JAG PANZER: 'Scourge Of The Light' Release Date, Final Artwork Revealed

The final cover artwork for "Scourge Of The Light", the new album from Colorado power metallers JAG PANZER, can be viewed below. It was painted by Los Angeles artist Justin Yun.

"Scourge Of The Light" will be released on February 28, 2011 in Europe (except in Germany, where it will arrive three days earlier) and on March 8, 2011 in the U.S. via SPV/Steamhammer Records. The band was previously signed to Century Media.

For the original band members Harry Conklin (vocals),Mark Briody (guitar) and John Tetley (bass),JAG PANZER has always been something they held close to their hearts. "We've known each other from our earliest childhood and have never lost sight of the idea that this band is based on," Tetley explains. "I don't exactly want to use the term 'spiritual', but the three of us are connected with this band by a very special relationship. You could say that our lives are inseparably linked with the history of JAG PANZER."

This heartfelt passion has always been apparent in their songs, however: the American band has never sounded as impressive, mature and accomplished as on their latest album, "The Scourge Of The Light".

The reasons? Well, there are probably a number of them. Without a doubt, the band's two main songwriters, guitarists Mark Briody and Christian Lasegue, have never been in better form. Every one of their extremely dynamic riffs sounds haunting, every melody cuts their listeners to the core. It may sound like a contradiction, but since guitarist Chris Broderick, who was a bandmember between 1997 and 2007, left to join MEGADETH, JAG PANZER have returned to their old roots. "There can be no question that Chris Broderick is an amazing guitarist, and we were really happy for him that he got this chance with MEGADETH. But we feel that thanks to Christian Lasegue, JAG PANZER's classic, clearly more melodic power metal style has returned and that the fans will definitely be happy about this." Tetley may well be right since JAG PANZER's most recent studio recording "Casting The Stones" (2004) was criticized, especially in Europe, for its noticeably harsher direction. "We knew that Christian was the best man for the job; after all he was a band member for three years in the mid-1980s," the band says.

But there are other reasons, too, why "The Scourge Of The Light" sounds so impressive. Despite their limited production budget, JAG PANZER spared no expense or effort to give their ten fantastic new songs a driving their trademark sound. For this reason, they asked Jim Morris to mix the recordings at his legendary Morrisound Studios in Florida and sent the result to New York's renowned Sterling Sound for mastering. The result is a real ear catcher, without any ifs and buts.

"I feel 'The Scourge Of The Light' is the best-sounding album in the history of JAG PANZER," Tetley says.

"Scourge Of The Light" track listing:

01. Condemned To Fight
02. The Setting Of The Sun
03. Bringing On The End
04. Call To Arms
05. Cycles
06. Overlord
07. Let It Out
08. Union
09. Burn
10. The Book Of Kells