“I don’t know if I believe – but maybe you can teach me how to heal?“
This is the first of our articles covering ArcTanGent’s eleventh year, for which there were some key differences to the previous event. The first day adopted a new approach – Wednesday is always set up to allow most of the attendees to set up without the pressure of a busy day. This year they went from running one stage to running three, alternating between the Yokhai and PX3 stages until the final act, Wardruna, who were set up on the main stage. Fest runner James Scarlett has already said that opening the main stage was a one-off, but it’s hard to imagine Wednesday without the two-stage approach from now on, as it worked a treat.
Another difference was a move from five to four stages for the full days (Thursday through Saturday). This simplified the clashes, always being main vs PX3 and Yokhai vs Bixler, and reduced the number of small UK acts playing (which the festival were apologetic for), but the overall enjoyment was very much there, with pretty much every act getting a solid turnout. Notably this setup didn’t make the clashes feel any easier – if anything, this was an especially ‘clashed’ year.
At any rate, the setup feels increasingly ideal for cultivating the atmosphere of ArcTanGent: constant music that is ambitious and outstanding within its field, covering every part of the heavy scene and many lighter acts too, bringing choice international artists and vital headliners through the UK. Our write up focuses on a few bands, but we did catch several more; our hats off to Underdark, Year of No Light, Codespeaker, and Tangled Hair for some more fantastic sets. Words by Dobbin T, Jack Crosby-Griggs, and Maximo David, and photography by Kieran White – contact Kieran prior to any use.
Wednesday
Thank (13:35, Yohkai)
Each day at ArcTanGent must start off with a warmup, easing you into uneasy sounds. We arrived to Thank bashing out their blend of abrasive punk. The Leeds band arranged themselves evenly on the stage, even bringing the drumkit in line with the rest – we’re not sure if this was a conscious decision to demonstrate the band was a democratic institution, each of them evenly contributing to the cacophony, or if they just weren’t sure what to do on such a big stage. Their sound seemed destined for more claustrophobic environments, offering thick bass tones and good humoured, slack jawed vocals. It didn’t prompt much movement from the crowd, but it was 1pm, after all.
Hundred Year Old Man (14:10, Yohkai)
Hundred Year Old Man followed up on the next stage, representing the inverse environment to the ‘basement’ sound of Thank: the harrowing blackness of space and barren moons. They recreated this with every drop of dry ice they could spare, and of course through their monolithic sound, which seemed to crystallise the muggy air into cosmic dust before your eyes. The bloke on the barrier before me actually leapt out of his skin when the riff hit from their second song. To make the set completely unique they had a vocal feature from Grady Avenell of Will Haven, whom The Grey would later make excellent use of. Both Thank and Hundred Year Old Man have worked really hard on the gigging circuit, and these places on the Wednesday line up felt very much deserved. – Dobbin T
God Alone (14:45, PX3)
Clocking in for their fourth shift at Fernhill Farm were Ireland’s noisiest neighbours God Alone, bringing with them a hefty serving of “what the fuck is going on” as part of their ongoing experiment as to how many songs one can truly fit into the span of one song. From delectably danceable disco-esque setups, to the violent and chaotic punchlines that knocked them down, they had it all in surplus. As such, they were evidently in a hurry to force it down the gullets of the famished ArcTanGent crowd, ever-reciprocating in wolfing it down in a series of all-consuming circle pits, some persisting through even the most solemn displays of disciplined volume control. Whilst vocals were entirely few and far between, both instruments and musicians alike were used, abused and pushed to their very limits – with all of the above finding themselves regularly hitting the floor in rather dramatic fashion as but a small piece of a collective that outwardly offer up all they have left to the performance. – Jack Crosby-Griggs
Healthyliving (15:25, Yohkai)
Healthyliving don’t play often, so their Wednesday placement was another unique catch for the festival. Their gothic rock sound made for one of the most chilled-out afternoon sets. Unlike their previous shows, frontwoman Amaya López-Carromero was now on double duties, playing bass whilst she sang with her trademark voice. Each time we’ve seen Healthyliving there’s been some clear enthusiasm from the crowd that feels more advanced than an equivalent band with just one album out. Festival honcho and podcast extraordinaire James Scarlett was among these savants, sitting under the barrier for “Galleries” and “Bloom”. They closed with “Obey”, López-Carromero turning to her familiar keys to leave the audience in an unresolved state; a great set that will have many yearning for another tour from the band. – Dobbin T
