In 2017, Jag Panzer pulled off a pretty neat trick. The Deviant Chord saw the Colorado power metal vets return after a six-year absence and absolutely lay waste to all in their path. From the opening harmonies of “Born of the Flame” through final gallops of “Dare,” the band took singer Harry “The Tyrant” Conklin’s anthemic advice: dare to be bold, dare to lead, dare to venture beyond all belief. The album was a complete stunner — a perfect showcase of a band simultaneously aging gracefully and, critically, still sounding pretty fucking vital within the metal landscape.

Following up an album like that was always going to be a tall order. But after a further six years, album number twelve — The Hallowed — arrives this week to give it a go.

Friends, to put it gently: Jag Panzer ain’t fuckin’ around on this album. The band wastes absolutely no time in pulling you in. The opening 1-2 punch of “Bound as One” and “Prey” are an absolute delight, brimming with harmonized leads and chugging thrash riffs that cater perfectly to the more-RAWKing, no-bullshit production style in which Hallowed traffics. There’s a sprightlier, more aggressive feel here than the band’s had in years, and it feels at times like you’re listening to the sequel to Ample Destruction, rather than The Deviant Chord.

After a brief detour into calmer fare, the band serves up another back-to-back assault, with “Stronger Than You Know” and “Onward We Toil,” which, for my money, represent The Hallowed at its finest. The former whips up an absolute tornado, during which every. single. member. is playing at level 11. Drummer Rikard Stjernquist double kicks himself into oblivion, while guitarists Mark Briody and Ken Rodarte fire off lead after shreddy lead. The latter, in contrast, slows things down to a mere mortal’s tempo, but then serves up what is, by far, the album’s hookiest chorus — a triumphant gang refrain you’ll find yourself randomly singing for days. (At the gym, in the shower, whilst doing laundry… it fits any situation!)

Tying the room all together, as ever, is Conklin. The guy’s just, flat-out, one of the finest American power metal vocalists ever. At 61, he leads the proceedings with the kind of fire-and-brimstone ferocity that befits his nickname, showing not even a shred of strain on his vocal cords throughout. He might stretch himself on a “Stronger Than You Know,” only to return to a chestier register on, say, “Edge of a Knife”; in either situation, the dude feels absolutely at home, and in total command of his powers. He’s a goddamn marvel.

The downside to The Hallowed is… unfortunately, it’s pretty top-heavy. After five near-unimpeachable opening tracks, there’s nothing on the back half that feels anywhere near as memorable. Where a song like “Prey” felt absolutely effortless, the late-album effort “Dark Descent” seems hastily hammered-together, with a chorus that’s almost an afterthought. While the harmonized guitar lines on “Bound as One” effectively became the song’s hook in and of themselves, the ones that kick off “Weather the Storm” feel like non-sequiturs.

To be clear, there’s nothing outright bad here — even The Hallowed‘s floor bottoms out at “just fine” — and most of these later tracks are even relatively enjoyable to listen to in the moment. It’s just been harder, thus far, to recall them after the fact. (This feels particularly jarring coming on the heels of The Deviant Chord, whose final few tracks, you could quite reasonably argue, were some of its strongest.)

But hey, give Jag Panzer credit: on The Hallowed, they’re still very much daring to be bold. You do not, 40 years into your career, have to put out a concept album with its own corresponding comic book. (Oh yeah, did we mention that? This is a concept album with its own corresponding comic book. You can buy it.) You don’t have to close out said concept album with a progressive epic that’s also your longest-ever track.

After this long a career, hell… we’d be grateful enough that the band still exists. But to still be trying new things and pushing themselves this far into the game? That’s something for which they should be hallowed.

Keep it heavy,
—Dan

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The Hallowed will be available Friday, June 23, via Atomic Fire Records. For more information on Jag Panzer, visit the band’s Facebook page.