FESTIVAL REVIEW: ArcTanGent 2023

Since its inception in 2013, ArcTanGent has grown into one the of the UK’s best small, alternative festivals. If you want something genre-bending, progressive or have a love for any music that can be described as ‘post-’, then heading to Fernhill Farm on the third week of August is something you should definitely consider, if you’ve not before. Distorted Sound were at this year’s edition again; welcome to our review.

Wednesday – August 16th

SKIN FAILURE – Elephant In The Bar Room

Featuring members of ArcTanGent favourites BLACK PEAKS, now defunct, thrashy collective SKIN FAILURE are out to have bags of relentlessly silly fun. Frontman Will Gardner conducts a mexican wave of middle fingers, while one of the guitarists calls upon a roadie to give him a haircut during a song. The goofy delivery disguises somewhat the strong quality of the tunes – mixing old-school thrash with MASTODON-esque metal, there is an undeniable progressive ethos to the songs from 2022’s excellent full-length Radillac. Between them and an exciting new tune, SKIN FAILURE deliver a great warm-up of the extremities for the days of headbanging and moshing ahead.

Rating: 7/10

HIPPOTRAKTOR – Elephant In The Bar Room

HIPPOTRAKTOR’s midday main stage set last year looms large in the memory as one of 2022’s highlights, and their hotly anticipated return serves as a timely reminder of it. The Belgians play a brand of post-metal that renders complex instrumentation through a relentless filter of melodic hooks, which are elevated to epic proportions by the soaring vocals of frontman Stefan de Graef (PSYCHONAUT) and guitarist Sander Rom’s harmonies. The songs off Meridian, their only album to date, have a hypnotic quality to them – frequently driven by tribal drums and subtly repetitive patterns –  and like hypnotised, the crowd’s applause grows in volume with every song. As the last song rolls over, it’s clear this has been a triumph, and hopefully the establishment of a long and happy association between HIPPOTRAKTOR and the festival.

Rating: 9/10

PUPIL SLICER – Elephant In The Bar Room

PUPIL SLICER have one of the gnarliest names in heavy music and they stylistically match it to a tee. Both their albums – 2021’s Mirrors and sophomore release Blossom – have garnered huge praise and, live, there’s not much that can match them, especially when, like tonight, they’re as abrasive as commando crawling across glass with your flies undone. The three-song curve of Departure In Solitude, Momentary Actuality and the title track from Blossom is a particularly menacing run, but in truth you could have taken any consecutive trio across the eight songs performed and make a case for those as well.

Rating: 8/10

DVNE – Elephant In The Bar Room

The smell of weed is beginning to creep around the tent, which can only mean one thing; DVNE are here. Their brand of stoner/desert/doom is a natural bedfellow to Mary Jane, especially when the riffs in such songs as Court Of The Matriarch and Omega Severer are as big as they are tonight; the crowd response is warm and only grows. DVNE are currently one of the UK’s best secrets in the alternative world; they truly deserve to be playing bigger rooms than they are at the moment; they will be if they keep going in this vein.

Rating: 8/10

CONJURER – Elephant In The Bar Room

If you ever wonder what the sonic form of a beating-up is, listen to Suffer Alone by CONJURER. Kicking off their set with it shows them off at their most brutal, but it’s the dramatic beauty of songs like Those Years, Condemned which highlight what a truly special band the Rugby quartet are. Guitarists Brady Deeprose and Dan Nightingale spend the set taking turns over throat-splitting screams, while between them bassist Conor Marshall looks like he’s about to windmill-headbang his head off. Whether they play fast or slow, heavy or slow, on recording or live, CONJURER’s music causes unequalled devastation, solidifying that they are without a doubt one of the finest heavy bands this country has to offer.

Rating: 10/10

SCALPING – Elephant In The Bar Room

If you’re going to play after CONJURER, you’d better bring your A game; SCALPING do just that. In hindsight, having them play last is an inspired move; their punk-influenced EBM is a far better segue into the first night of the Silent Disco than would have been achieved if the band they followed had headlined, and the combination of their music – a perfect, three-way balance of THE PRODIGY, ENTER SHIKARI and FAITHLESS – and the accompanying visual feast on screens behing them nearly turns the Bixler Stage into a full on rave. It’s a sound way to end the evening’s proceedings before the headphones go on; the only thing missing was the glowsticks.

