Juggernaut

In the 1980s San Antonio, Texas, nurtured a sizable cluster of heavy metal groups even though few of their members ever achieved enough success to recount the experience; the lineup included progressive metal cult idols Watchtower, the other Slayer, and the still more obscure Juggernaut. The latter ensemble came together in 1985 when vocalist Harlan Glenn, guitarist Eddie Katilius, bassist Scott Womack, and drummer Bobby Jarzombek joined forces. Their sound echoed Watchtower’s penchant for supra-technical, prog-inflected speed metal and first appeared on the 1986 album Baptism Under Fire, released after the band had passed through the customary gateway of appearing on a Metal Massacre compilation. Glenn was subsequently replaced by Steve Cooper, the onetime singer of the San Antonio Slayer, for the 1987 follow-up Trouble Within; that incarnation of Slayer had already abandoned its attempt to rival the California thrash giants. Juggernaut’s demanding approach nevertheless remained too inaccessible for most listeners and hastened the group’s dissolution. Of its members, only Jarzombek—whose brother incidentally handled guitar duties for Watchtower—secured ongoing work, later performing with Demons & Wizards, Halford, Iced Earth, Riot, Spastic Ink, and additional projects.