Jinjer

Jinjer is a heavy metal band from Ukraine founded in 2009 in the provincial town of Gorlovka, 40 km from Donetsk. In late 2009, the band went into the studio to record an EP – some of which is still performed live – put it on the Internet, and subsequently split up. Original vocalist Max Fatullaev, engaged in another band, went to the States looking for a better life and the “American dream.” Tatiana Shmayluk was chosen to substitute him.

In 2010, the band went into the studio again. They recorded and released independently two singles which brought popularity locally. Jinjer started playing gigs first in Gorlovka, then in towns around and finally in the regional centre of Donetsk. But the band didn’t have a stable line-up, and musicians frequently came and left. Some had different music tastes, some were not musically-skilled enough, and some were impossible to work and get on with. In this way, Jinjer remained simply a talented local band, having no tours and no festivals booked for almost a year. At this time, the band was joined by Roman Ibramkhalilov, a brilliant guitarist and composer who turned out to become a consistent and solid presence within the band along with Tatiana. Together, they released another EP and began touring using their own funds.

Jinjer has now solidified their line-up – with Tatiana Shmayluk on vocals, Roman Ibramkhalilov on guitars, Eugene Abdukhanov on bass, and Vladislav Ulasevich on drums – and released four albums and three EPs. They’ve also gained a significant fan base, with a live session of their hit “Pisces” even gaining over 50 million views. Their latest album, Wallflowers, was released in 2021 to critical acclaim.