Jinjer Shakes Things Up in Toronto on North America Tour

Ukrainian prog metal band Jinjer gave an unforgettable performance at their first Canada stop on their North American tour. Powerful vocals from Tatiana Shmayluk, thundering bass lines from Alexander Koziychuk, earth shattering drum beats and fills from Vlayislav Ulasevish and intricate guitar work courtesy of Roman Ibramkhalilov made for a show that could have caused an earthquake with how loud it was. Couple that with amazing support from HANABIE. and Born of Osiris, and you have yourselves an unforgettable show at one of Toronto's oldest venues, the Danforth Music Hall.

First to lay the groundwork for the earth shaking night was Born of Osiris, a progressive metalcore from Chicago, Illinois. Born of Osiris was a great opener thanks to the efforts of lead vocalist Ronnie Canizaro, lead guitarist/backing vocalist Lee McKinney, bassist/rhythm guitarist/keyboardist Nick Rossi, and drummer Cameron Losch. And of course, no one is allowed to forget the lighting team who put on quite the light show to go along with the hurried pace of their songs. The strobing lights may have caused a headache for some, but the intermittent flashes of bright light mirrored the chaotic sound of Born of Osiris, immersing the audience in their performance and preparing them for the second opener of the night.

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When the lights went dim in preparation for the second opener, not many people would have expected four girls in brightly coloured costumes and high pitched voices to run out and throw down some nasty metal beats. HANABIE., a Japanese metal girl band shocked the audience with the sheer contrast between sound and style. Vocalist and screamer Yukina sported a cute, dainty look, and even her voice was high pitched. But don't let that fool you, this isn't your normal J-pop idol. Her screams were a perfect blend with the lower voice and powerful shreds from guitarist and vocalist Matsuri. The rhythm section with bassist Hettsu and drummer Chika rounded out the songs with bass lines and drum fills that were louder than hell.

A nine song setlist would give these girls enough time to bring up the crowd's energy in preparation for the headliners, and they did so with songs ranging from the metal anime-esque songs of OTAKU Lovely Densetsu and NEET GAME, all the way to their less electronic songs like Tales of Villain, Metamorphose, and Kotoshi Koso Gal (Be the Gal). They would end strong on Osaki ni Shitsurei Shimasu, and by that time, the crowd was thoroughly impressed with HANABIE. and ready for what the headliners were going to bring to the Danforth Music Hall.

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Finally, shortly after nine, the lights would go dim and the back screens would light up, and the four members of Jinjer would walk out in succession. They spared no time and dove headfirst into their first song of the night, Just Another. Right off the bat, Ulasevish's drum beats shook the bones of every body in the venue, and Ibramkhalilov's chugging guitar riffs only amplified the feeling that the venue would collapse from the sheer vibrations Jinjer brought forth.

Shmayluk's vocals were not something to take lightly either. She was able to bring forward beautifully smooth melodies that soothed all our ears, but wait for the right moments, and she brought out some of the best metal vocals of our time. All while making it look effortless. A spotless performance of Sit Stay Roll Over was followed by Ape and Retrospection.

The next song to be performed was one released in August, Someone's Daughter. Desperate lyrics and choruses contrasted the angry screams in the middle of the song, and hurried bass, guitar riffs and drum fills all contributed to the distressed plight of a narrator forced to fight battles she didn't ask for. Shmayluk's voice matched every tone perfectly; they didn't sound any different than the professional recording of the song. More intense songs would follow, such as Wallflower, Pit of Consciousness and Perennial. The bass and drums shook the ground while heavy guitar riffs travelled through the air and bounced off the rounded walls of the venue.

In between songs, the band greeted their Toronto crowd, expressing how excited they were to be in Canada. Shmayluk said that Toronto deserved a place at the top of the map. Before playing their newest song, Rogue, she warned the crowd that the song was "new and controversial". That warning seemed to fall on deaf ears since the crowd had no shame in dancing, jumping and moshing to Jinjer's newest song.

The set came to a close with a solid three song lineup after Rogue: On The Top, Call Me a Symbol and they closed on the ever powerful Dead Hands Feel No Pain. Jinjer bid the crowd goodbye, but Toronto hadn't gotten enough of their bone rattling music just yet and called for an encore. The band returned to the stage to perform one final song for the night, the five minute song, Vortex. The song was so loud and intricate, it was truly a shock that the roof of the Danforth Music Hall wasn't blown right off. After a blazing finish to Vortex, Jinjer bid their Torontonian crowd goodbye with huge smiles, and leaving that positive energy with their dispersing crowd.