On February 7, 2026, the sold-out crowd, long before doors opened, created a dense mass of anticipation in front of Sala Wagon that only hinted at what was to come. One of the most talked-about metal event of the winter season, a convergence of progressive metal’s past, present, and future under one low-ceilinged roof.
The bill was a calculated architecture of sound. Textures, recently reunited and touring behind their acclaimed Genotype album, brought decades of rhythmic complexity and polished technicality. Unprocessed, riding a wave of momentum thanks to their fusion of modern metalcore and intricate riffing, served as the vital intermediary force. And then Jinjer, the heavyweights of the night and masters of groove-laden progressive aggression, delivered a performance that reaffirmed their status at the forefront of the genre.
Textures: The Vanguard Returns
Textures opened with a set rooted in polymetric riffs and layered harmonic textures. They immediately distinguished itself from the typical openers. It was dense, deliberate, and demanding — not background music but prepared ground. The interplay between precision guitar work, tightly wound rhythm changes, and spacious atmospheric passages was met with an audience that listened not only with agitation but with intellectual engagement. The band’s return after years away from full European touring framed them not as nostalgia, but as renewed innovators. Texturally rich tracks unfolded with a spatial clarity unusual in a venue of Wagon’s intimacy, encouraging listeners to absorb subtle shifts in time signature and dynamic contour. Not flashy, but decisive — a foundation laid with the foresight of engineers rather than entertainers.
Unprocessed: Motion Against the Light
Unprocessed followed with a kinetic urgency that felt like acceleration built on Textures’ groundwork. Their blend of virtuosic instrumentation and contemporary metalcore flourishes reinvigorated the room. With commanding riff work and an explosive rhythmic framework, they maintained the cerebral tension while introducing an emotional volatility that resonated palpably. Songs surged with power yet retained compositional sophistication. Each breakdown wasn’t just a release but an architectural shift — a recalibration of energy before the next complex waveform ascended. By the end of their set, what had begun as attentive focus evolved into kinetic anticipation for the headliners.
Jinjer: Groove, Grit and Unshakable Command
When Jinjer took the stage, the mood shifted from anticipation to immersion. Opening with “Duél,” the title track of their latest album and centerpiece of their European Duél Tour 2026, they immediately imposed their signature blend of groove-hinged punch and progressive nuance. Fronted by the magnetic Tatiana Shmayluk, whose range effortlessly bridges ethereal cleans and cavernous growls, Jinjer commanded the stage with unflinching focus. Tracks like “Green Serpent” and “Fast Draw” brought responses — the pit throbbed with physical immediacy, and even in Wagon’s compact space the groove felt expansive. Shmayluk’s performance was authoritative without theatrics, her presence a centripetal force in the already charged atmosphere.
Leaving the photo area always feels abrupt. The show continues, but from a different distance. Camera lowered. Ears fully exposed. Now you feel what you were visually dissecting moments before. From the crowd, Jinjer’s set expanded beyond frames. The groove hit heavier without the barrier. The pit opened violently. Voices screamed lyrics into the low ceiling of Wagon until condensation formed along the beams.
The setlist — a mix of material from Duél, live staples like “I Speak Astronomy,” and fan favorites — balanced technical depth with accessible hooks that drew shouts and chants as naturally as heavier passages drew movement.
Jinjer’s synergy was most evident in their ability to pivot between introspective grooves and explosive momentum without losing cohesion. The rhythm section anchored each dynamic fluctuation, while the guitar work cut through with both precision and emotion. The result was a set that felt both meticulously crafted and viscerally alive.
