We’ve been singing the praises of the underrated Jinjer on the blog for a while now. That’s why it’s so much fun to see them finally getting the attention they deserve, with multiple excellent releases in the last few years and big tours. Jinjer’s music has always been to the point, succinct, and full of punch of it’s no wonder that all of those adjectives could apply to this Anatomy Of post as well; bassist Eugene Abdukhanov was kind of to let us pick his brains and track down the influences which make him tick and the result is, well, to the point, succinct, and full of punch.
Starting off with a fan-favorite Opeth album, the list opens up with a common observation: Opeth is a gateway drug. From there, however, things take a sharp turn into the groovy Mudvayne and from there, all bets are off. Last but oh-so-not-least we have the criminally underrated Blotted Science, tying a nice little bow on this belter of a list. While it has its fair share of complicated and progressive music, it also packs a certain heaviness that makes a lot of sense when you think about the kind of role the bass plays in Jinjer’s music.
Without further embellishment or ado, let’s get to the list. Oh, one last thing: Jinjer’s upcoming release, Macro, releases on October 25th. You can pre-order it right here and you’d be a fool not to; these guys are going places, don’t get left behind!
Opeth – Blackwater Park
This is the album that really brought me into the realms of prog metal. Yeah, I had listened to this and that before, but this was this one that made Opeth my favorite band of all time and opened the doors to all non-metal genres for me as a listener.
Mudvayne – LD 50
Ryan Martinie is one of the biggest influences on me as a bassist. And this album in particular! What a masterpiece. In my opinion, it is wrong to call them nu-metal, when the whole world was going crazy about Korn and Limp Bizkit, these guys managed to deliver something absolutely fresh, outstanding and way ahead of their time. And honestly, 50% of my bass arrangements are inspired by Mudvayne.
Meshuggah – Nothing
This album was in my player for years! This band not only founded a whole subgenre, but also explored a new and absolutely groundbreaking approach to the sound. Come on, there isn’t a single metal band founded after the late 2010s that isn’t influenced by Meshuggah.
Cynic – Traced in the Air
Many will question why not Focus…The simple fact is, I love both. But their second LP taught me a very important thing – you don’t need to be heavy to be extreme! This is what Paul & Co. managed to implement on this album.
Blotted Science – The Machinations of Dementia
Well, even in the era of Animals As Leaders and others, this record and this band still stand out and shine bright. Alex Webster nails it down and, well, he is another great influence on me both in terms of technique and sound! And the sound of the bass on Blotted Science is massive and extremely aggressive.