JINJER album for reviewsJINJER
Duél
Napalm Records

Duél” has got to be one of the most eagerly anticipated albums of 2025, as year-on-year JINJER’s fan base and reputation across the metal world continues to grow exponentially. JINJER don’t ever follow the official metal handbook when it comes to musical creativity as they always choose to carve out their own unique path, or in this case, shoot their way through all guns blazing armed with a pair of duelling pistols!

JINJER have definitely thrown down the gauntlet here with “Duél” offering up a mighty challenge to all their biggest rivals in this very competitive genre. If you dig the modern sound of metal, then there is something within “Duél” for you to enjoy every time you spin it. Every single song on “Duél” fits in perfectly with its individual track name, no need for any explanations here as it is what it is in the world according to JINJER!

Hard punching screamers like “Rogue” and “A Tongue So Sly” are packed full of aggression, striking fast and hard before biting down with total killing precision whilst the aptly named “Tumbleweed” rolls in slowly on a dark and heavy chugging riff before blowing up a real storm.

Poles apart track “Hedonist” moves with complete ease sandwiched somewhere in between the brutally extreme and something much more submissive. The often-coined phrase to throw a “Tantrum” is spot on when describing the banging tune of the same name where complete anarchy and pandemonium breaks loose for a destructively short while as Tatiana completely smashes up the place before things eventually quieten down.

Dark Bile” is just that. It’s grim and it’s guttural as it spews forth from the deepest bowels of hell in a completely opposing direction to “Kafka”, which is so much gentler on the ears with some lovely clean vocals demonstrating the silkier and softer side to Tatiana’s vocal capabilities.

Gunslinging track “Fast Draw” is just what you’d expect from its handle. It’s a flat out pedal to the metal tune that fits very neatly alongside sister song and title track “Duél” where the pace runs equally as hot at times with occasional injections of paralyzing venom slamming the brakes on intermittently.

The fire breathing “Green Serpent” burns all in its wake along with beautiful moments of hypnotic charm whilst working magically hand in hand with “Someone’s Daughter” which really stretches Tatiana’s vocal capabilities to their absolute max.

By completely tearing up the rule book yet again whilst flexing all their musical muscle and prowess, “Duél” has allowed JINJER to enhance their metal credentials even further. “Duél” really does show just how far they have come in a relatively short time and long may it continue.

Don’t get me wrong, “Duél” does have its more sedentary moments at times, but overall this album slaps harder than a protagonist’s leather glove. “Duél” is a dukes up totally uncompromising assault on your ears that will bring a grin to your face fatter than any of JINJER’s rivals now bloodied lips. Not for the shy or feint hearted, but almost certainly one for your 2025 playlist. Recommended!

Mark Waight