As the everlasting January draws to a close, the gigs, fortunately, do not. Tonight, in a wet and wintry Glasgow, the SWG3 welcomes Ukrainian heavyweights Jinjer as part of their UK leg of their European Duél tour. Support comes from Unprocessed and Textures.
Kicking things off are Dutch progressive outfit Textures. Blending a mix of metalcore, prog and djent, the openers dive into their forty-minute set.
Vocalist Daniël de Jongh moves between heavy, high-intensity sections to softer, almost emotional passages which creates a strong contrast between the two vocal styles. Bassist Remko Tielemans is back and forth along the stage between backing vocals, throwing everything into this set. To be honest, everyone is.
Musically, the band rises and falls between crushing guitars and powerful drums to more harmonious instrumental melodic sections. ‘Timeless‘ culminates with dreamy, swirling guitar work from Bart Hennephof and Joe Tal, adding layers and depth to the overall sound.
‘Awake‘ flexes Textures‘ metalcore influences, providing a heavier, grittier sound while still maintaining the same balance as the softer numbers. ‘Laments of an Icarus‘ almost entirely drops the clean vocals for a heavier, harsher end to their set, using irregular time signatures to create that intentional disjointed sound often found in progressive metal.
It was a good effort for the opener, but it was missing that standout moment that would make me dive into their back catalogue.
The venue is nearly full by the time tonight’s second band starts. Unprocessed waste no time in introducing themselves as they slam straight into ‘111‘ with an onslaught of technical precision.
‘Sleeping With Ghosts‘, while still going hard, really showcases the technical prowess and immense talent this group has. While they can go as hard as anyone else, they also show a vulnerable side.
During ‘Glass‘, you can really feel the emotion pouring out of Manuel Gardner’s voice. There is a beauty in the melodies that I would be happy to hear for a whole set, taking you on a sonic journey.
Having said that, when you add the intensity of the riffs and rhythm section, it combines fantastically to layer this unbelievable soundscape. They fuse the songs together in a way that the melodies and heaviness don’t detract from one another.
Musically, this band is locked together so tight and are so polished. Everyone plays such an integral role to create this complex composition. From the bass line in ‘Lore‘, the powerful vocals in ‘Terrestrial‘ to the frantic drumming and technical guitars of ‘Thrash‘, everyone has such a pivotal role to play, and it comes across fantastically on stage.
It’s been six long years since Jinjer had a headlining tour of the UK. They are about to show everyone why we shouldn’t have to wait another six years.
Opening with the title track from their new album Duél, there is a tenacity to them, hardly surprising considering all the adversity the band has had to endure. Tatiana Shmayluk prowls the stage, owning it like a predator marking out its kingdom.
Guitarist Roman Ibramkhalilov stands to the far left of the stage, bassist Eugene Abdukhanov mirroring him on the right. These two stay rooted to the spot for the whole show, letting their unique and dynamic sound do all the work.
As quickly as ‘Fast Draw‘ ups the ante with its intense hardcore-esque sound, ‘Vortex‘ brings it back down again, showing the diversity these Ukrainians can weave into their songs. This has always been the crowning achievement for this band and something they have made famous.
Crossing genres but still achieving their unique sound is something I have always liked about this band. There is no other act out there quite like this.
Tonight, Jinjer are really showing what makes them such a beloved live band with the progressive, heavy and technical riffs alongside powerful bass lines distributed throughout. All of this is powered by Vladislav Ulasevich’s fast but rhythmic drumming.
‘Tantrum‘ rips through SWG3 with an unrelenting intro that started instantaneously on the last note of ‘Disclosure!‘, hardly a space for a breath. As the set rumbles on, it is clear this is a tour de force, slamming through their set with utter precision and laying waste to anything or anyone in their path.
Closing out on ‘Pisces‘ is perfect as it comprises everything that makes Jinjer a powerhouse: beautiful harmonies, crushing heaviness and fantastic emotional range.
