Review: Jinjer @ Hindley Street Music Hall 26/02/25
Here’s our take on Jinjer’s incredible sold-out Hindley Street Music Hall show that left faces melted.
Words by Will Oakeshott // Images by Vincent Shaw
Jinjer w/Kittie @ Hindley Street Music Hall 26/02/25
“This is about the situation in Ukraine in particular, but it’s also about any situation brought about by bloodthirsty rulers – those that were, those that are here today, and those that are coming in the future. People are greedy for power. It’s dedicated to all the bloodthirsty kings that cause such horror. Your destiny is in someone else’s hands. Sadly, I don’t think it’s something that can be changed, at least not in the nearest future. But there is always hope. As we always say, hope dies last.”
This is how vocalist and humanitarian Tatiana Shmayluk described Jinjer’s song ‘Rogue’ to KERRANG! journalist Steve Beebee in February 2025. The composition is the third track from the band’s newly released and critically acclaimed fifth album entitled Duél. What is most striking though, is just how eerily reflective this lyrical insight is of the world we currently live in now. For example: The situation in the Ukraine is still fearsome and distressing, the Trump administration and its questionable “unprecedented” actions (history has some intriguingly unsettling parallels), the Israel-Palestine conflict – the list is growing and becoming more daunting.
However, as Shmayluk flawlessly emphasises: “There is always hope. As we always say, hope dies last.” On this night at a sold-out Hindley Street Music Hall, the monumental live metal music of both acts kept all hope ALIVE.
Canada’s long-serving nu-melodic death metal quartet Kittie were responsible for inciting unhindered chaos in Adelaide, and they executed this role bewitchingly. An hour-long wait after the doors had opened amplified the tension immensely (granted the gargantuan line to enter the venue probably required this), when suddenly darkness overtook the hall and the simple yet sensational six-letter word “Kittie” lit up the backdrop with an awe-inspiring artistic image motivated by Wiccan culture. Deafening screams ensued and four HERoic musicians gracefully glided onto the stage to begin their ceremonial spectacle.
‘Fire’ set the ritual ablaze and vocalist/guitarist Morgan Lander screeched to superhuman levels demanding everyone’s attention, and it was beyond compelling. A moshpit upsurged and the jazzy fingers fluttered throughout the audience when lead guitarist Tara McLeod delightfully delivered her prestigious solo.
The thrashtastic ‘I’ve Failed You’ escalated the energy of everything and the groove of ‘Cut Throat’ moved the onlookers in a remarkable rocking fashion, until the track intensified and the devotees became a landslide of erraticism. Morgan’s switch between spirited screaming to majestic vocal melodies was undeniably breathtaking. Her voice hit new phenomenal territories with the nu metal driver ‘Spit’, and never has the term “COWARD” hit with such fantastic ferocity in this hall.
“We fucking love you!” An exhilarated fan shouted from the dance floor. “We fucking love you too!” Morgan replied in heartfelt merriment.
After a brief but authentic apology for being absent from our shores for well over a decade, ‘Eyes Wide Open’ showcased everything Kittie does so well creatively. ‘We Are Shadows’ was clashingly harmonious and thunderous in a brilliant showcase of luminous song-writing; special mention to percussionist extraordinaire Mercedes Lander for amazingly administering bellowing growls and angelic croons while demolishing the drumkit. ‘Mouthful Of Poison’ was terrorific and venomous in the best way possible. ‘Vultures’ exemplified this with a magically modernised vitality and ‘Brackish’ rewound the clock, but showcased a hardcore/nu metal fusion that countless bands could not achieve to this distinction.
‘We Are The Lamb’ was to be the final attack on South Australia from the four-piece and it was the highlight of their knock-over presentation. Elements of Black Sabbath, Satyricon and Nina Strauss all seemed to culminate into this astounding epic and it left the witnesses clawing for more. Here is hoping a headlining tour is in the prophecies of the Oracle.
READ MORE: Review: Amyl and the Sniffers @ Hindley St Music Hall 16/02/25
“Who's in front of me?” Jinjer’s Tatiana Shmayluk growled with conviction at her adoring admirers. It didn’t feel like only Adelaide was listening; it appeared as if the majority of humankind was there supporting these Ukrainian luminaries. This unification of people through music is undoubtedly entrancing.
‘Sit Stay Roll Over’ was a marvel of intensity in which drummer Vladislav “Vladi” Ulasevich shook the earth below with his vicious percussion pulsations. ‘Teacher, Teacher!’ was a djentcore political wonder where Shmayluk embraced her true prowess as a performer, stalking the stage as a radiant lioness. Unquestionably, all the devotees within the building were ecstatic to be her prey.
“Do you like hardcore in your city?” Tatiana asked enthusiastically as the quartet launched into the scintillating breakneck track, ‘Fast Draw’, which possessed an impelling motif. The three screamed and repeated words of “Draw your weapon!”, harboured such immeasurable integrity, that it was honestly above magnetic. ‘Green Serpent’ slowed the procession down with an alt-metal dynamic that ebbed and flowed between sweetness and severity dazzlingly. This is where Roman Ibramkhalilov (guitarist), Eugene Abdukhanov (bassist) and Vladi Ulasevich (drums) glistened in their progressive jazz-core movements and Tatiana Shmayluk enthralled all with her vocal sorcery.
‘Retrospection’ unbelievably enhanced all of this and then ‘On The Top’ provoked the crowd surfers to go over-the-top, driven by the breakdown call and shriek of “No surprise!” ‘Duél’ was an astonishing amalgamation of Lena Hall undergoing a math-metal transformation and ‘I Speak Astronomy’ captured all of these elements with haunting pop-gothic undertones.
‘Someone’s Daughter’ was “for all the ladies” and resoundingly theatrical, ‘Kafka’ was potentially the pinnacle – the lyrical film clip was displayed on the screen behind the band that exhibited a compelling Quentin Tarantino treatment. The song itself is a venture that emotionally paralyses and moves the witnesses in ways that border on indescribable.
‘Perennial’ showcased cinematography in music that very few metal bands can accomplish with this level of refinement, and ‘Rogue’ embraced insanity in a charming counteraction.
The 1,800 people held onto the hope there was to be an encore – their hope was rewarded.
‘Pisces’ instigated havoc – a journey of melody, maliciousness and magnificence. Essentially, what Planet Earth seems to be traversing through right now. Although, on this night, together, we were as one, we held on to hope and maybe soon we can take our ‘Home Back’.
