Originally a covers band, known as PURPLE HAZE, Denver's JAG PANZER rose to enjoy true cult status on the American Metal scene and later amplified this into major appreciation on the European mainland later in their career. Their early works could easily have remained destined to remain as collectors curios but such was the fervent appreciation of their music that demand for bootlegs led in turn to a full blown reformation and a second stage, highly productive renaissance. The band has delved into many in their career and has been assailed by line-up tribulations but have won through, finally stabilising their line-up and reaping the rewards during the 90s.

The band had been playing the local club circuit in their native Colorado for around two years before, legend has it, guitarist Mark Briody heard a copy of the 'Monsters Of Rock' compilation album commemorating the first ever festival at Donington in 1980. The singer was blown away by the likes of a participating SAXON and RIOT. Promptly discovering NWoBHM bands such as ANGEL WITCH, the fledgling band, then entitled TYRANT, set about recording a demo of their first song ''Tower Of Darkness'. Enthused by the results a further demo demos contained the tracks 'Battlezones' and 'The Crucifix' which, courtesy of a friend's persuasive efforts got into the hands of both Metal Blade and Azra in Los Angeles. However, news also arrived of the already established Los Angeles Metal band TYRANT.

With a name change in order the band decided they liked the sound of the Jagdpanzer WW II German tank destroyer but subtly re-worked the name for an American audience as JAG PANZER. The band opted to sign with Azra - on the strength of a higher royalty offer and a colour cover for the debut offering - the 'Tyrants' EP was issued in 1983. The EP subsequently bore witness to a myriad of collectable versions, including various picture discs featuring a monster, a lady with chainsaw, a torture rack and a promotion release with a gas mask disc. Just prior to the release JAG PANZER had relocated to Los Angeles in an effort to crack the big time. Initially, before the release of the EP, gigs were hard to come by but as soon as 'Tyrants' was issued the group pulled over 400 people to their first gig.

In 1984 Azra released JAG PANZER's first fully fledged album and 'Ample Destruction' marked the recording debut of the newly recruited JOEY TAFOLLA, who teamed up with JAG PANZER's existing guitarist Mark Briody in a formidable frontline. The band put in support slots to acts as diverse as GRIM REAPER and SLADE. In an effort to establish a new recording deal JAG PANZER committed two new songs to tape, 'Shadow Thief' and 'Viper'.

Tafolla, taking drummer Reynold Carlson with him, quit for a solo career, eventually debuting with the 1987 album 'Out Of The Sun' on Shrapnel Records before teaming up with ALICE COOPER. Jag Panzer drafted guitarist Christian Lesegue as substitute. In 1986 vocalist 'The Tyrant' (real name Harry Conklin) appeared fronting a Black Metal band SATAN'S HOST under the even stranger pseudonym of 'Leviathan Thesiren' releasing the album 'Metal from Hell'. Conklin reverted back to his real name to enjoy a fleeting tenure with New York cult rockers RIOT. At his first RIOT live performance Conklin unfortunately lost his voice and was dumped. Conklin would also assemble TITAN FORCE, issuing two albums- 1989's 'Titan Force' on the U.S. Metal label and 1991's 'Winner / Loser' for the German Shark Concern.

JAG PANZER regrouped drawing in drummer Rikard Stjernquist. A succession of vocalists then flowed through the ranks including Chris Cronk of KARIAN, Steve Montez and Bob Parduba of Denver Metal band ALLOY CZAR. With this line up JAG PANZER self financed the recording of a fresh album's worth of material 'Chain Of Command' which included a re-make of IRON BUTTERFLY's groundbreaking 60s hit 'In A Gadda Da Vida'. On the live front the group guested for HELLOWEEN and MEGADETH. A contract with a major label was offered for 'Chain Of Command' but the band deemed it too restrictive and declined. Both Parduba and Lesegue left soon after.

Meantime the 'Ample Destruction' album was the subject of varying release formats with the Canadian release on Banzai Records being retitled 'License To Kill' and coming with an extra track 'Black Sunday'. The British release on Metalcore Records also added 'Black Sunday' but also squeezed in 'Eyes Of The Night' and 'Fallen Angel', the two latter tracks recorded at a different session and featuring new drummer Reynold 'Butch' Carlson, who replaced original skinsman Rick Hilyard. With little activity officially interest in the band was sustained with the emergence in 1991 of an unofficial split album with MAJESTY and of the 'Shadow Thief' bootleg in 1992.

The band cut a 1994 album 'Dissident Alliance' with new singer Daniel Conca and guitarist Chris Kostka but unfortunately, despite having the extra promotional push of a single 'Jeffrey Behind The Gate', this record, released by Rising Sun in Europe and Pavement Music in America, was universally panned by critics. Nevertheless, the band did manage to tour Euope for the first time as openers to OVERKILL before their two newest recruits made their exit. Conca made his mark with GOTHIC SLAM.

