Photo Ladies 6/30/26 Photo Ladies 6/30/26

Jinjer @ Diamond Ballroom - Oklahoma City, OK

June 28th 2026: Jinjer, Crystal Lake, Entheos @ Diamond Ballroom - Oklahoma City, OK

Ukrainian metal act Jinjer is currently in the midst of their Duel tour across North America, in support of their 2025 album of the same name, bringing their punchy riffs and stunningly brutal vocals to audiences across the country. Joined by Entheos and Crystal Lake, the three bands together have put together a show that is not to be missed by any self-respecting metal fan, with many a mosh pit and crowd surfer to be seen.

First to take the stage was Entheos, hailing from Santa Cruz, California. Though I was not super familiar with their discography before the evening, it was difficult not to become entranced by the deep growls emitted from vocalist Chaney Crabb as the quartet performed tracks such as “Hell is a Part of Me” and “Empty on the Inside.” The band also teased the release of their next album on October 23 of this year, so fans can excitedly be on the lookout for that in a few months.

Next up was Japanese metalcore act Crystal Lake, who were in a bit of a unique position as their most recent vocalist, John Centorrino, departed from the band in March, not too long after this tour was announced. In his place for much of the current run of shows was Myke Terry, known for his work with Fire From the Gods and Volumes, and I must say that Myke absolutely crushed it. His screams blended wonderfully with the rest of the band, and together they had the crowd amped up.

Finally, just after 9 p.m., Jinjer took the stage, and all in attendance were instantly enthralled as the band emerged, led by vocalist Tatiana Shmayluk. Leading their set with the tour’s title track, followed by “Green Serpent” and “Fast Draw,” Shmayluk’s live vocals are an enigma to behold as she switches seemingly effortlessly between gorgeous belts and devious growls. Meanwhile, a sea of crowd-surfers began to approach the stage before the first three songs had ended, and did not cease for the rest of the evening. Though the setlist understandably leaned heavily on tracks from their latest release, fans of earlier albums were not left out with the inclusion of tracks such as “Perennial” and “Pisces,” and a wonderful night of metal greatness was had by all.

Jinjer’s Duel tour continues through July, concluding with an appearance at Vans Warped Tour in Long Beach, CA on July 25, before the band makes their way through the UK and Europe later this fall. All upcoming shows can be found on their website.

Crystal Lake

Entheos

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The Hu @ Diamond Ballroom - Oklahoma City, OK

May 27th 2026: The Hu, Apocalyptica, The Rasmus @ Diamond Ballroom- Oklahoma City, OK

Of the hundreds of artists that I have had the pleasure of seeing live over the course of my lifetime, few have been quite as uniquely captivating as The Hu. Hailing from Mongolia, the band blends techniques and sounds of traditional Mongolian folk music with modern heavy metal instrumentation to form their own unique genre of music that they have dubbed “Hunnu Rock,” which is truly unlike anything I’ve ever heard before and is best experienced in a live setting without a doubt. As The Hu prepares to release their next album HUN in July, they have embarked on a brief tour of the United States accompanied by Finnish rock artists Apocalyptica and The Rasmus for a string of shows full of amazing music.

Starting off the night was The Rasmus, performing in Oklahoma for the very first time in their 30+ year career and kicking things off with a phenomenally fun amount of energy. Performing songs such as “Break These Chains” and the catchy, anthemic “Creatures of Chaos” from their latest album Weirdo, as well as throwbacks like “Guilty” and “Living in a World Without You,” they absolutely blew me away with their stage presence, and I sincerely hope that it is not another 30 years before they return.

Next up was Apocalyptica, who are veterans of the orchestral rock scene known for their original compositions such as the mid-2000s smash hits “I Don’t Care” featuring Adam Gontier and “I’m Not Jesus” featuring Corey Taylor as well as their reimaginings of several Metallica tracks. Their setlist leaned very heavily on these Metallica tributes, and though I would have loved to see at least one or two of their original tracks sprinkled in, their set was still breathtakingly amazing. The pure spectacle of seeing and hearing the famous solos of tracks such as “Enter Sandman” and “Master of Puppets” played on cellos instead of traditional guitars is absolutely incredible. Coming from someone who is not a huge Metallica fan, though I acknowledge and appreciate their role in the rock music scene at large, I must say that I prefer Apocalyptica’s show-stopping arrangements.

Finally, just after 9 p.m., The Hu emerged and immediately captured all eyes and ears in the Diamond Ballroom as they launched into their newest single “Lost Soul.” Though there was less “singing along” in the traditional sense than I am accustomed to, the crowd was fist-pumping and head-banging along the entire night, especially during tracks such as “Warrior Chant” and other recent single “The Man.” Their music may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but their live show is entrancing nonetheless, and is a must-see for any fan of heavy music, especially anyone looking for something truly unique in the scene.