ALBUM REVIEW: Macro – Jinjer
Ukrainian outfit JINJER have been riding a wave of momentum as of late. Their live session video of Pisces currents sits on 27 million views on YouTube and after packing The Dogtooth Stage way beyond its capacity at this year’s Download Festival, it’s fair to say that the Ukrainian metallers are all at full speed ahead on the hype train. Whilst the initial exploded largely thanks to reaction videos to the aforementioned Pisces video, the quartet have displayed enough talent across their back catalogue to show that they are far more than just a flash in the pan. Now, intending to capitalise on their soaring momentum, comes album number four; Macro.
Arriving in the same year as their Micro EP, Macro feels like a continuation of where JINJER are developing their sound and across the album’s nine tracks, the quartet display an expansive and progressive sound that shape-shifts in mood and feeling. On The Top kicks the record off in emphatic style as dissonant riffwork from guitarist Roman Ibramkhalilov and bassist Eugene Abdukhanov acts as the base whilst Tatiana Shmailyuk dispatches her trademark Jekyll and Hyde style of vocals, switching from guttural snarls to soaring cleans so effectively, it’s easy to assume that there are two vocalist rather than one. A strong opening to the record.
As the album unfolds, it becomes increasingly apparent that JINJER are gunning for the throat as they ebb and flow from moments of sheer monumental heaviness to passages of clean and calming bliss. Pit of Consciousness boasts some neat intricate guitarplay that allows Tatiana‘s angelic cleans to hit the sweet spot before subsiding into some dense movements of heaviness, Retrospection‘s dynamic time signature changes keeps you on your toes as you are blasted with bout after bout of heavy riffing and on Pausing Death, Tatiana combines wonderfully well with drummer Vladislav Ulasevish to create a passage of play that raises the airs on the back of your neck.
For a band who are progressive in nature, it wouldn’t be surprising to see experimentation and development on their new effort and there is one moment in particular where JINJER break the mould of their typical progressive and groove-orientated sound and that is Judgement (& Punishment). Here, the band utilise an reggae approach as Tatiana demonstrates a side to her vocals we’ve previously never heard before and it works a treat to the intoxicating bass lines from Abdukhanov. It’s an experimentation that pays dividends.
Macro does a lot of things right but this album is without its shortcomings. There are times where the band’s progressive-leaning metal comes across as bland rather forgettable. Noah‘s crunching grooves keep the heaviness of their sound ramped up to the max but Tatiana‘s vocals in the chorus don’t connect as well as they probably should and Home Back is largely forgettable; save for an interesting display of vocal work in the track’s mellower section.
Often when bands find themselves the product of a swirling mass of hype, they fail to deliver upon the promise as the result of the immense pressure. With Macro, JINJER have certainly done more than enough to keep their momentum marching forwards and where the record connects, it does so oh so sweetly. Whilst it certainly isn’t a perfect record, those who buy into the hype will certainly not be disappointed.
Rating: 7/10
Macro is out now via Napalm Records.
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