11/11/2021
Jinjer

The Rave
Milwaukee, WI

Once again, I am attending another show at the beautiful Rave building. The history attracts me to it. I always walk around and look. Anyways, The Rave room is an open room with a wrap around balcony. The lights are bright(but not this show) and normally full of a multitude of colors. This show however there were zero front lights and was entirely lit from the monstrous laser/ribbon boards encompassing the back wall of the stage. I acquired a media credential, but had to shoot out in the public due to covid. There are many great sightlines in The Rave room, but it was extremely dark. Meaning I had to get crafty with my photography skills. Totally worth it.

I mentioned before a huge wall of light, set up right in front of it and in the center was drummer Vladislav Ulasevich’s kit. This man slays. Every snap of his arm he lays out is violent and clean upon the skins. Creativity flows shine through on his fills. Every. Single. Time. He does it all with such a calm and content character.  Stage left bassist, Eugene Abdukhanov, blew me away for the billionth time in my life. Arguably, one of the best bassist out there right now. The level of technicality and aggression he brings to his live playing is no different than that of their recordings. With his weapon of choice strapped close to his chest he sways and headbangs over the frets with his hair pulled back. On occasion he screams out at the eager and engaged crowd. On the opposite side of the stage an almost reclusive guitarist Roman Ibramkhalilov walks and sways back and forth and backed away from the front monitor. The man lays out nasty riffs and looks like he is just enjoying his day while melting faces in what I would call his signature bucket hat. Ripping across his strings and dishing out punishing sounds while also crossing genres into what some would call reggae or rocksteady. His creativity shows through time after time. With massive time signature changes and punk flare just for kicks each song is a new experience from his playing. It is simply brilliant.

No one draws more attention on that stage than vocalist, Tatiana Shmailyuk. When it comes to modern metalcore vocalists there might be no one in the business better than her going at it right now. Her dynamism and command draws music nuts in to pay attention. She moves across the entire front of the stage. Standing straight up to scream and leaning over the metal foot stands to unleash intense growls and screams. The simplicity of her back and forth from a beautiful clean vocal to a nightmarish scream are things of extreme scarcity within metal. Her performance alone is always worth the price of admission.

I have seen this band multiple times over the last 5 years and they keep bringing the heat. The Ukrainian foursome is easily one of my favorite bands out there. They have gone from maybe a few hundred people as support to headlining a few thousand a night. I was there. I saw it. I know. The explosion in attendance though is a direct response to their superiority within their scene. Their live shows leave you stunned, dazed and wondering what just happened. The amount of vivid lyrical content matched with an incredibly vast genre bending reach will only grow over time. I cannot wait to seem them on their next US tour. Absolutely killer.

Set list:
1. Call Me A Symbol
2. On The Top
3. Pit of Consciousness
4. I Speak Astronomy
5. Disclosure
6. Judgement
7. Sleep of The Righteous
8. Ape
9. Retrospection
10. Perennial
11. Teacher, Teacher
12. Wallflower
13. As I Boil Ice
14. Mediator
15. Colossus