''Duél'' is the fifth

studio album An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track cartridge, 8-track or Cassette tape, cassette), or digital distribution, dig ...

by Ukrainian heavy metal band

Jinjer Jinjer ( "ginger") is a Ukrainian heavy metal band from Donetsk, formed in 2008. None of the founding members remain with the band. The current lineup considers 2009 as its official year of formation, with the arrival of singer Tatiana Shmayl ...

, released on 7 February 2025 by

Napalm Records Napalm Records is an Austrian independent record label focused on heavy metal, hard rock and folk/folk rock/folk metal. Originally, Napalm focused on black metal bands, such as Abigor and Summoning, and folk metal bands, such as Falkenbach a ...

Background

The album was produced by Max Morton, who had produced several of the band's previous albums. Most of the songs were inspired by the history of Ukraine and Eastern Europe in the late 19th Century, plus singer Tatiana Shmayluk's forced relocation to

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

in light of the

Russian invasion of Ukraine On 24 February 2022, , starting the largest and deadliest war in Europe since World War II, in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, conflict between the two countries which began in 2014. The fighting has caused hundreds of thou ...

. The album is also informed by the band's unanticipated status as cultural ambassadors for their country while touring internationally during hostilities in Ukraine.

Critical reception

The album received generally positive reviews. ''

Metal Injection ''Metal Injection'' is an American online music publication focusing on hard rock and heavy metal. It was founded in 2003 by Frank Godla and Robert Pasbani in Brooklyn, and officially launched on January 1, 2004. It was initially established as ...

'' declared that "Jinjer is operating at the peak of their creative powers" and offered particular praise for Shmayluk's powerful vocals. ''

Kerrang! ''Kerrang!'' is a British music webzine and quarterly magazine that primarily covers rock, punk and heavy metal music. Since 2017, the magazine has been published by Wasted Talent Ltd (the same company that owns electronic music publication ...

'' described the album as an example of the "underdog status" of heavy metal, informed by the comparable underdog status of Jinjer's home country of Ukraine, and concluded that the album "is unsparing in its intensity, with its superb and scorching title track reminding us that when it’s good vs. evil, you can’t be a neutral bystander." ''Metal Planet'' praised the album's "undeniable drive, focus and a sound that is impossible to replicate." ''Antihero'' magazine called the album "a relentless symphony of fury, introspection, and masterful groove metal." ''Sonic Perspectives'' praised the album's "aggression and impact" which Jinjer has delivered "to its greatest degree yet, resulting in an album that continues to push the envelope even within the already auspicious precedents set in this band’s previous studio work." ''Angry Metal Guy'' issued a less positive review, concluding that the album offers little new from Jinjer's songwriting while the band relies too much on Shmayluk's charisma.

Track listing

Personnel

Jinjer * Tatiana Shmayluk – vocals * Roman Ibramkhalilov – guitars * Eugene Abdukhanov – bass * Vladislav Ulasevich – drums Production * Jinjer –

production Production may refer to: Economics and business * Production (economics) * Production, the act of manufacturing goods * Production, in the outline of industrial organization, the act of making products (goods and services) * Production as a stat ...

, composition * Max Morton – production, mixing, mastering * Dmitry Kim –

engineering Engineering is the practice of using natural science, mathematics, and the engineering design process to Problem solving#Engineering, solve problems within technology, increase efficiency and productivity, and improve Systems engineering, s ...

Artwork * Philipp Scektner – artwork, graphic design

References

{{Reflist 2025 albums Jinjer albums Napalm Records albums