Style: groove metal, metalcore, djent (mixed vocals)
Recommended for fans of: Avenged Sevenfold, Spiritbox, Gojira, Lamb of God, Meshuggah
Country: Ukraine
Release date: 7 February 2025
Is groove metal a real genre? Some people make the claim, but I’m not so sure. Google may say it’s a genre defined by chugging, palm muted guitarwork with extensive use of double bass pedals and downtuned guitars, but does that not describe the entirety of modern metal? And if something isn’t groove metal does it mean it can’t be groovy? For something seemingly so ubiquitous, there really is no clear or satisfying definition, and it’s almost certainly easier to just identify groove metal releases as they come up. Thankfully, Jinjer makes it easy for us on their latest release Duél.
For any groove-based genre, a strong rhythm section is paramount. Thankfully, after honing their sound on 2019’s Macro and 2021’s Wallflowers, bassist Eugene Abdukhanov and drummer “Vladi” Ulasevich have delivered what is undoubtedly the best performances of their career on Duél, leaving no doubt that Jinjer has their rhythm section covered. Adventurous slaps and pops that wouldn’t sound out of place on a Job for a Cowboy track accentuate the decidedly tight drumwork in the album’s heavier moments while tasteful bass breaks and intelligent cymbal use highlight the lighter sections on tracks like “Tumbleweed.” The guitarwork courtesy of Roman Ibramkhalilov nestles neatly into the remaining sonic space, rarely adventuring out into the open but leaving its mark when it does during moments like the brief solo of “Green Serpent.”
Still, Jinjer remains a decidedly vocal-centric band, and Tatiana Shmayluk remains one of the most dynamic vocalists in the modern metal scene. Spewing catty witticisms left and right, Tatiana’s vocals run the gamut from gentle croons to harsh bellowing lows and searing highs. Romps like “Rogue” and “Fast Draw” get down and dirty with their straight ahead heaviness, while tracks like “Kafka” and “Someone’s Daughter” do well to show off Tatiana’s vocal range with their proggy yet lean song structures. Unfortunately, Duél remains plagued by what is perhaps my biggest pet peeve in regards to Jinjer, and that is the lyrical emphasis. To put it simply, it often sounds like one too many syllables are squeezed into a phrase making the whole thing feel off kilter, especially during the clean vocal sections. Perhaps it’s a symptom of a band writing in their second language, but I can’t always fully jive with the seeming lack of flow in the clean vocal patterns.
Unfortunately, that lack of flow also seeps into the track listing. At an already lean forty-three minutes and with no track exceeding five minutes, Duél is a brisk listen, but I am not so sure that each track earns its fair keep. For every “Green Serpent” or “Fast Draw” on the track list that engages the listener with its dynamic snowballing riffage or vibrant raw intensity, there’s a “Rogue” or “Dark Bile” that gets bogged down in its verse-chorus-verse song structure and overall sameness. In individual chunks, Duél is peachy keen, but the totality is a disjointed album experience full of ups and downs that leaves me satisfied in parts but ultimately miffed by the time the album’s closer rolls around, especially with its goofy false ending.
Jinjer seems to have honed in on their sound on their past few releases, and Duél sets the band’s proggy blend of groove metal and metalcore in stone. Featuring what is undoubtedly the best production treatment that the band has had yet, the album is the product of four amazingly talented musicians operating at the top of their respective craft yet getting lost in the finer details of the album as a whole. I know that Jinjer has a genuine magnum opus somewhere in their future, but it seems as though Duél is just another stepping stone along that path.
Recommended tracks: Green Serpent, Kafka, Someone’s Daughter
You may also like: Dawn of Ouroboros, Vintersea, Rannoch
Final verdict: 7/10
Related links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Official Website | Facebook | Instagram
Label: Napalm Records – Bandcamp | Facebook | Official Website
Jinjer is:
– Tatiana Shmayluk (vocals)
– Roman Ibramkhalilov (guitars)
– “Vladi” Ulasevich (drums)
– Eugene Abdukhanov (bass)
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