Live Review: Jinjer - O2 Institute, Birmingham
30th January 2026
Words & Photos: Tim Finch
Jinjer rolled into the O2 Institute Birmingham with a bill stacked for modern metal obsessives, and the sold-out room was buzzing. With Dutch prog-metal veterans Textures opening proceedings and genre bending newcomers Unprocessed priming the crowd, the night promised to break boundaries and snap some necks.
Textures wasted no time reminding everyone why Jinjer had chosen them for this tour. Launching into ‘Closer to The Unknown’ and ‘New Horizon’s, they immediately set a dense, technical tone, riffs locking in with precision.
They leaned hard into the band’s progressive roots. ‘Reaching Home’ and ‘Timeless’ showcased their ability to balance complexity with emotion, the crowd nodding along as layered guitar lines intertwined with soaring passages. Despite the early slot, the response was warm and engaged, no small feat on a bill this heavy. Closing with ‘Measuring the Heavens’, ‘Awake’ and ‘Laments of an Icarus’, Textures ended on a high, proving they can command a room with authority.
Unprocessed followed, and the shift in energy was immediate. Opening with ‘111’ and ‘Sleeping With Ghosts’, they brought a slicker, more contemporary edge, blending djent-weight grooves with rock-leaning melodies. The crowd reaction noticeably ramped up, heads moving as riffs hit with both bounce and brutality.
Songs like ‘Beyond Heaven’s Gate’, ‘Thrash’ and ‘’Glass highlighted the band’s technical chops, but it was their sense of groove that really connected. By the time ‘Snowlover’, ‘Lore’ and ‘Solara’ rolled through, the room was fully on board. Closing with ‘Terrestrial’, Unprocessed left the stage having won over anyone unfamiliar with their sound.
When Jinjer finally emerged, the reaction was explosive. ‘Duél’ and ‘Green Serpent’ hit like a gut punch, instantly asserting control of the room. The band were razor sharp, Eugene Abdukhanov’s bass tone cutting through the mix while Roman Ibramkhalilov’s riffs swung between menace and melody with ease.
‘Tatiana Shmayluk’ remains one of the most commanding frontwomen in metal, effortlessly shifting from savage growls to haunting clean vocals. ‘Fast Draw’ and ‘Vortex’ showcased that dynamic perfectly, the contrast drawing roars from the crowd as each vocal switch landed hard.
The set’s middle stretch was relentless. ‘Disclosure!’, ‘Tantrum’ and ‘Teacher, Teacher!’ kept the momentum high, while ‘Kafka’ and ‘Judgement (& Punishment)’ turned the floor into a sea of movement. Jinjer thrive on controlled chaos, and Birmingham was more than happy to be swept up in it.
As the set powered toward the finish, ‘Someone’s Daughter’, ‘Rogue’ and ‘Pisces’ delivered pure catharsis. ‘Pisces’ in particular was met with a deafening sing-along, proving its status as a modern classic!
The encore, ‘Sit Stay Roll Over’, was the final release of energy with a brutal, no-nonsense closer that left the room exhausted. This was Jinjer’s biggest show in Sabbath City to date, they will only get bigger from here!
Photo Credits: Tim Finch Photography
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