Jag Panzer, which formed in the early 1980's, has been given praise for their own "American Power Metal" sound. So if you like Iced Earth, you'll like these guys. This album is great because not only is the music good, but they use Shakespeare's classic "Macbeth" to create a phenominal concept album.
The members of Jag Panzer on this album are:
Harry Conklin - Lead Vocals
Mark Briody - Lead Guitars
Chris Broderick - Rythm Guitars
John Tetley - Bass Guitar and Backing Vocals
Rikard Stjernquist - Drums
1. Thane of Cawdor (4:50) - We start with an atmospheric intro of keyboards (I believe played by Briody). And then into a crunchy guitar riff as Conklin sings in Macbeth's point of view, giving us a good feel of wha tthe rest of the album will be like. There's a good mix of vocal overlapping throughout this song, and some great guitar licks.
2. King At A Price (3:49) - I absolutely love this song! Every part of this song is catchy, espiecally the chorus. This is without a doubt a standout track on the album. Again Conklin sings in the viewpoint of Macbeth devising a plan to become king. Fantastic piece of music. The solo is great, too.
3. Bloody Crime (5:34) - Immediately we're introduced to some good galloping guitars and a killer rythm. Conklin now sings both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, using two different vocal pitches. This tune is definately a headbanger. The musical break at 2:18 is my favorite part with the stop-and-go guitar riffs. Great track.
4. The Premonitions (0:27) - Directly after 'Bloody Crime' are some nice, medieval acoustic guitar pickings. It's an alright filler track, but it adds Shakespearean feeling to the album.
5. Treachery's Stain (4:11) - Here's a pretty solid metal track, fitting for Conklin's borderline growl when he says "Banquo! How can thee betray me?" The solos in this song are killer, but the best part of this song are the overlapping voices at the end which sing: "Reap what you sow, what you reap what you sow, what you reap..." until it eventually fades out.
6. Spectres of the Past (3:46) - This is another amazing track as Conklin sings about Macbeth's guilt after he's killed Banquo. This track is pretty thick and heavy, with some excellent vocal work. We come to abrupt ending and...
7. Banquo's Final Rest (0:21) - A wonderful mix of a choir, violin, and piano at Banquo's funeral. Very nice. But also very short.
8. Three Voices of Fate (5:13) - Another great track where we have a choir along with Conklin. This is definately one of their more progressive tracks where even a violin joins the heaviness. The chorus is phenominal. I just love the choir above Conklin's voice. More good guitar soloing and double bass-ing.
9. Hell To Pay (4:31) - Another heavy track contrasting the anger that Conklin portrays in Macduff's POV. There's another catchy chorus here, and cool dual guitar riffs. This isn't a track you'll want to skip over.
10. The Prophecies - Fugue In D Minor (1:43) - Another filler track performed by the Moscow String Quartet with calming overlapping violins and such until...
11. Insanity's Mind (5:25) - Extreme metal mayhem is shoved into your ears and you're in guitar euphoria. Conklin's vocals in this song are fantastic. He is now in the point of view of Lady Macbeth contemplating suicide after realizing the terrible deed she's done. The solo is very well done and at 2:38 everything slows down to dreamy guitar picking. Good tune.
12. Requiem For Lady Macbeth (0:23) - Another filler but this time it has a much more evil sound to it with chimes and a choir chanting.
13. Face of Fear (3:20) - This is another song that I love. Everything in this song is done very well. Conkilin portrays Macbeths feelings towards his dead wife and the fact that he knows his end is near. The solo by Broderick is stunning, and towards the end we get more choir singing until it eventually fades out.
14. Fall of Dunsinane {5:17) - At first we hear a church bell and some marching snare drums, and then we go into a pretty teachnical guitar riff and drum beat. The drums in this song are pretty fun to play, and sond extra crisp on this track. Conklin again portrays Macbeth extremely well showing his sadness over the fall of his castle and realizing the witch's prophecy has become true. This song makes me want to headbang. The church bells and marching drums fade out the song.
15. Fate's Triumph (4:37) - here we get more crunching guitars with awesome violins over it. I love the guitar melodies in this song. Here, Conklin portrays both Macbeth and Macduff as they battle to the death. This is another excellent track, and Broderick's guitar solo is awesome. The drumming during the solo is expertly done as well.
16. The Downward Fall (2:49) - Here's another instrumental filler but it's slightly longer and a lot better than the others. This almost sounds Spanish-influenced. It sounds great, and it just goes to show the range that these guitarists have.
17. Tragedy of Macbeth (8:19) - Finally, the last track of the album. This is a very well done re-cap of the Tragedy of Macbeth, and Conklin sings his heart out. The chorus is phenominal, and the solos towards the end are excellent.
Pros:
-Heavy tracks and soft tracks simultaneously
-The use of many different instruments
-Lyrics and vocals
Cons:
-The lengthiness of the album
-Some songs end almost too abruptly
