JAG PANZER "Casting The Stones"
by Clifford "Junior" Newsted

Cover: 5 Progressive Powered Metal Bands out of 10
The cover is a shot of a hand with stone a stone in it, with lots of grays, blues, and purples as the main color schemes. Above is the Panzer logo in an Old English font and the title “Casting the Stones” directly below. There’s nothing that would make want to stop & see what this record is about based on the art. Frankly, it looks like something tat might be better suited for a “Christian” band or something of that sort.

Booklet: 3 Shadows Fall Budgets out of 10
Listen, I’m not gonna knock the band for this, but Century Media sends their advance CDs strictly in slip covers and you get no booklet with it. There is a full track listing in the cover & a listing of the personnel, along with some information on the record and all that nonsense. Enough said.

Songs: 7 Tyrants out of 10
This is really where it counts, the music. I have been a fan of the Colorado based band for about a year or so, they are known for their splendid musicianship & well crafted songs. This band has an edge over a band like a Dream Theater, simply for the fact that, they can get across 5 minutes what DT can’t. Harry “The Tyrant” Conklin’s vocals are melodic & lean more toward the power metal arena, perfect fit for this blend of progressive rock & heavy metal. Unlike other progressive outfits, Jag Panzer doesn’t suffer from keyboards drowning out all the guitars & bass tracks. On this recording, you get a superb balance of all the instruments.

Comments: Hopefully, Jag Panzer land decent slot on a tour in the States, so other can hear, what remarkable under ground metal we have in the United States. It’s not all what you see on “Head Banger’s Ball” or hear on the nu-metal radio, after all.