JAG PANZER made a return to the scene in 1996 tempted no doubt by the burgeoning interest in retro-trad metal in Europe and Japan. The band, re-enlisting Harry Conklin, demoed the more traditionally aligned tunes 'Future Shock', 'Ready To Strike' and 'Shadow Thief' promptly landing a deal with the German Century Media label. The resulting album, 'The Fourth Judgement' issued in August of 1997, was hailed as a renaissance for the band and the European Rock media in particular enthused over JAG PANZER's return to form. Notably, JOEY TAFOLLA contributed lead guitar solos to the record but would be unable to tour. EDEN's Chris Broderick took the vacant guitar slot for European dates billed alongside HAMMERFALL and GAMMA RAY.

September 1998's 'The Age Of Mastery'album, a collection of re-recorded archive tracks as requested by a poll of fans, confirmed the validity of the band's comeback. A nationwide American tour found JAG PANZER sharing stages with ICED EARTH. The band undertook a headlining tour of Germany to close off 1998 supported by ANGEL DUST, GLADIATORS and GB ARTS. Collectors would also be tempted by JAG PANZER's inclusion of a live version of 'Tyranny' on an 'Ungebrochen Metal' compilation.

Although 1999 would not deliver a new album JAG PANZER did offer up their rendition of 'Children Of The Sea' to the DIO 'Holy Dio' Century Media tribute album and put in a sterling set at the 'Wacken Open Air' festival. As the year drew to a close Century Media surprised fans by offering a download of Mark Briody and Harry Conklin's Christmas song 'Do You See What I See'.

JAG PANZER would make a return with the May 2000 'Macbeth' inspired 'Thane To The Throne' opus. The ambitious album track 'The Prophecies (Fugue In D Minor') would see the veritable inclusion of the Moscow string quartet. With 'Thane To The Throne' the band managed to elevate itself above cult status making serious headway on the sales front. The following year a diversion saw hockey fans JAG PANZER reworking JUDAS PRIEST's 'You've Got Another Thing Comin' into 'You've Got Another Cup Comin', donated as a theme song to the Colorado Avalanches team. JAG PANZER's continued revival was bolstered by the arrival of the Jim Morris produced 'Mechanized Warfare' album in July 2001.

JAG PANZER, alongside Swedish Deathsters IN FLAMES, would lend strong support to ICED EARTH's April 2002 American tour. The band would make available for these shows an exclusive DVD package dubbed 'The Era Of Kings And Conflict' hosting feature videos and a bootleg live film of a show in Switzerland.

Conklin would also be in action fronting the IRON MAIDEN tribute band POWERSLAVE 2000 in union with ex-LESE MAJESTY bassist Paul Stickney. In September 2002 drummer Rikard Stjernquist announced that he had also joined up with BALLISTIC, the new band of former DEUCE, TENSION and WARDOG veteran Tom Gattis. By January Chris Broderick too had joined up with BALLISTIC. The guitarist also found another outlet for his talents that May, acting as stand in guitarist for NEVERMORE. JAG PANZER united with HELLOWEEN and BEYOND THE EMBRACE for a short burst of North American dates in October.

JAG PANZER fans would have much to be thankful for in 2003 with the release of the two disc 'Decade Of The Nail Spiked Bat' collection through Century Media. The albums comprised tracks from the archive 'Tyrants' EP, 'Ample Destruction' and 'Dissident Alliance' as well as the bootleg 'Chain Of Command' in brand new re-recorded form. The group had been endeavouring to re-release this old material for some time but having failed to reach a settlement with ex-guitarist Joey Taffola opted to re-record all the songs. This move satisfied fans and also gave the earlier records even further rarity value. In February 2004 Conklin, retaining his ties to JAG PANZER, joined the ranks of BALLISTIC, , this act also involving Broderick and Stjernquist. Although Gattis himself had recorded vocals for their 2003 debut he would be prevented from singing further due to suffering severe headaches. Sad news came that same month when former JAG PANZER man Daniel Conca, singer during the 'Dissident Alliance' era, passed away. He was just 39 years old.

In May 2004 JAG PANZER entered Tampa's Morrisound studios with producer Jim Morris to commence recording of a new album 'Casting The Stones'. The band headlined the January 2005 'Deep Freeze Winter Metal' festival in Westminster, Colorado. JAG PANZER also appeared at the MOTȪRHEAD headlined 'Monterrey Metal Fest' at the Auditorio Coca Cola in Monterrey, Mexico in May 2005. To coincide with the band's appearance at the German 'Bang Your Head' festival JAG PANZER issued a 7" single, limited to just 500 copies and featuring a cover version of GORDON LIGHTFOOT's 'The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald'.

Chris Broderick scored guest session credits on Italian Metal band RAISING FEAR's 'Avalon' album. In May 2006 the guitarist temporarily joined the ranks of Seattle's NEVERMORE for US touring, substituting for Steve Smyth who had been diagnosed with end-stage kidney failure.

That August ex-drummer Rikard Stjernquist announced the formation of BODY OF SCARS, a Phoenix, Arizona based Metal band featuring MOTIVE guitarist Randy Davis, bassist Clint Barker and former 40 GRIT vocalist/guitarist James Santiago.

On 14th January 2008 it was annunced that Chris Broderick had joined the ranks of MEGADETH.