Gilla Band's 'Pugnello' Review: Noise-Punk Turned Up and Sharpened
Pitchfork reviews Gilla Band's fourth album, Pugnello, describing it as an extreme and meticulous blend of noise-punk and dance music. The Irish quartet pushes volume and dissonance while maintaining precise layering and production.
Gilla Band is an Irish four-piece—vocalist Dara Kiely, guitarist Alan Duggan Borges, bassist Daniel Fox, and drummer Adam Faulkner—formed in 2011. Pugnello, their fourth album, arrives in 2026 via Rough Trade and falls under rock. The review notes their long-running fusion of noise-punk and dance, including a 2013 Blawan cover and 2022's Most Normal.
Across Pugnello, tracks like "The Angelus," "The Megazord," "Three Hands Clapping," and "Placeholder" show the band balancing harsh textures with precise production. Fox's basslines anchor danceable elements, while Kiely's vocals shift between spoken delivery and screams. The review highlights Faulkner's fast percussion and Duggan Borges's guitar as central to the album's intensity.
Pugnello may reinforce Gilla Band's reputation among noise-rock and experimental music listeners, potentially drawing new attention to Irish alternative scenes. Its extreme volume and dissonance could appeal to fans seeking physical, cathartic live experiences, while others may find it abrasive. The review's praise may shape playlist and purchase decisions, but its impact likely remains within niche music communities rather than broad mainstream culture.