In a cramped rehearsal studio, a band start to play. Gentle guitar picking meets skittering drums and soft bass tones as a woman sings softly into a mic. Amid the warm glow of fairy lights, it all feels very safe and comfortable. But then the illusion is shattered. A clanging riff kicks in and the vocalist goes from a demure croon to guttural howls, letting loose a growl that makes the world’s meanest bulldog look like a kitten.
It’s a huge stylistic twist, and for millions of people around the world, it’s how they were introduced to Ukrainian metal sensation Jinjer. By 2017, the band were onto the third single from their second album, watching the world politely overlook them time and again. But within 24 hours of their live session of Pisces being uploaded to YouTube, it had gone viral.
