Interviews

Interview with Tatiana Shmailyuk of Jinjer

Published

6 years ago

April 10, 2018

Ron

Baltimore SoundStage
April 6th 2018

UKRAINIAN METAL TO THE RESCUE

Jinjer the Ukrainian powerhouse, came into Baltimore and had to step up to the plate and become a headliner since Dani Filth of Cradle of Filth had to leave the venue because of Flu like symptoms. Jinjer played an extended hour long set.

Before the mayhem ensued Empire Extreme got to sit down and talk to Singer Tatiana Shmailyuk and discuss different aspects of life.

Empire: How’s the tour going so far being able to tour with the legendary Cradle of Filth?

Tatiana: Well as you know this is our first trip to the US, and we are more than excited about this tour. We are grateful to Cradle of Filth and to our Label that they gave us this possibility.

Empire: You had problems getting visas and had to miss the first couple shows?

Tatiana: Yeah it’s very hard to get US visas for Ukrainian citizens, it’s like more than half of the people that apply for them get rejected, I guess from so many people trying to immigrate to the US.

Empire: How’s the crowd been since this is the first trip to the US?

Tatiana: I have been observing the crowd a lot, the people in the pit, they are singing along and wearing shirts and we have never been here. Well they had time to learn the songs(Laughs)

Empire: So do you get tired of interviewers asking you how it’s like to be a girl fronted metal band?

Tatiana: It’s strange only like the last year I’m asked this question, I was never asked it before. There is a huge amount of female fronted bands to ask that question. We didn’t set out to be one, when the band first got started Jinjer had a male singer, and I came into the band because I was the only one in our town that could sing like that. A man and a woman have the same structure of vocal cords and it’s just a muscle that you have to train just like any other. Just like in a gym you have guys and girl lifting you don’t go up to the female and ask how it’s like to be a woman in the gym(Laughs)

Empire: How would you explain to most Americans that don’t know the difference between Ukraine and Russia?

Tatiana: oh man politics (Laughs)

Empire: Politics aside (both laugh)

Tatiana: I think that Ukrainians are somewhere between Polish and Russians, we are all the same it’s a brotherhood. I hate borders

Empire: Do you get mad when someone says your Russian sorta like Irish and Scottish get mad when you mistake them for the other?

Tatiana: No, No. it’s fun for us. I don’t hate Russians apart from the government. Russians are ok, my father is Russian and my mothers mother she’s from Russia too. It’s integration.

Empire: Being from the Ukraine what do you think about the artist Vitas?

Tatiana: Yeah he’s huge. Apparently in China or Japan he’s like an idol. The first time I seen him on TV was years and years ago, I was like 7 years old and I tried to sing like him. He’s like out of this world. We just see him as being funny.

Empire: If you could headline a tour, who would be your 2 supporting acts?

Tatiana: Recently we toured around Britain and Ireland with From Sorrow to Serenity they are really good very progressive. It’s hard to think of this because we always a supporting band.

Empire: This is one of my trademark questions. If you could bring back a dead musician, who would it be?

Tatiana: ohh there are a bunch. I listen to a lot of genres, but for sure Layne Staley from Alice In Chains.(yes) I also love to bring back Amy Winehouse I would like to hang out with her and drink some shots.

Empire: Anything you like to say to the fans before we go?

Tatiana: We always say don’t just music you have to listen to it. If the picture is great the band will get good success having no talent. I really hate that. And please come to our show in the US.

Jinjer ended up playing 13 songs this night ranging from the 3 full length albums they have released, most of which cams from the latest album 2016’s King of Everything. Jinjer is a great mix of hardcore, Djent, with a little of hip hop and reggae. Tatiana not only has a beautiful voice she can also bring the devil to his knees with her amazing growls. Bassist Eugene Abdiukhanov brings the groove while guitarist Roman Ibramkhalilov shreds and shreds all night long, and drummer Vlad Ulasevich is like a machine with those insanely fast drum beats.

Jinjer is such an amazing band I’m so glad I got to finally see them. I hope that they make it back to the US more often.

About Author

Ron

Ron has keen eye for new talent, a love for the underground, and a tremendous passion for music of any genera. You’ll probably bump into him at a horror convention or some seedy club checking out the next need-to-know band.

See author's posts

Related Topics:Baltimore MD Empire Extreme featured jinjer Soundstage Tatiana Shmailyuk

Click to comment

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Interviews

INTERVIEW WITH MERCURY OF PRIEST

Published

2 weeks ago

April 23, 2024

Ron

Empire Extreme got to sit down and talk to Mercury of Priest when the band came into PA at LoveDrafts.

The show was amazing all the bands that we seen put on a great show for the fans. Vampires Everywhere killed it once again. Last time we seen Priest we only got to see them open for Powerman5000 and got like 6 songs, this time Priest was headlining and we got to see much more which I was excited to see.

