Jinjer

Jinjer
Jinjer performing live in 2019 (L-R: Roman Ibramkhalilov, Tatiana Shmailyuk, Vladislav Ulasevich, Eugene Abdukhanov)
Background information
Origin	Donetsk, Ukraine
Genres	Metalcore[1] progressive metal[2] djent
Years active	2009–present
Labels	Napalm[3] The Leaders
Website	jinjer-metal.com
Members	Tatiana Shmailyuk Roman Ibramkhalilov Eugene Abdukhanov Vladislav Ulasevich
Past members	Dmitriy Oksen Maksym Fatullaiev Vyacheslav Okhrimenko Oleksandr Koziychuk Yevhen Mantulin Dmitriy Kim

Jinjer (/ˈdʒɪndʒə/ "ginger") is a Ukrainian metalcore band from Donetsk. Jinjer was originally formed in 2009 by Maksym Fatullaiev (vocals), Dmitriy Oksen (rhythm guitar), and Vyacheslav Okhrimenko (drums). However, the band considers 2010 as its official year of formation when Tatiana Shmailyuk replaced Fatullaiev on vocals and Roman Ibramkhalilov was picked up for the lead guitar.^[4] Since their inception, the band has released four full-length albums, three EPs and one live album.

History

The band was still trying to develop and cultivate their sound until bassist Eugene Abdukhanov joined in mid-2011.^[5] They released their EP, Inhale, Do Not Breathe in 2012; the band's first recording with new singer Tatiana Shmailyuk and lead guitarists Roman Ibramkhalilov. Following its release, Jinjer began relentlessly touring throughout the year on their own funds.^[6] They were eventually noticed by The Leaders Records at the end of 2012, and Inhale, Don't Breathe, was officially re-released in 2013, now in full-length album format, extended by including three live versions of their songs. The band also gained prominence in part from winning the "Best Ukrainian Metal Act" award held by Kyiv's InshaMuzyka label in 2013; they would go on to win the award again in 2016.

Following their debut, the band quickly wrote another album, self-releasing it in 2014 under the title Cloud Factory. This would later be picked up and released by their current record label, Napalm Records.^[7] Jinjer began touring internationally with the album, personally booking their own shows.^[4] They eventually signed with Napalm Records.

After several tours around the world, they released their second full-length album, King of Everything, with Napalm Records in 2016 along with their single (and video) "Pisces". The album and single were pivotal points in Jinjer's musical career. The music video for the single has gone viral and spawned dozens of reaction videos on YouTube, largely due to Shmailyuk's sudden switches in singing style; the band themselves has expressed ambivalence about the popularity of the video.^[8] In 2021 Metal Hammer included "Pisces" at No. 74 in their list of "The 100 greatest metal songs of the 21st century".^[9]

Along with winning the award for best music video for the song "I Speak Astronomy",^[10] the attention on the band paved the way for the release of King of Everything and the new single "Pisces" on 29 July 2016.^[11] In 2017, the band committed to two tours across Europe in support of Arch Enemy,^[12] followed by their first tour of North America alongside Cradle of Filth in 2018. The band also reissued their 2014 album Cloud Factory on Napalm Records in February 2018.^[13] By end of September 2018 Jinjer was listed in position 9 in the Next Big Sound Artist Chart by Billboard.^[14]

They released their new five-track EP Micro on 11 January 2019,^[15] still with Napalm Records. In early 2019 they toured with Amorphis, Soilwork, and Nailed to Obscurity.^[16]

Later in 2019, Jinjer followed up their EP Micro with their third full-length album, Macro, on 25 October 2019,^[17] still with Napalm Records. Jinjer has continued to include several different elements in their music, such as reggae, in the track "Judgement(& Punishment)", as well as sticking to their prog-like roots in other tracks.^[18] Loudwire named it one of the 50 best metal albums of 2019.^[19]

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic Jinjer were forced to postpone events taking place in 2020 and early 2021, such as their tours in Latin America.^[20] The band released their first full live album, Alive in Melbourne, on 20 November 2020, streaming the whole album online on release day.^[21] They started recording their fourth album in March 2021 at Kaska Records Studios in Kyiv, the same studio where their previous albums were recorded.^[22] Their fourth album, Wallflowers, was released on 27 August 2021.^[23]

Musical style and influences

The band has mentioned many of their influences for their music, including Guano Apes, Slayer, Death, Pantera, Anathema, Lamb of God, Gojira, and Twelve Foot Ninja.^[24][25] While explaining their influences, the band have noted other metal acts like Opeth, Karnivool and Textures, in addition to groups across the spectrum of R&B, soul, funk, jazz, reggae,^[26] and hip-hop acts such as Cypress Hill and House of Pain.^[25]

They have been commonly^{[by whom?]} described as a progressive metalcore band with influences from many genres such as the previously mentioned R&B, soul, funk, jazz, reggae,^[26] groove metal^[27] and djent. These sounds are combined or played in different parts of a song creating a stark contrast between the styles.^[28][29] Since the departure of guitarist Dmitry Oksen, Eugene Abdukhanov has played a five-string bass guitar to create different effects.^[30]

Members

• Jinjer performing at Wacken 2019
• 

  Vocalist Tatiana Shmailyuk

• 

  Guitarist Roman Ibramkhalilov

• 

  Bassist Eugene Abdukhanov

• 

  Drummer Vladislav Ulasevich

Timeline

Discography

Studio albums

• Cloud Factory (2014, re-released in 2018)
• King of Everything (2016)
• Macro (2019)
• Wallflowers (2021)

EPs

• Objects in Mirror Are Closer than They Appear (2009)
• Inhale, Do Not Breathe (2012, re-released in 2013)
• Micro (2019)

Live albums

• Alive in Melbourne (2020)

References