tongue... Anyway, it's a catchy up-tempo tune and perhaps the best choice to get into Scourge Of The Light. Time to storm off again! Let It Out is a fast tune which revives the NWoBHM, spiced up with a dash of Motörhead and Americanize it. With Union they present a power metal anthem which you'll sing along soon. Towards the end it gets a bit repetitive, but well... Burn has passages which could have been copied from a Halford track, but the mid-passed parts are different and true Jag Panzer. And then they lead you out of the tune with a classic-inspired keyboard passage. The closer is an 8 minute long opus which tells a story about a man who's tattoos come alive. The Book Of Kells is a heavy, epic tune which combines different sounds to tell the story. So the song offers speed changes, different atmospheres and isn't a typical Jag Panzer tune!
The album was mixed by Jim Morris at Morrisound Studio and mastered at the famous Sterling Sound in NYC. With SPV they have a strong business partner at their side and hopefully they will finally get the attention they deserve! Kudos!
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