Kalandra (18:20, Yohkai)
Even the uninitiated in our cadre were spellbound by Kalanda, especially the song “Borders” which moved more than a few to tears. The other ‘lighter’ tracks were the folk banger “Brave New World” and the horn-driven interlude. The rest of what they played leaned into the heavy music theme of ArcTanGent. This especially shone through via the explosive finishes of tracks like “I Am” and “Ensom”, not to mention the incredible drum performance that closes “Are You Ready?”. Kalandra truly turn everything they touch into gold, and should be on every festival’s shortlist if they even touch on rock, pop, or folk themes. – Dobbin T
SLIFT (20:00, Yohkai)
Drenched in a perpetual darkness, the emboldened silhouettes of SLIFT dance wickedly against the harsh, self-immolating void of a backdrop best captioned as “an epileptics worst nightmare”. All-conquering bass ensorcells a string-driven Sabbath-rinthian groove, overpowering any semblance of thought that may dare to slip through the cracks. The Toulousian trip-merchants freely gave onlookers a chance to sit-in on the jam session to end all jam sessions. They put the space in space rock and the psyche in psychedelic via an utterly hypnotic display of uncompromising cosmic rhythm that effortlessly breathed a fleeting demeanour into lengthy tracks. As the final curtain for the ILION album cycle, a rather tantalizing glance into the future was permitted through a largely unreleased setlist with a focused dedication to the livelier side of their catalogue, leaving only “Ummon”, “Ilion” and “Nimh” as the sole survivors of their currently consumable offerings. If there’s one thing that SLIFT dearly wants us to know from this set alone, it’s that we haven’t seen the last of their otherworldly noise, their howling vocals and most importantly their fuzz-laden riffs – this much is certain. – Jack Crosby-Griggs
Wardruna (21:15, Main stage)
This was ArcTanGent’s first year with a truly ambitious headliner. In 2023, Heilung’s prime placement on the lineup demonstrated that audiences new and old alike would be up for a left-field choice. Wardruna are similar but different, taking the ideas of old to form something new, with particular focus on cyclic and hypnotic sonic elements. The bassy tones were absolutely delicious, and each instrument swap was met with applause and fascination, especially those gigantic horns they save for the classic “Tyr”. Now that they have such a strong discography that includes so many essential plays, the festival set only included the most surface level cuts from Birna (three singles and “Hibjørnen”, which Einar Selvik performed solo), a slight shame as it’s one of their most ambitious records. Still, it’s hard to be disappointed with the rest of the choices, especially those from Runaljod – Yggdrasil which is steadily becoming their classic. During their encore, Selvik explained the band’s motivation, succinctly defining the band and their interest in historical and modern elements. Most importantly they encouraged everyone to partake in the joy of singing and preserve traditions of songs, in the broadest sense possible (we took this to include “angel statue metalcore”, which Boolin Tunes is proud to preserve). It was hard not to leave without a smile on one’s face, humming a tune or two, even when the final song “Helvegen” was dedicated to those who had passed on. – Dobbin T
Thursday
The Grey (11:35, Bixler)
“Be vulnerable, it’s the only way that we all get out of this alive”, pleads The Grey’s bassist Andy Price, as he dedicates the coming waves of existential sludge and introspective atmospherics to all those present that may find themselves struggling under the weight of their own lives. It’s an analogy internalised and perfectly projected by the personified dread that emanates from the clenched fist of their thunderous instrumental* lamentation, “CHVRCH”. In such a musical climate by which sensationalised singers and vapid vocalists have become the norm, truly moving one’s audience with sonics alone has become a far more difficult feat. Yet, here stand the front row, tears welling steady only two songs in (regardless of whether they’d wish to admit it). The Cambridge-based three-piece wouldn’t be voiceless for long, however, as joining them better later than never was none other than Grady Avenell of Will Haven who has notably stepped up as The Grey’s studio mouthpiece on more than one occasion – but with this piece of the puzzle finally snapping into place in a live setting, the seed was sown for this particular set to deliver, hard. Roaring through a few of Avenell’s highlights as well as a surprise cover of Will Haven’s own “Carpe Diem” seemed to do the trick in graduating this hypothesis into scientific theory, leaving the “early” rising Bixler crowd understandably unsure what to do with themselves having spent the frustration of their entire emotional spectrum by noon. – Jack Crosby-Griggs
Maud the Moth (12:45, Bixler)
