JINJER: A Futuristic Warrior and a Band from Another Planet
26.09.2026
Gasometer, Vienna
I first saw Jinjer in 2021. Five years later, at Vienna’s Gasometer, the progress is huge.
And what makes it even more impressive is that we’re talking about the same four musicians. Tatiana Shmayluk, Roman Ibramkhalilov, Eugene Abdukhanov and Vlad Ulasevich have been playing together for years, and by now you can see it in every minute they spend on stage. They’re not simply four exceptional musicians. They’re a band that functions as one organism.
And, of course, at the centre of this storm is Tatiana Shmayluk.
Tati no longer needs to prove to anyone what she can do vocally. Her growls hit you straight in the chest, her cleans are equally impressive, and the way she switches between the two looks almost ridiculously effortless.
What impressed me even more this time, though, was her overall stage presence. She isn’t simply Jinjer’s vocalist. She takes over the stage and makes it hers from the very first moment. And somewhere around there, you start thinking that you really wouldn’t want to be the one who has to walk onto that stage after Tati.
The entire Gasometer was left staring during the first few minutes of her appearance: a futuristic warrior, in a striking silver outfit resembling metallic armour, with a matching headpiece and long braids. Whoever is responsible for Tati’s stage outfits deserves a raise. When that silver caught the stage lights, the effect was otherworldly. I simply couldn’t take my eyes off her.
Photostory:
TATI
But Jinjer are not “Tati and the others”, and live, that becomes even more obvious. Roman Ibramkhalilov carries the entire guitar weight of the band on his own, while behind the drums Vlad Ulasevich somehow makes even the most complicated parts look almost easy. And then there’s Eugene Abdukhanov. What a bass. It never hides behind the guitars; it has its own voice, its own space, and live you can feel it through your entire body. Together, Eugene and Vlad create an addictive groove that swept through the whole Gasometer. At times, the crowd was absolutely insane: mosh pits, crowdsurfing and an energy that kept building as the set went on.
And thankfully, the sound was excellent — a major achievement by the sound techs, considering that Gasometer isn’t exactly famous for its sound. Heavy and clear, with enough space to actually hear what every musician was doing, which is particularly important with a band like Jinjer.
For me, though, there was one defining image of the night: Green Serpent. Green lights swallowing the entire stage, Tati right in the middle of it, and the song sounding absolutely massive. One of those moments that doesn’t really need an explanation or analysis. You just stand there and think: yeah. This.
Video:
GREEN SERPENT
Setlist
Perennial
Pit of Consciousness
Green Serpent
Call Me a Symbol
Vortex
I Speak Astronomy
Someone’s Daughter
Judgement (& Punishment)
Pisces
Duél
Ten songs, no unnecessary breathing room, with the newer material standing comfortably alongside tracks that have already become classics for their audience.
I saw them in 2021. I saw them again in 2026. And what stayed with me most from this night was just how much they have grown as a live band over those five years. Tight, commanding and completely confident on stage, without losing a single bit of the raw energy that made them Jinjer in the first place.
A performance that will stay in my head for a very long time.
