We have to come clean – in the very beginning the live combo of AMORPHIS + SOILWORK + JINJER + NAILED TO OBSCURITY seemed a bit odd. Quite odd, actually. Apart from the four bands being legitimately loud and professionally metal, it was easier to point out the huge differences between them, rather than list any similarities.

 

In the end, all our concerns proved to be quite pointless. This gig was a smash mainly due to the fact that these bands come from different places (both musically and geographically) and have a very, very different history (AMORPHIS are formed way back in 1990, while JINJER started some 6 years ago). On top of that, stylistic variations and the differences in stage style and presence actually added to this great, 6-hour (yup, six hours straight!) concert experience.

The best thing about these 360 minutes of pretty much nonstop live music is the space and time every band on the bill is granted – even though AMORPHIS and SOILWORK are clearly the headliners, NAILED TO OBSCURITY and JINJER don’t have to rush and both play nice, long-enough sets.

 

Like Moldavians INFECTED RAIN, Ukrainians JINJER stick tightly to the “nasty alt metal + very beautiful and very beautiful frontwoman” formula. Despite their relatively short history, JINJER are already seasoned musicians that know how to grab the attention of the audience with vocalist TATIANA SHMAILYUK (minus traditional dreadlocks) totally dominates the stage. The hall is already packed with people sporting JINJER t-shirts and singing along with the tracks and the whole show looks spectacular even to grumpy old farts that aren’t likely to listen to this type of music in their own time.