Rating: 8/10

Thursday – August 17th

BARRENS – Arc Stage

The curtain-raiser to this year’s main stage are Swedish instrumental trio Barrens. Combining wide post-rock soundscapes, stomping post-metal riffs and sweeping tremolo crescendos, their sound is a strong marriage of inspirations from the likes of CULT OF LUNA and WE LOST THE SEA. The three musicians create a thick wall of sound only to pierce it with strong melodies such as the haunting Atomos, and in their dynamic movement manage to be visually engaging on stage (accompanied with an eye-catching light show) despite lacking the focal point that a lead singer gives. A solid half hour of songs from their sole studio effort Penumbra provides the perfect start to the main event.

Rating: 7/10

GRIEF RITUAL – PX3

If there’s a better way to start the morning after the night before than with half an hour of abject misery, it doesn’t exist. GRIEF RITUAL are the sort of band that stir the primitive urge within one’s self to smash things with a sizeable hammer…either that or the bowels, given Dave Marchovecchio’s bass seems to be close to the fabled ‘brown frequency’. Away from bodily functions, the quartet’s blackened doom/hardcore crossover blows away any and all hangovers, inciting a number of two-steppers and flailing limbs through some monstrous breakdowns. This is a band to keep tabs on.

Rating: 9/10

MOUNTAIN CALLER – Arc Stage

Church Road Records are currently boasting a near-perfect roster of bands; their latest acquisition, MOUNTAIN CALLER, are not going to upset the apple cart at all. The trio welcome in the afternoon on the Arc Stage with aplomb; their post-metal floats beautifully around the tent, the melodic sections so precise and delivered so brilliantly. New song The Archivist is a joy to experience and the live debut of Hope Genesis to close the set goes down a storm. There’s a lot going in MOUNTAIN CALLER’s favour right now; long may it continue.

Rating: 8/10

BURIAL CLOUDS – Bixler

What would happen if you installed Chris Cornell as frontman of early PARADISE LOST and played them a fair bit of swampy blues? This is the question that Portland’s BURIAL CLOUDS seem to answer with their exciting blend of devastating doom metal, gloomy grunge, and soulful psychedelic blues. They are spearheaded by the tortured vocals of Michael Malarkey whose delivery swings between deep baritones, soaring heights and a gloomy growl. This mix of influences results in a truly intriguing sound. Presenting songs off their 2023 debut Last Days Of A Dying World (released via Church Road Records, itself a sign of quality), this relatively young band quickly wins over the crowd that takes a punt on checking them out. A brilliant display of soulful misanthropy from a band with bags of promise.

Rating: 9/10

WALLOWING – Bixler 

As WALLOWING from Brighton take to the Bixler Stage, two words are being thrown around the tent; goth beekeepers. The band’s all black clothing, wide-brimmed hats and opaque veils give the impression that they’re going to be harvesting honey for the Dark Lord after their set, so it’s even more jarring when, just prior to kicking into their first song, they throw pink baseball caps into the audience. They have a visceral, avant-garde black metal sound, but there’s a notable disconnect between them and those present; they’re listenable, but their reception is less enthused than they would have probably liked.

Rating: 6/10

SVALBARD – Yokhai

Local favourites SVALBARD are another band whose progression can be charted through their rise in billing at ArcTanGent. The Bristol locals (who look as delighted to be returning as the packed second stage crowd is to welcome them back) bring their soaring blackened post-hardcore, complete with rapturous melodies and gut-punching emotional impact. Sharing vocal and guitar duties, Serena Cherry and Liam Phelan scream out modern anthems of pain and resilience such as Open Wounds and Faking It, the latter coming from their upcoming October release The Weight Of The Mask. A highlight comes as the whole tent is encouraged by Cherry to scream the loudest “FUCK OFF” possible after Click Bait. An equally powerful ending is provided by another new cut Eternal Spirits – a song dedicated to all the beloved musicians who pass away before their time – rounding off an excellently performed, emotionally raw set by a band that is bound to keep reaching new heights.

