JAG PANZER – The Scourge Of The Light

Jag Panzer: a name that strikes an instant note for fans of Traditional USA Power Metal, associated with likewise veterans such as Steel Prophet and the much more successful Iced Earth, and a name tied into a string of quality albums under their belt, yet wider recognition somehow has alluded them.

What the group offers this time around is more typical Panzer warfare, if you will. It’s been six years since the Casting the Stones release, which was more of a mixed bag, but not much has changed in the world of Jag Panzer. The addition of returning guitarist Christian Lasegue is the most noteworthy change, and a welcomed one. The string bender has grown into a more accomplished player since the days of Chain of Command, and provides more fitting lead work overall than his predecessor virtuoso Chris Broderick, who has since joined the ranks of Megadeth.

On the surface, The Scourge Of The Light picks up where two of Panzer’s best offerings, Thane to the Throne and Mechanized Warfare, left off. But, it also proves a very demanding listening experience, with only the fourth song in, “Call To Arms”, serving an instant classic Panzer Metal stomp. It joins the repertoire of “Shadow Thief”, “King At A Price”, and “Take To The Sky” which is as unmistakably typical for this group as can be. “Let it Out” is also a straightforward rocker, which could have felt at home on the band’s 90’s comeback The Fourth Judgement. Though, after repeated listens, the likes of “Overlord”, “Union”, and “Setting of the Sun” – the latter featuring Medieval sonic landscapes repeatedly associated with Jag Panzer, strikes a chord, whilst the most bombastic tunes are saved for the last.

All in all, The Scourge Of The Light is another fine platter of high quality Metal. Not affected by their surroundings, Jag Panzer rolls on undeterred, and all the better for it.