Is there such a thing as accessible, melodic heavy music in this day and age?
Providing a resounding “Yes” to that question is Jonin, a North Carolina based five-piece ready to prove it with their Tribunal Records debut, The Secret. In fact, fusing classic metal
heaviness with technical prowess and an unexpectedly melodic vocalist, The Secret's eleven songs are not just accessible, but approach downright catchy.
With numbers ranging from the gritty, down tempo kiss-off of "Heel" to the soaring, unabashed rock balladry of "Breathing", The Secret moves through numerous territories and makes them its
own. Lyrically, it seems to showcase vocalist Stuart Smith's dueling sensibilities as furious, rousing anthems like "Gathering" clash with the moody suggestiveness of "Flood".
"It's about betrayal," explains Smith. "It centers around deceit; the realization that you're being lied to, and how those lies explode outward and seem to taint the entire world around you. But
it's also about learning from those experiences and coming out on the other side a wiser, more compassionate person."
Sure, there's naked anger here, powered mostly by rock-solid drumming and complex, angular guitars. But there's also introspection, as heard on intermission track "Shoals" and windswept closer "The
Embrace". And while the sudden ferocity of "Shameless" flirts with death metal (check the guest appearance of KillWhitneyDead frontman Matt Rudzinski for the requisite blood-gurgling screams), it
also seems to chuckle at its own indulgences.
Produced by the band and mixed by Jamie King (Between the Buried and Me, Bloodjinn, Through the Eyes of the Dead), The Secret sees Jonin refining and expanding upon their unique blend of
technical metal and alt-rock.
"We wanted it to sound as much like a journey for the listener as it was for us to write," says guitarist Thomas Clark. "This band has always been about pushing your personal limits and becoming
better because of it." Listening to The Secret, it becomes apparent that this mentality pervades every note, and that this is not your average heavy music outfit.
With current lineup of Smith on vocals, Tony Chambers and Clark on guitars, Tim Worrell on drums and Mark Whichard on bass, the group is ready to keep pushing its own limits. Jonin has defied
expectations and shrugged off definitions since they first hit the North Carolina scene, so there's no reason to believe they'll stop any time soon. And as The Secret spreads, these are five
people you can definitely expect to hear more from.
Recorded by Jonin at The Dojo Studios in Raleigh, NC
Engineered by Thomas Clark
Mixed and Mastered by Jamie King at The Basement Recordings and Jonin
Additional vocals on Shameless by Matthew Rudzinski from Killwhitneydead.
Additional vocals on Shameless by Erik Stopka from Kanashibari
Tribunal Records on THE SECRET
Over recent years, Raleigh (NC) has become known for their diverse and dominant metal scene. Powerhouses from that scene include Undying, Confessor, Daylight Dies, Widow and Dreamscapes Of The
Perverse. JONIN have been developing and honing their own metallic style to help themselves stand out within such an extremely competitive arena. Their Tribunal Records debut, The Secret, is a
document of several years of meticulous and labored struggle to craft a stunning and unforgettable first impression for metal fans not just in North Carolina but all over the world. JONIN are able
to seamlessly blend the modern melodic attack of bands like Soilwork, Tool and Into Eternity with the pomp of Eighteen Visions while harnessing the aggression of In Flames and Killswitch Engage.
JONIN are a unique band not just within the North Carolina metal scene but more importantly a cut above the majority of metal bands "going through the motions" today. Unlock The Secret and you too
will come to find the treasures we have unearthed.
Click below to download The SECRET from iTunes Store:
Click here to order directly from Tribunal records - On sale for $7.99 for a limited time:
Hey guys, loving the secret and looking forward to your new stuff. Are there any guitar tabs for any of your songs? Cos i'd love to learn some of them.
...so I was listening to your music today...jamming hard and missing you guys. When do you think you will put out another CD and play live? Elizabeth :)
Hell yeah guys....thanks for addin' the new band for sure! Hope y'all are well....my quality of life has suffered with the lack of Jonin shows these days....but at least now I can move my neck without pain! Cheers!! -AC
Beautiful writing guys. I can hardly make it past The Embrace. And if I got a buzz, forget about it. It makes me grin like a mother fucker, ha, ha. Solo also rocks on that song, but Im sure you already know! BR
I ordered The Secret online a few weeks ago... everytime I need to drive anywhere it's pretty much all I listen to. It's an amazing album and I'm looking forward to your next. With that voice, and that heavy music, you're going to make it big real soon. Keep up the good work.
hey hope all is well! just put up a ton of work, adding hundreds of photos this week from the summer:) i'm booking in the greensboro, north carolina area would you be interested in working together?
awesome man. can you tell which faith no more and marley songs are the covers? lol im sure they will be tight. but hey if they dont get on the album you could always post em online like you said. a jonin/myspace exclusive haha take it easy man
Thanks so much I love your jams! A good friend of mine Michael Ball let me listen to you guys a few years back! I feel in love ;) Keep up the amazing work!!!
Thank you so much for enjoying my photos!!!! Photography and editing are my biggest passions aside from playing guitar myself! You guys take care!!! Look forward to new tunes!
Oh! Well, the last time I saw y'all live you did NOT play Smaller and I gave you a ration. It's good to hear you are playing it live. And thanks brother, I'm doing well, working, paying bills. I cannot wait to hear what you guys come up with next. I started a new job and have been passing your name around for folks to listen to. So far, everyone was amazed that y'all are a "local" band! hahaha! So, the next time y'all show up to Fayetteville, I'll hopefully have a bunch of folks in tow to see the show.
Hope the writing process goes smoothly and quickly, I need a Jonin fix! hahaha!
when do we get to hear the new shit mang!!?? hope the writing is going well. hopefully yall can hit the road soon and jam out in charlotte!!! take it easy
CHILDREN OF THE INTERSTATE, our 2nd Full Length CD is coming to your town...hitting itunes & stores near you early June!!! Come check out a sample from our page! Shoot us a comment, you're gonna fall in love...
