Following the release of their fifth studio album, Duél, earlier this year, Ukrainian metalcore-tet (see what I did there?) Jinjer are in the midst of an extensive North American tour in support of the record. The 37-date run kicked off north of the border in Canada before arriving at New York City’s Times Square Palladium late last week. Joining Jinjer on the trek are Entheos, with Crystal Lake providing additional support on select dates, including the New York stop.
A true testament to the fact that Times Square Palladium is literally underground, it was sunny when I walked into the venue. By the time a fellow photographer arrived a short while later, however, all hell had broken loose outside courtesy of a severe thunderstorm. You’d never know the difference when you’re down there – your bearings are only found by immersion in the music. But I digress.
CRYSTAL LAKE
Hailing from the opposite end of the globe, Japanese metalcore outfit Crystal Lake brought an electricity that rivaled the storm outside, unleashing a downpour of chugging riffs and guttural growls. The music was thrashing but the stage lights still, favoring darkness over lighting production to better align with the tone of the tunes. It made shooting the performance more challenging, but enjoying the music couldn’t have been easier.
Volumes/Fire From the Gods vocalist Myke Terry did an amazing job filling in as guest vocalist for the Crystal Lake, and the band’s overall performance was fantastic. I tend to know my impending fanship based on how strong my desire is to make my way to a band’s merch table, and that’s the first place I visited the moment the set was done.
ENTHEOS
Continuing the chaos next was Entheos. Fronted by vocal powerhouse Chaney Crabb, the band’s stage lighting was just as dark as Crystal Lake’s, while the music itself ventured into even darker territory. Crabb had the crowd in the palm of her hand, their arms swaying in unison as she sang. Entheos’ set included their newest single, Empty on the Inside, along with tracks from their most recent album and EP.
JINJER
Jinjer brought us home with an epic set that showcased the quartet’s individual talents as well as the power of the sum of their parts. Frontwoman Tatiana Shmayluk’s vocal prowess is equal parts Jekyll and Hyde – her clean vocals are poetic, angelic, classically worthy of appreciation, while her screams are demonically brutal in the most beautiful way.
The band played with passionate delivery, the stage coming alive with bright and saturated stage light production which, in addition to looking awesome, made for a much more comfortable photo experience
Jinjer’s tour is just getting started with plenty of dates ahead, i.e. plenty of opportunities to catch this awesome lineup yourself. Check out the band’s tour page for the full dates as well as tickets.
