UMUR
"The Fourth Judgement" is the third full-length studio album by US power/heavy metal act Jag Panzer. The album was released through Century Media Records in August 1997. It´s the successor to "Dissident Alliance" from 1994 and features two lineup changes as guitarist Chris Kostk has been replaced by Joey Tafolla and lead vocalist Daniel Conca has been replaced by Harry Conklin. Both replacements are returning original members of Jag Panzer and both appeared on the band´s 1984 debut album "Ample Destruction". So "The Fourth Judgement" features 4/5 of the lineup who recorded the debut album, and only drummer Rikard Stjernquist isn´t an original member.
After the disasterous attempt at making a comeback album with "Dissident Alliance (1994)", the band soon realized that the groove metal direction they had pursued on that album didn´t work for them, and with the return of Tafolla and Conklin they were ready to give it another go at making a "real" comeback album.
From the first notes of opening track "Black" it´s audible that Jag Panzer have returned to their original US power/heavy metal roots and thankfully any traces of the groove metal of "Dissident Alliance(1994)" have been completely wiped from the band´s sound. Jag Panzer again sound like Jag Panzer. Influences from traditional British heavy metal artists like Iron Maiden and Judas Priest are obvious, but the same are influences from US power/heavy metal artists like Queensrÿche, Fates Warning, and Crimson Glory (the 80s versions of those artists). So this is music for those who appreciate hard rocking heavy metal riffs and rhythms, melodic themes and lead guitar sections, epic atmospheres, and a world class lead vocalist in Conklin, who is able to hit both the high notes, but also sings a little more gruff when that is needed.
The material on the 10 track, 41:40 minutes long album is well composed, powerful, and memorable. Highlights include "Call of the Wild" and "Shadow Thief", but "The Fourth Judgement" is through and through a quality release. Great songwriting, high level musical performances, and a sound production which may lack a bit of bottom end, but on the other hand sounds a lot like something you would expect to hear on an 80s heavy metal release, and therefore suits the material perfectly. You won´t find many other releases in a similar style from 1997 (maybe Metal Church and a few others who had soldiered on from the 80s, but not many others), and there is no arguing that "The Fourth Judgement" isn´t an album of its time, but it´s a statement from Jag Panzer, that they are back on the right track, after their failed attempt to impress contemporary audiences, with their rather awful version of groove metal. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.
