Ukrainian metallers Jinjer bring rage and resilience to uncompromising fifth album.
Be warned: Jinjer’s fifth album explodes from the get-go. Its opening track, Tantrum, quickly sets out its stall before setting it on fire, a coiled spring of bile and breakbeats, illustrating some of the lessons the Ukrainians learned touring across Europe with Slipknot back in 2022 in the process. Tantrum? That’s a fucking understatement.
Recently, singer Tatiana Shmayluk walked K! through the album, explaining the personal demons and wonderings about the world that have gone into it. Among all this, there's also a a righteous fury to Duél, in part informed by Russia’s invasion of Jinjer’s homeland, which has resulted in more than 45,000 Ukrainian deaths. Tatiana’s lyrics traditionally conjure vivid imagery of both opulence and awfulness, of people pushed to the limits of their strength, faith and desires. Among those words, there are allusions to the devastation of the three-year conflict.
On the grinding Rogue, Tatiana decries Russian President Vladimir Putin, the titular Rogue for whom ‘Collecting blood is his ambition’ and who ‘Sets so light the value upon lives’. On Tumbleweed, she reminds the world that the onslaught continues (‘Have you heard of the storm that uprooted my home?’), while illustrating the steadfast resilience of her besieged people (‘Wilted like a tree, replanted in debris’).
Metal music has long been characterised by underdog status, so to have a record that reflects these qualities in such a meaningful way is incredibly powerful. That it’s been made by a band for whom this act of creation is in itself an act of rebellion adds to that potency.
These qualities would be undermined, of course, if the music being presented didn’t have the requisite clout. Thankfully, Duél is unsparing in its intensity, with its superb and scorching title track reminding us that when it’s good vs. evil, you can’t be a neutral bystander (‘Barrel to barrel, pick a side’). We pick Jinjer’s side. So should you.
Verdict: 4/5
For fans of: Gojira, Spiritbox, Trivium
Duél is released on February 7 via Napalm