Maud the Moth has previously been a more than trustworthy support for ambitious darkwave and gothic tinged projects on their UK runs (such as Hexvessel, Chelsea Wolfe, and Anna von Hausswolff). In these settings, bandleader Amaya López-Carromero has performed solo, looping and affecting her piano to construct her otherworldly pieces. This set was particularly special as it was among few Maud the Moth as a three-piece, with Donna Stewart on percussion and Scott McLean on guitar. Except for some of the string elements, the trio were able to render the recent tracks from The Distaff with absolute precision (as it turns out, the record was very much written with this goal in mind). López-Carromero led the trio through the key tracks including the behemoth “Despeñaperros” which looped perfectly and swelled with delicious bass. Whenever the music allowed, López-Carromero stood on her seat to embolden her vocals. McLean and Stewart had plenty of space to embellish the quiet moments with drones and dancing cymbals. They finished with a very deep cut, “Ignis Fatuus” from The Inner Wastelands, not a significant track in the discography but perhaps one they hope coaxes the audience towards the back catalogue. So far, the project has been limited to these support slots and festival placements such as Roadburn – here’s hoping they can take this fantastic show on the road. – Dobbin T
REZN (13:20, Main stage)
Over at the main stage, from within the bustling crowd I saw a pair of horns rise; the Reflections of a Floating World tattoo on their forearm heralded the onset of progressive doom. REZN have visited the UK several times, at first supporting bands like Pelican and Russian Circles. This visit included the first show fully on their own terms – the first headliner happening the night before in Birmingham. They’ve earned it with their discography, now able to pull from five studio albums. Burden’s direct approach makes for strong live material, with “Indigo”, “Instinct” and “Chasm” making great impact. These songs enjoyed an uptick in dynamics as the guitars could find so many levels between gentle and intense depending on the needs of the moment. Finishing with “Webbed Roots” was sublime, sprinkling some blast beats and soaring leads among the electronic and atmospheric elements that make REZN’s sound unique. With their records Burden and Solace being developed in tandem, one expects REZN are about to hit the studio to make their masterpiece and can return to these shores for even bigger shows. – Dobbin T
Horrendous (13:55, Bixler)
Speaking of respected underground metal acts, ArcTanGent bagged a killer act with Horrendous. Darlings of many internet spaces, they had not yet crossed the Atlantic for shows; being granted an afternoon Bixler slot was the spearhead they needed to make it finally happen. As it turns out, they’re absolute goofballs – if you think “The Stranger”’s grand and morbid opening is supposed to be the start of anything but Scooby Doo antics, you were wrong. The guitarists descended from the drum riser in turn, smiles beaming brighter than the stagelights, trading their solos and gargling their rancid vocals. Alex Kulick, who has been with the band since Idol, took centre stage for “Golgotha”, offering that essential tech metal bass (arguably the element that got Horrendous on to so many metal nerd’s radars). The closest they came to catchy vocal moments were in “Cult of Shaad’oah”, and they didn’t miss the opportunity to interact with the crowd, teaching them to “keep on climbing”. Outside of this booking they’d been able to play across the mainland of the UK, even connecting with Undeath up in Scotland for a bucket-list death metal line up. Come back again soon. – Dobbin T
Snooze (15:20, Bixler)
The naturally spawning yin to Meshuggah‘s man-made yang, those ‘in the know’ have often posed Snooze as the joyful, sing-songy nemesis to whichever prog or math metal outlet suits their fancy at the given time. Be that as it may, to witness them in the flesh nurtured a personal revelation – the true depth of their work runs so much deeper than any comparison could have had me believe. This is even having anticipated their UK debut since the release of their fantastic freshly-baked LP I KNOW HOW YOU WILL DIE (from which a majority of their set was derived). Rest assured, there’s nothing to Snooze about here: with enigmatic compositions and the richest of harmonies taking center-stage, sometimes occupying the very same breath as that of their foul growls and pummelling polyrhythmic chugs. This occasional aggression felt as if it stemmed from a place of sickly glee rather than pained anguish, or perhaps a queasy combination of the two bound in saccharine symmetry. Citing partway through their set that the surprisingly sunny stages of Fernhill have been something of a bucket list achievement for a hot minute now, it would appear that they made a ruddy good Bixler first impression. We’d love to see them bring their “happy-heavy” butts back to the country (and by extension the farm) sooner rather than later. -Jack Crosby-Griggs.
