A lot has changed over the last seven years. A global pandemic has come and gone. Regimes have risen and fallen. Viral trends have gripped our attention and then vanished. However, some things have remained constant. Like the rise of Ukrainian progressive metal powerhouses, Jinjer. Who have somehow maintained their stratospheric trajectory. Despite not having embarked on a headline tour since 2019!
In truth, it doesn’t feel like it’s been that long. Probably because Jinjer have been a mainstay on the European festival circuit over the last few years. Clearly though, the bands return to smaller, more intimate venues, is just as highly anticipated as the album that prompted their comeback. As when we arrive at Birmingham’s o2 Institute on a foggy February Friday night, the queue for entry stretches almost as far as the eye can see.
Before tonight’s main event, we have a couple of choice tech metal appetisers to get us in the mood. The first of which being Dutch sextet, Textures (8). Who, it has to be said, are at a slight disadvantage from the off. As Jinjer’s set up dominates the stage to such an extent that the six piece can barely move. That doesn’t stop them coming out swinging with Closer To The Unknown, their opening track of choice for the night though. Which pulls an impressive response from the audience. Setting the tone for the rest of their set.
From the rolling main riff and fretboard acrobatics of New Horizons, to the synth drenched polyrhythms of Timeless. The latter of which brings to mind Devin Townsend at his most melodic. Textures sound pitch perfect tonight. Hiding the fact they’ve been on hiatus for the better part of a decade with ease. Getting the evening off to a great start.
Our second band of the night, Unprocessed (9) were a completely unknown quantity. Call me uninitiated if you will, but I was unaware I was about to experience the soundtrack to Animals as Leaders, Aphex Twin and I Prevail engaged in a back alley fist fight. Then the opening onslaught of 111 washes over the crowd like a blast beat powered tidal wave of digitised chaos. Shifting the whole night up a gear immediately. With the four piece from Germany displaying a level of technical prowess that goes well beyond their years.
Even when their impressive combination of math rock and metal isn’t as immediately in your face. On tracks like Beyond Heavens Gate for example, which lives firmly in the postcode of radio friendly metalcore. Or Snowlover, with it’s metallic, Gojira-esque main riff offset by a hook that President would be proud of. The delivery of every anthemic chorus line and chugging breakdown is razor sharp. Then, just as we begin to settle in to the more traditional song structures and catchy chorus lines. They unleash a final one-two combination of Solara and Terrestrial that’s just as off the wall and brimming with chaotic energy as their introduction. All delivered with a level of musicianship that at times, frankly boggles the mind.
Drinks refreshed, we return to the main room of the o2 Institute to find the crowd has somehow swelled seemingly beyond the venues capacity. Even the balcony has become standing room only and it’s hard to catch a glimpse of the stage itself past the camera phones that hover at the ready. All eagerly awaiting the arrival of Jinjer (9). Until the house lights dim and the opening riff of Duél drops like a lead anchor. Breaking the tension in the room and causing the crowd to erupt.
Slowly, the audiences desire to enjoy the moment supercedes the need to capture it for Instagram and the horizon clears. Revealing not just the band themselves, but an impressive array of video walls and screens that have been lurking beneath drop cloths all night. This isn’t just your average JPG on backdrop either, Jinjer have rolled out a full scale, near stadium level production on this campaign. Which morphs and changes on cue as Tati wheels around the stage and the band plough straight into Green Serpent.
Understandably, tonights set is dominated by tracks from the bands most recent album, Duél. Which makes up the lions share of the playlist. That doesn’t stop them deftly dipping back into their catalogue though. Contrasting the all out fury of newer tracks like Tantrum with the slower, more progressive groove of the likes of Vortex. For a four piece, the wall of sound that Jinjer create is nothing short of immense either. Roman’s cutting guitar sound sits beautifully in the mix along side the low end of Eugene’s bass as he taps away. Creating a snarling symphony that swells and envelopes the entire room.
There isn’t much in the way of crowd interaction, Tati will occaisionally check in to see if everyone’s still ok as the mosh pit briefly subsides between songs. There’s no small talk though, not even a mention of the illegal conflict in their home country that still rages on. Something that was once a focal point of every one of the bands appearances outside their native land. With Jinjer instead choosing to let their very presence here speak as an act of rebellion and defiance.
Around the halfway point, Jinjer break out the really big guns. Judgement (& Punishment) and its bombastic opening riff has crowd surfers popping up from nowhere. Followed shortly after by I Speak Astronomy, which opens up the biggest mosh pit of the night by far. Taking the whole experience to another level. If there was any self restraint left in tonights sold out crowd. It’s well and truly left the chat as they follow that up with Perrenial and everyone joins Tati in belting out the verses. Singing their lungs out with the kind of reckless abandon that will no doubt lead to some sore throats in the morning.
Then, before we know it, the delicate introduction to Pisces begins to ring out around the o2 Institue. The track that arguably helped push Jinjer into the limelight and spawned a thousand reaction videos. Now putting a spectacular full stop at the end of a blistering performance that has flown by in the blink of an eye.
Or so it seems, because Jinjer have one last treat in store. Pulling out a bone crushing encore of Sit Stay Roll Over. Which is now terrifyingly a decade old, bringing what’s left of the house down. Once considered a band for those in the know. If tonights show is anything to go by, Jinjer have transcended their underground beginnnings and grown into something much, much greater than the sum of their parts. We can only hope, along with everyone else in attendance tonight, that it doesn’t take them another seven years to bring a tour like this to the UK again!
For more information on Jinjer, you can head over to the bands official website. Or, to stay up to date on any forthcoming announcements, you can give the band a follow on social media.
