Live Review: Jinjer – Knitting Factory (Spokane, WA)

Jinjer, the sensational Ukrainian metalcore band from Donetsk, “officially” formed in 2009 but most consider 2010 as its year of formation with all current members joining at, or after that time. They’ve performed in several world tours and released their second full-length album, King of Everything in 2016, which was preceded by the single “Pisces”, the song that for me, was an instant hook into their music. Tatiana’s gentle and rich melodic vocals were a stark contrast to her incredible ability to reach deep low growling and metal screams, transitioning without so much as a hiccup. I was in disbelief the first time I heard that kind of duality from a single person, and that was on top of the band’s already dynamic instrumentals. Based on the comments, It’s an experience I’ve shared with many people, and its a video I’ve revisited probably 20 times since. So when I had the opportunity to write this review and attend the show, it was a no brainer.

The concert was opened by Monuments, a progressive metal band who are well known for tracks, “I, The Creator” and “Regenerate” amongst many other well written and recorded singles. They set the tone for the evening, and brought big energy to the Knitting Factory, an intimate 1600 person capacity venue in the heart of downtown Spokane, WA. They took hold of the nearly sold out venue, and kept onlookers moshing in circles and headbanging their hearts out to the end of their set. In my opinion, the right choice of touring partner for Jinjer. 

Growing up in and performing music myself, I had very high performance expectations going into the headliner of this show, as I always do for live shows in general, but particularly to listen to the duality from “Pisces” that I’d heard on Youtube. I couldn’t wait. I had a sneak peek at the set list and knew when I’d be hearing it, so I turned my attention and my camera briefly to the crowd, who clearly experienced a similar introduction to Jinjer as what I’d experienced. As the intro to “Pisces” resonated through the venue, you could sense the surge of excitement course through the audience, leading to an eruption of cheers and a chorus of voices. If you’re familiar with the song, particularly the moment when Tatiana just absolutely unleashes her deep vocals for the first time, you probably understand the power she flawlessly delivered. It was a performance that sent serious tingles down my spine, and was a mesmerizing display that surpassed all my expectations for the show.

Overall, the show was a metal enthusiast’s dream. Jinjer is a masterclass on how diverse and true to a genre a metal band can be. There were clear jazz, reggae and other music genre moments woven in from their various influences, but never diverting from the reason they were there. Hard-hitting Metal. By the time of the release date of this review, Jinjer’s 2023 Summer tour will be concluded, but if you have the opportunity to attend a show on subsequent tours, definitely put them on your calendar and get your tickets. Its a must see show!

Jinjer has over 250M streams/views across all platforms, and has their latest release “Wallflowers” brought to you by Napalm Records, available everywhere. I would have described their new album but they already have the perfect description here that I will leave you with: 

“WALLFLOWERS is a sonic pressure cooker of technical musicianship, emotional fury and an intense soundtrack befitting the harrowing state of the world today. From the blast beat laden banger COLOSSUS, to the 90s grunge vibe of DISCLOSURE! and dynamically blazing MEDIATOR, to the dark and gloomy psychedelic ride of WALLFLOWER and blistering urgency of tracks such as VORTEX and AS I BOIL ICE. The unbridled heaviness and personality proved to be another standout addition to JINJER’s already widely celebrated catalog, and a new standard for creativity in Modern Metal as a whole.” 

Full Bio Here: http://jinjer-metal.com/bio#full

Thanks for reading. – Aaron

Tatiana Shmayluk – Vocals (2010–present)

Roman Ibramkhalilov – Guitar (2010–present)

Eugene Abdukhanov – Bass (2011–present)

Vladislav Ulasevich – Drums (2016–present)

Supporting Act: Monuments

Stay tuned to Stereofade for more concert reviews, including this one from Paleface Swiss’ concert in Greensboro, NC.