Jegulja - Anguilla Guerrilla
God Bless This Mess records – 2024
Rock, Metal, Stoner, Instrumental, Prog, Blues
Rated: *****
If you know their earlier albums Darkest Light and Exit Sandman you will wonder if the Slovenian three called Jegulja have decided to swim around in a different rock pond once their new album Anguilla Guerrilla commences. Cause those earlier albums were eccentric progressive and highly metallic pieces of instrumental rock. But as the seventh drummer since their first incarnation that started in 2013 runs up to his drum set and quickly tests if the sound is on, you will wonder if they have turned into a blues rocking outfit. Cause opening track Damage Control is that freak blues, that punk blues, that diesel blues, which will get your motor running and gets you into the groove bright and early. Those blues roots continue along as a minor undercurrent throughout most of the album, even though it turns more metal, progressive and stonerish quickly. Second track Zombie Casanova as a matter of fact immediately thunders out of the gate to become this off beat and quirky progressive metal monster. The classic, gothic touched guitar motif during the middle part perfectly fitting within the composition, giving both guitars time to circle around each other, luring, enticing and making both of them twinkle like that glint in the eye of a sneaky Casanova. Audible immediately is how meticulously every song was crafted, instantly apparent as well once third track Consider It A Favour graces your ears. Making expert use of the two guitars, running across and dancing around a demanding and massive metal drum roar that turns jazzy and with a choppy punk groove later on to show off the expert use of unpredictability, which is something Jegulja has always cherished. Formed in Ljubljana in 2013 by Jan Kozel, ex-member of Carnaval and Jure Gašper from Uroš, they had Rok Večerin 'Wuko' from legendary metal band Lene Kosti deliver the beat for that first five track demo Finese In Blat. For the new album Rok 'Boogie' Henigman from Golliwog joined the team. The man also played with skate punk thrash band Straightline and survived many other projects. It’s his first recorded album, but he sounds like an old hand, just listen to closing, funny titled re-recorded track Baby Pictures Of Famous Dictators. (It was also present on that first demo.) It’s his drumming, his way of catching air, of letting the sound drift that gives that opening ominous riff that dangerous edge. Dangerous, but always with a sly wink. And both that menace and that humoristic touch seems to be prevalent on most of the songs, turning the Anguilla Guerrilla album into something very special, a bit elusive and yet extremely attractive. And for those of you that fear there might be an insurrection soon on the British Caribbean island Anguilla, it also means eel in Latin. Just like Jegulja means eel in Slovenian. And in every language, it’s a slippery fish…
(Written by JK)