It is always a good sign when you see moody ticket touters outside the venue. The O2 Forum Kentish Town was packed for the Jinjer Duél tour and with good reason.
Jinjer
O2 Forum Kentish Town – 31 January 2026
Words: Theo A-Mullis
Photography: Robert Sutton
Inside, the crowd had been sent into a fervour by roaring Metalcore support acts Textures and Unprocessed. Pits were in full force, and Unprocessed got a brutal wall of death going, high praise from the crowd.
So, anticipation buzzed and sparked through the packed venue until the moment Jinjer screamed onto the stage.
The first thing that struck me as they dove into Duél, frontwoman Tatiana Shmayluk replete in what looked like a traditional Ukrainian dress, was the visuals. They were stunning.
In line with Jinjer’s themes, they repeated images reminiscent of conflict, authoritarianism, and a yearning for freedom, but with an artistic flair that really stood out.
Smirking, Tatiana suggested we get a glass of wine for the next track, Green Serpent. This sounded like a solid idea, but the execution would be a problem as I was slap bang in the pit, surrounded by the joyful, the chaotic and the sweaty.
That is what made this gig for me. Jinjer manage to strike a balance between joy and defiance with unbridled energy and musicianship. Their music and their live shows say important things: railing against the horrors of war, injustice, misogyny and tyranny without being sanctimonious. That is a difficult thing to do, and they do it well.
Judgement (& Punishment) was another standout visually and musically. The image of gavels slamming down behind Tatiana, as if from some faceless, indiscriminate machine, complemented the track perfectly.
J&P also represents what Jinjer do really well. Tatiana’s vocal range, from shredding roars to clean highs and even reggae tones, is evident throughout the track. It is one thing to be able to get all of that clean in a studio album, quite another to do it live. But she pulls it off without a hitch.
As you would expect for an album tour, Duél features heavily, with half of the set coming from the album. This is no bad thing. Someone’s Daughter, preceded by a call from Tatiana for all the women in the room to make themselves known, was a real highlight.
The intransigence of the song cut through the crowd, highlighted again by excellent visuals. A female figure in full plate armour through fields of barbed wire and roses, the wire forming into other figures, reaching for the flowers. It is impossible to miss the messaging here.
Rogue followed with what can only be described as an explosive punch to the gut, led by chunking bass and rolling, rapid drums. The lyrics, with their themes of corruption, blind obedience and the abuse of power, cannot be separated from the musical detonation of this track and hearing it live is a visceral and emotional experience, especially if you have experienced the wages of these plights.
Jinjer are one of the few bands from Ukraine that can tour at the moment, due to the imperialist invasion from Russia. Their country is fighting for its life, its freedom. Their music reflects much of that experience, and I could feel that there in the pit in London.
It must be said, though, that they are much more than their home country, as Ukraine is so, so much more than a country at war. If you ever get the chance to go there, then I highly recommend you do.
From the beauty of the Carpathians to the streets of Kyiv (especially Podil, my favourite area), it is a wonderful place that deserves all our support and friendship. As this is a Metal magazine, I have to add that the Metal scene is really solid and, of course, Jinjer stand at the top.
An old favourite, Pisces, followed as Tatiana said her goodbyes, knowingly smirking. Of course, this was not quite the case. They were soon back with crowd favourite Sit Stay Roll Over for a shredding, screaming encore that left the crowd exhausted and buzzing as the show closed out.
A hell of a night. Given the quality, energy and authenticity of this show, I can see them going from strength to strength for years to come. If you can grab yourself a ticket, then do so.
