Jinjer in Tokyo
Ukrainian modern prog metal band Jinjer got Tokyo dancing.
Jinjer at Akabane ReNy Alpha, Kita, Tokyo, Japan on 12th February 2025
Modern progressive metal band Jinjer performed on stage in Tokyo mere days after their fantastic new album “Duél“ came out. With such an excellent new album, my expectations were sky-high. Jinjer were not as good as I had hoped. They were much better!
The two Japanese opening acts did a fine job getting the audience warmed up. Nimbus’ set was overflowing with high-energy metalcore. Then followed an equally energetic set by Jiluka, a band combining a visual kei look with metalcore music. Weird and wonderful.
Jinjer opened with a trio of excellent older songs – “Just Another”, “Sit Stay Roll Over” and “Teacher, Teacher!” – before they dived into “First Draw”, the first of six songs from the just-released “Duél” album performed this evening. The fact that they played six songs from the new album shows how good “Duél” is. The album has taken this band to a new higher level. (Read our album review here!) Picking out my favourite songs from a show this solid is almost pointless, but “Kafka” was certainly a peak in the show for me. This was terrific from start to finish. A packed venue in the Tokyo suburb of Akabane loved every minute of the show.
This evening, Jinjer’s members perfectly delivered their trademark twist-and-turn metal of the best kind. Tatiana Shmayluk is not only a terrific vocalist who combines beautiful clean vocals with harsh growling. She also proved she is an excellent entertainer on stage. Guitarist Roman Ibramkhalilov and drummer Vladislav Ulasevich were top-notch. To me, bassist Eugene Abdukhanov stood out with his five-stringed bass. His approach to playing his instrument is more prog rock and jazz than metal. His bass playing plays a key role in Jinjer’s music.
The live show was nearly flawless. They got Tokyo dancing. There were circle pits and crowd surfing. Someone lost a shoe while surfing but didn’t care as they were so into the music. Jinjer finished a great evening by performing their most popular song, “Pisces”. It was a predictable but excellent way to end the show.
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