Iron Jinn - Zeitgeist on the Run
Suburban Records – 2026
Progressive rock
Rated: *****
Where do you begin when you don't know how to do an album justice? When you can't find the right words to capture the mood and are bound to face a dubious encounter with numerous pitfalls, spread out in a huge barren field? Sure, you could say Iron Jinn (a group of seasoned musicians who earned their accolades in bands like The Devil's Blood, Molasses, Shaking Godspeed and Birth of Joy) produces progressive rock on their sophomore album and that they have taken multiple steps forward. But than you miss out on the swaying quality of the compositions and arrangements, the different layers that unravel themselves with each listen, starting with opener 'Sayonara', a nine and a half minute trip where stretched out keys engulf everything that happens in the busier parts, but lets it breathe (and even burst at times) nonetheless. How the bass lines rip, tear and tumble into subtlety and complexity, while at the same time being fully in function of the songs and thus sounding much more relaxed and accessible than they really are. How the drums have got that jazzy vibe, drenched in variation and totally in sync with the bass. That rhythm section is superb. How the guitars create the sonic equivalent of a Persian tapestry - they're the needle and thread throughout the album, weaving the fabric of every other instrument together. And the vocals suit the total picture every time they come into play, clean and to the point.
Yes, this one hell of a record, stretching far beyond that first song. 'The Glass Wall' for example shows lots of pop sensitivity during its eight minute playing time without losing track of what Iron Jinn is here to do: use total freedom as a way to guide you through their world, their take on making music, which appears to be searching for depth and meaning, meandering like a river of gold through a plethora of influences. 'Residuum Strut' opens with exotic key patterns, adds a full on jazz vibe and subdued, yet surprisingly clear guitar noodling and riffing, switching pace, mood and vibe as much as possible without losing coherency. That's one of the highlights amongst highlights, as is closer 'The Futurist', a song of epic proportions that clocks in at nearly eighteen minutes but feels more like five. So well-crafted, well-played and gripping, you'll lose track of time while glued to the speakers. Starting pretty quiet with lots of little subtleties and emotion, it slowly builds towards a huge explosion that displays the heavier side of this Dutch entity, before coming down again to create a cocoon in which you can comfortably nestle yourself to get smacked in the head one last time to end the proceedings. It'll leave you perplexed in a big way but will also make you realize immediately 'Zeitgeist on the Run' is as close to perfect as an album can get with a fitting production to let everything shine in all its glory for the total running time of well over an hour. You wouldn't have expected otherwise with the mighty Pieter Kloos at the helm. If there's anyone who can do justice to the virtuosity of Iron Jinn, it's this legendary producer.
(Written by Ronny Dijksterhuis)
Listen to Sayonara and The Futurist now, and be ready for the Iron Jinn's Zeitgeist On The Run album to drop on September 19th!
Iron Jinn – Truth Is Your Dagger (Live At Roadburn)
Iron Jinn – Lick It Or Kick It (Live at Roadburn)
