As pertinent as the violence affecting Palestine may be, we must remember that it was only so long ago that Russia invaded Ukraine, forcing those who were not initially targeted to flee. Among those who got out of Dodge were Tatiana Shmayluk, vocalist for Jinjer, and it is those struggles amidst all hell breaking loose that have informed the band's fifth studio album Duél. Battles with her sobriety, her anxiety, and her own image of herself are the pen to the paper of the eleven songs on the disc, with the djent-laden brutality and technicality of the rhythm section serving as the illustrative backdrop for the whole affair.
From the first notes of “Tantrum,” the first foray of the disc, things are frantic. Immediately I was reminded of songs like “As The Palaces Burn” by Lamb of God, one of the leading forces in American groove metal. The bass guitar tone of Eugene Abdukhanov evokes players like Mudvayne's Ryan Martinie in the choruses especially, with popping and chords abound. These comparisons aren't to slight the band, but rather to highlight an amalgamation of influences and nods made, while making something entirely fresh. There are moments of uneasy beauty and glorious pummelling all over the record, and the blending of these is crucial to its success.
Among the most emotionally resonant of the songs is “Green Serpent,” written about Shmayluk's struggles with sobriety. In an interview with REVOLVER, she talks about the need to lay off the alcohol before someone got seriously hurt, alluding to Franz Kafka's The Trial as an allegory for such a nightmare scenario. The track is eerily melodic, with Tati exploring the full breadth of her vocal range. This sense of melody continues on the fittingly-named “Kafka,” which carries with it a swaying harmony and airtight groove. Putting these tracks one after another was a wise choice.
Perhaps the most aggressive among them is “Fast Draw,” with some of the fieriest of fretboard work on display by guitarist Roman Ibramkhalilov, not to mention a crowd-killer of a breakdown at the end. Immediately following is the power ballad “Someone's Daughter,” perhaps the most accessible song on the album in terms of streamlined melody without sacrificing integrity.
In the aforementioned REVOLVER piece, Shmayluk talks about her screams as “another instrument,” contrasting them with “a girl in a horror movie.” It is in this statement where the power of her presence shines. She is able to harness her ability as needed, approaching the music with a scalpel rather than a butcher knife. It is with this surgical demeanor that Jinjer succeeds, and where Duél ascends to one of the strongest releases of 2025. Drawing from the wide range of tools on their work surface, Jinjer craft a compelling listen, and an album that demands to be taken in again and again.
Duél is available now via Napalm Records.
