You don’t always hear a lot of bands coming out of the Ukraine but one such band has been making a name for themselves, exploding onto the global metal scene. Jinjer are not necessarily unique in it’s idea, their prog metal style with a female voice combining melody and brutal growls having become something a little more familiar and accepted these days but it’s the way they deliver those elements together with some tasteful grooves that make this band stand out. Their latest release is their second EP “Micro” and while it’s relatively short within it’s tracklist, it will certainly make an impact for first time listeners as well as give existing fans something to sink their teeth into ahead of their next full length.
Starting off with the lead single “Ape“, those familiar with the band will recognise their emerging signature sound. There’s no hesitation here as it unleashes a burst of growls from lead singer Tatiana Shmailyuk with some brutal prog based riffs. The melodic side which the band and the singer are now heavily known for in it’s widely enthusiastic contrast comes off mesmerisingly fresh here and not overly redundant as can happen in a lot of prog bands. There’s a slight uncomfortability in this song’s vibe too which gives an uneasiness overall and that’s what makes this a fun listen.
“Dreadful Moments” follows thereafter and there’s lots of tasty grooves to be found here, the band not willing to rest on the solid opener alone. Odd time signatures and strong dynamics, all familiar elements of progressive music can be found here but what seperates this song from that familiarity is the lounge act mood driven by Tatiana’s melodic voice which results in a somewhat darker tone. Midway things step up a notch by going off the rails completely into a full musical dimentia, again showcasing the band’s ability to move seamlessly between heavy and melodic.
“Teacher, Teacher!” continues the dynamic prog theme with even bigger leaps between the two sides of the band’s core sound. Blast beats, intricate grooves, hooky parts all add to another well rounded track. At this point the band takes a little dive into other territories with “Perennial” being a little harder to get into. There’s some truly shining moments during the more heavier parts and some soaring vocals once again from Tatiana but this one does slide down a little in comparison to the previous tracks.
Rounding out the EP is the title track and again, very different to what’s on offer so far. It’s an instrumental number with acoustic sounds and a tribalistic almost euphoric ambience coming from this very short number. It’s a little reminiscent of Black Sabbath’s “Planet Caravan” in some respect and like that one, ends this release on a vastly different note to the opener.
For prog fans only hearing about Jinjer now, this EP is a good way to get into the band but for established followers, it’s probably time to see a full length soon.
TRACKLIST
Ape
Dreadful Moments
Teacher, Teacher!
Perennial
Micro
