Jag Panzer is a veteran (US style) Power Metal act from the icy and rocky mountains of Colorado who have been around through various lineups for a little over forty years. While I may not have been personally familiar with the group prior to this review, I was able to quickly feel how the band has been able to stay together for such a long time. 

Jag Panzer plays an incredibly accessible form of Power Metal that is just as fun as it is heavy. It’s an ageless sound that triumphantly waves the flag of NWOBHM.

The Hallowed (Atomic Fire Records), the band’s first release in over six years, is a concept album about a post-apocalyptic dystopian future. Sure, we’ve heard it a million times before. But have we ever heard it told from the viewpoint of animals? I think not! Just that little added element to the storytelling is interesting enough to grab my attention.

Since the band is already well into the double digits of album numbers, they clearly have figured out what does and does not work. The guitars chug along when they need to and add plenty of great harmonies that perfectly gel with the vocals. Harry “The Tyrant” Conklin has some killer pipes and a fantastic range. “Edge of Knife,” is the stand-out track on this release. Here, the band is hitting everything with all of their might. The vocals and guitars are intense in some spots and haunting in others. Everything you want in your dragon-slaying Power Metal Opus.

The Hallowed is fifty-plus minutes of listening time well spent. It’s classic Power Metal the way it should be. Not too hard, not too soft, or overdone with theatrics. It’s timeless music that is sure to please fans both new and old. Even if this isn’t your preferred genre, it is well worth checking out.

Buy the album here:

https://jagpanzer.afr.link/TheHallowedYT

8 / 10

ANDREW RISCH