Priest played a good mix of old and new and even a few songs off the album “Dark Pulse” which is out in May. We got to see 13 songs played and even Mercury come out into the crowd a few times and when they played “Obey” even blessed some of the crowd. It was great hearing songs like “BlackListed”, “Signal in the Noise”, “History in Black” and “Vaudeville”. It was such a great night of music and a great conversation with Mercury. If you get a chance to see this band play in ur town, it’s a must

About Author

Ron

See author's posts

Interviews

INTERVIEW WITH OF VIRTUE

Published

2 months ago

March 4, 2024

Ron

Where does the band name come from? Wanting to be the best version of yourself at all times. The name is a reminder to hold ourselves accountable.

How is the music scene in Michigan? The Michigan music scene has always been vibrant and in my opinion, important. Do we get the credit we deserve? Absolutely not. But for the state that brought you Motown, Eminem, Lizzo, The White Stripes, I Prevail and so many other incredible artists – it’s kind of hard to believe that Michigan remains a hidden gem.

How’s the reception from the fans of the latest album “Omen”? It’s been incredible. From seeing people singing along at shows to us seeing new supporters of all different ages, colors, and creeds joining the journey. Omen has been a pivotal album in our career and we’re proud of it!

If you could tour with 2 bands, which bands would you want to tour with? Spiritbox and Bad Omens. They’re both making waves, changing who the metal audience is, and surely they’d be fun to hang around with.

Where do you draw inspiration for the lyrics? Honestly, the lyrics are our stories. The stories of our struggles, our trials and our tribulations.

What’s been your favorite tour or show? We just got off of a tour with our labelmates, Any Given Day. They treated us to a handful of sold out shows over in Europe, which at this point we call our second home. Those were great shows, but any show we’ve done in Europe is typically one for the books!

If you could bring back a dead musician, who would it be? Prince for sure. An incredible musician I would love an opportunity to chat or make music with!

About Author

Ron

See author's posts

Interviews

INTERVIEW WITH TWIN TEMPLE

Published

3 months ago

February 16, 2024

Ron

Being Married and being in a band together. Do you feel that makes it easier or harder?

We love to do the Devil’s work together so for us its a match made in hell.

What’s your favorite horror movie?

That’s hard to narrow down but the first few that come to mind are Rosemary’s Baby, The Devil Rides Out, Wickerman, The Devils Reign featuring Anton Lavey, Mario Bava’s Black Sunday, anything starring Vincent Price. We also got to see an advance screen of “Late Night with the Devil” featuring a very evil performance from our friend Dave Dastmalchian. We’re also looking forward to Bryan Fuller’s “Dust Bunny” and are positive it will be a new favorite. The list goes on…..we are huge horror fans.

Favorite Non Horror Movie?

Alfred Hitchcock’s Rebecca (which is horror/noir adjacent) and The Burbs (also horror adjacent…haha.)

All of Quentin Tarantino’s films- our latest favorite is Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, because 1960’s LA…

What misconception of Satanists would you like to educate people on?

We’re not here to proselytize, force our beliefs on people, or educate people on them Selves, Satanism or anything else. If people are interested in exploring Satanism, we encourage them to do their research and question everything.

If you could bring back any dead musician, who would you pick and why?

We would have loved to do a song with Ronnie Spector who recently passed. Also would have been amazing to collaborate with Jack Nitzsche who arranged so many amazing songs.

If you could tour with any 2 bands, who would you want to tour with?

The Ronnettes & The Shangri-Las.

What has been your Favorite Tour so far?

The God is Dead Tour that we’re currently on is definitely the most evil and blasphemous tour yet. We find it very pleasurable to be able to continue expanding the rituals and seeing our nightmares come true on stage.

You were on “Dragula” with the Boulet Brothers, how was that experience?

It was a fiendish delight to collaborate with some of our fav monsters.

What was it like Touring with Danzig?

Another nightmare come true! We’ve both been fans for a long time and we’re obviously inspired by the wicked world Glenn has conjured. So to get to spend time with him and watch him live every night and to now call him a friend is completely surreal. He’s a legend— but was also one of the coolest, kindest, most unholy people we’ve had the carnal pleasure of touring with.

How’s the reception of the last album “God is Dead”?

Personally, we love the record and are very proud of what we’ve accomplished. As far as other peoples’ reactions…. we don’t know and don’t care! We pleasured ourselves and that’s what matters most.

What got you interested in the style of music you play? And how would describe your music?

We’ve always loved classic American music from jazz to blues to country to rock and roll and so on. We also love the pageantry of heavy metal and theatre. So for us it was a very organic culmination of our obsessions. Rock and roll has always been the devils music.

Have you visited the Satanic Temple in Massachusetts?

No we have not but Lucien did attend one of our rituals so we had a chance to share where we get our babies blood and all things Satan.

Have you had any bad encounters at shows because of the misconception of satanism?

No! We purposefully foster a live show environment where all are welcome, all should come being the most important person in the world which is themselves, whatever that may be. Even Christians! We believe music is meant to bring joy, transcendence… We just want to share the things we love; pink, rhinestones, big hair, great rock ’n’ roll, Satanic ritual, you know… but we have had churches assemble outside our shows, screaming through distorted PA speakers that God is not dead & wishing us all a “terrible time”. Why would their God not want us to have fun? This kind of behavior is only makes us more proud to be who we are and do what we love.