Genre: U.S. Power Metal
Country: U.S.A.
Label: Century Media
Year: 1997
Many things have been written lately about Jag Panzer. Looking forward to their visiting on Monday 28th September, the headquarters of Metal Invader set me a task: to write sth about them. So I told Tsekas, my editor in chief: “We are PAOK fans. That means Gate 4. That means Fourth Judgement!” Tsekas thought about it for two and a half seconds and then he said: “Ok, Do it!”. Well, ladies and gentlemen…
I will never forget my last days in the army where a guy there(Permanent Professional Soldier, the only one that really worth talking to in the unit in a place filled with retarded persons) after a short talk we had, sold me 20 cds. For each piece I gave him 2 Euros. Between Manowar’s “Louder Than Hell” and “Warriors of the World”, Dickinson’s “Accident of Birth” and Lethal’s “Programmed” I found Jag Panzer’s “Fourth Judgement”. I was so lucky! The discovery of that album was really exciting!
1997: 13 years after the glorious Ample Destruction era the Jag Panzer’s line-up is almost the same again. (The line-up had changed during Dissident Alliance in 1994). Jag Panzer enter Morrisound Studios in Tampa (Florida) and recorded their most meaningful, mature and focused album. Fourth Judgement includes crushing renditions by incomperable Harry Conklin, sharp riffs, virtuoso and inspired solos by Joey Taffola and rhyhms to be presented on music-seminars. Fourth Judgement is the balls and the guts of Ample Destruction under the veil of mature thinking. The result was so good, that satisfies the listener. Fourth Judgement is the kid of an era (90s), where heavy metal was said to be decayed. Bullshit! The falloff was commercial, not artistic, but we will talk another time about that. Taking that for granted, Fourth Judgement has an eminent position on the 90s discography map. It is an album of high quality. The addittion of classical string musical instruments (for example Black’s intro or Judgement Day) make the dark atmosphere intense. Call of the Wild, Future Shock, Ready to Strike and Τyranny guarantee unstoppable headbanging. Tyranny’s rendition is high with epic mood and overwhelming guitars. Only Shadow Thief makes me voice my objection, just because I prefer Bod Parduba. The Fourth Judgement: As far as its market value is concerned: the best 2-euro coin that I spent in my life!!! As far as its real value is concerned: it is inestimable!!!
Jag Panzer The Fourth Judgement High Roller Re issue 2011