The Fall of Troy (15:55, Main stage)
After only a couple of years away, math-tinged post-hardcore stalwarts The Fall of Troy grace ArcTanGent once more, lighting up the main stage with a set largely composed of their 2005 classic, Doppelganger, to celebrate its 20-year anniversary. It’s tight, it’s chaotic, and at times dancey, and from the moment they start, til their roaring finish with classic Guitar Hero 3 anthem “F.C.P.R.E.M.I.X.”, it’s clear exactly why they’re invited back time and time again. Here’s to hoping they come back in a similar fashion to celebrate Phantom On The Horizon’s birthday in a few years, because I’m yearning to hear “The Walls Bled Lust” on that stage. – Maximo David
vianova (16:50, Bixler)
One of the weekend’s most exciting acts, Berlin’s vianova brought a quintessentially ArcTanGent-angled take on modern tech metal with them to Fernhill Farm. Announcing on-stage that this is not only their first UK run, but their first time playing outside of their motherland of Germany for the first time (other than a quick visit to Switzerland, their vocalist later admits to us), with the remarkable impact this band make on the Bixler stage, it’s almost impossible to believe they haven’t done this before. With a crowd of belligerent moshers, a front row of fervent, lyric-belting fans (yours truly included) and a stellar performance of primarily the band’s newer material (with a couple of classics sprinkled in for good measure), vianova’s first UK stint proves they not only have the stones to break international, but they’re going to continue to do so and at a rapid rate. Watch this space. – Maximo David
Leprous (19:30, Main stage)
Norwegian progressives Leprous have historically been a band that have always sat somewhat on the periphery of my interest. While some songs (and a couple of full albums) have landed for me, I’ve felt there was always something more that needed to click between me and these theatrical metal titans. The band’s main stage set at this year’s ArcTanGent, it seems, was exactly that something. Pulling out one of the most stellar, theatrical and airtight performances of the entire week, Leprous proved here that they are a force to be reckoned with, both in performance and songwriting. Each and every song played here (selected from a vast array of releases over the past decade) landed with intent and gravitas, in no small part due to the commanding and otherworldly presence of frontman Einar Solberg. If these guys aren’t headlining arenas in a few years, there is truly no justice in this world. – Maximo David
Sungazer (20:25, Bixler)
One of the more relatively left-field picks for this year’s ArcTanGent (if such a notion were ever to exist), fusion modernisers Sungazer brought a jazz-flavoured party bus with them to Fernhill Farm. Playing a set that would highly appeal to both theory nerds and party-hearty folk alike, Adam Neely and co. truly bridged a gap that would’ve been unthinkable in any space other than this. With a wide variety of dancey, and at times remarkably heavy jazz fusion tunes (plus one stellar cover) it’s undeniable that Sungazer provided one of the most outwardly fun experiences of the entire week, and hopefully earned a place as a frequent booking for the festival in the process. – Maximo David
Godspeed You! Black Emperor (Main stage, 21:20)
When you’re headlining a festival as large as ArcTanGent, the production budget usually goes up in order to make a dramatic yet mobile statement of prowess. But Godspeed You! Black Emperor are not like other headliners, let alone bands in general. Their setup, unchanged from their early years, is as effective as ever – analogue film projected and manipulated live, in cadence with the band’s unique ‘alternative rock’. The images that flashed across the stage included aborted ghost towns, stock exchange screens, black figures on a beach, and a light in the sky so underexposed it was unclear whether it was a sun or a moon. Several reels seem to be ‘classics’ which get pulled out at the close of their sets: an old man looping in confusion and a spiralling plane, falling perpetually.
The setlist (a slightly shorter one than Godspeed You! Black Emperor’s usual) was a brief “Hope Drone”, essentially a full play through of “NO TITLE AS OF 13 FEBRUARY 2024 28,340 DEAD”, then the Slow Riot for New Zero Kanada EP in full. This is much aligned to their recent tours, which have mostly been post-hiatus material with slots that rotated their older pieces. The opening pieces are some of their best post-2011 moments, and the bouncy “RAINDROPS CAST IN LEAD” wasn’t played on their previous visit to the UK. “Moya” “BBF3” did not skimp on its sample – unfortunately, it’s the only of their samples that grates on me, and frankly, I don’t have the same enthusiasm for Slow Riot for New Zero Kanada as the average fan does.
Setlist quibbles aside, Godspeed You! Black Emperor remain as compelling as ever, sounding perfect from the middle of the audience. It was shortly after this set that the band pulled their music from Spotify, presumably following many other artists that are abandoning the platform due to their business practices and deep flirtations with the military industrial complex. They’re not going dark, though, as they’ve got yet more shows across Northern and Central America and Asia this Autumn.
That concludes our detailed thoughts on Wednesday and Thursday of ArcTanGent – we’ll leave you with a few more galleries by Kieran White, who evidently ran circles around our writers.
Underdark
Lowen
