Duél is Jinjer at their most relentless. Heavier, groovier, and more complex than anything they’ve done before, the album pushes every element of their sound to the edge—and then further. Any notion of the band softening or selling out vanishes by the time track one hits. This is modern progressive metal at its fiercest.
Tatiana Shmailyuk’s vocals remain the focal point. She’s a force of nature—fury and elegance intertwined, switching from seductive melodies to guttural roars in an instant. The production keeps her voice front and center, offering a raw, human touch that contrasts with the cold precision of the instrumentation. But this isn’t a one-woman show: the entire band shines, with razor-sharp performances and intricate compositions that feel purposeful, not stitched together from technical showcases.
Max Morton’s production is crucial to Duéls success. A longtime collaborator, Morton knows exactly how to balance Jinjer’s technical ferocity with their melodic tendencies. His precision ensures every instrument cuts through the mix without losing its human edge. The result is an album that sounds massive without feeling sterile—complex but always visceral.
The album thrives on dynamics and unconventional song structures. Tantrum lives up to its name, unleashing chaos before veering into a near-funky groove. Hedonist rides the fine line between prog, heavy, and groove metal, with an exotic vocal line weaving through Nu-Metal riffage. Then Rogue arrives—a full-speed assault tailor-made for the pit.
When the pace slows, Jinjer trades brutality for tension without sacrificing power. Tumbleweed is a masterclass in restraint, with pummeling drums under delicate melodies, building to devastatingly heavy peaks. Kafka begins deceptively slow, only to erupt into pure death metal rage. Someone’s Daughter starts as a slow burn before hitting harder than expected.
At their most adventurous, Jinjer blurs genres entirely. Green Serpent opens in a psychedelic haze, its soaring melodies giving way to crushing riffs where clean and harsh vocals collide in beautiful violence. Dark Bile is full of serpentine riffs and mid-tempo groove, with sudden blast-beat bursts keeping listeners on edge. Meanwhile, Fast Draw delivers pure punishment, riding a hardcore backbone into chaotic breakdowns.
Tracks like A Tongue So Sly fuse the band’s progressive instincts with ferocious energy. It opens with clean vocals before plunging into death growls and kinetic thrash riffs. Melody, aggression, and complexity merge into one seamless barrage of sound. The slower ending keeps things just as heavy, proving that Jinjer’s sense of structure is just as powerful as their technical prowess.
For a progressive metal band, Duél refuses to fall into the trap of self-indulgence. The compositions are tight, dynamic, and always moving forward—true progressive music, not a patchwork of technical exercises. Despite the virtuosity, nothing feels like showing off. Every riff, every beat, every scream has a purpose.
Jinjer’s anger feels especially real here. Coming from Ukraine, their music is forged in adversity, no doubt fueled by the chaos surrounding them. It gives Duél a sense of urgency that’s impossible to fake.
It’s another massive step in their rise to the top of the metal world. Slava Ukraini.
Release date: February 7, 2025
Produced by: Max Morton
Label: Napalm Records
Rating: 8/10
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