Rating: 8/10

CAVE In – Arc Stage

There are few better ways to announce your arrival on stage than with the absolute force that is the opening riff of New Reality. Massachusetts crew CAVE IN let loose their crushing sludgy riffs, muscular rhythm section and bulldozing guitar tone upon the main stage where Nate Newton (also of CONVERGE) pulls the first of two shifts for the day. The bassist chips in with a fair bit of singing, but it’s the grungy timbre of guitarist Stephen Brodsky which really elevates songs off their acclaimed 2022 return Heavy Pendulum into festival-size alt-rock anthems. There’s time for a handful of covers (including a FLEETWOOD MAC’s I’m So Afraid) and a few old cuts, with the high point coming in the form of the aptly named Big Riff. A big performance marked by many big riffs, by a big band.

Rating: 8/10

CHAT PILE – Yokhai

CHAT PILE are an interesting bunch, aren’t they? Hailing from Oklahoma, the four-piece are a curious combination of grunge-infused, alt metal and spoken word vocals. It’s very post-modern; thanks to the delivery of vocalist Raygun Busch, at times it feels like celebrated poet John Cooper Clarke reading over the top of SOUNGARDEN. It’s also got a DIY, punk rock feel, which completely ties in with the overall mantra of the festival of showcasing bands that continually push boundaries; furthermore, those watching might not be moving much, but they’re greeting the end of every song with gusto and loud cheers – clearly, CHAT PILE are doing something right.

Rating: 7/10

ELDER – Bixler 

One of the most common sights at ArcTanGent is watching a band behind a blanket of bubbles; ELDER do so with a sea of the soapy spheres gently wafting around the Bixler Stage. The bass is quite high in the mix – it’s unclear whether or not this is intentional – and the closer you are to the edges of the tent, the sound is being blown around a big, but these are nitpicks in the grand scheme of things. This is prog-metal at its finest: big riffs, bigger songs, plenty of heads nodding from front to back. One could definitely see this lot headlining one day.

Rating: 8/10

BRUTUS – Yokhai

BRUTUS are arguably the best alternative band to come out of their native Belgium, which is saying something given that they’re one of a hatful of acts from that country to be playing across the weekend. As evidence of such a claim, the Yohkai Stage is rammed for them, which is wonderful to see and the sound is excellent; everything is at the right levels. Naturally, the bulk of the set is from last year’s excellent Unison Life, with choice cuts from Nest and Burst thrown in for good measure, resulting in a confident and commanding set.

Rating: 8/10

RUSSIAN CIRCLES – Arc Stage

“I can’t book the same bands all the time, unless they’re RUSSIAN CIRCLES, in which case they are welcome every year” – words to that effect are spoken by lead festival booker James Scarlett during a live podcast he guests on one morning, which signifies how special this band is to ArcTanGent. The Chicago trio are old veterans of Fernhill Farm, and the reception they get on the main stage shows they continue to be well beloved. The three are wordless, preferring to be heard and seen through their blend of crushing post-metal riffs, expansive instrumental soundscapes (Quartered is a highlight, sounding like a rocket engine slowly being ignited) and a stunning light show. They are direct enough to engage those who are not into the more ramblin excursions that a lot of post-rock often takes – Conduit has riffs that prime SLAYER would be envious of – and that broad appeal sees RUSSIAN CIRCLES deliver another memorable ArcTanGent set. Same time next year, chaps?

Rating: 8/10

PIGSX7 – Yokhai

At Glastonbury last year, PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS were thanking Castle Donington and introducing themselves as TWISTED SISTER; here, no such fakery is needed. “Someone’s made an administrative error having us headline this stage” jokes vocalist Michael Baty; there’s definitely been no cock up at HQ. The Tyneside stoner rockers have more than earned their spot atop the Yokhai Stage bill tonight and they deliver on all fronts; at times, it’s like watching BLACK SABBATH in the 70’s. Rubbernecker and World Crust are sumptuous slabs of fuzzy riffage and the double-salvo of GNT and A66 from 2018’s King Of Cowards brings a raucous show to a satisfying close.

Rating: 8/10

CONVERGE – Arc Stage

If you were to run a poll across all the bands on the ArcTanGent bill about the bands that inspired them most, chances are that CONVERGE would come on top. The metallic hardcore legends return to headline the main stage six years following their first appearance at Fernhill Farm, and unleash havoc from the very first drum break of Eagles Become Vulture. Instantly the crowd melts into an ocean of surfing bodies and localised tornado-moshpits. Frontman Jacob Bannon brings his signature shriek and chaotic energy, headbanging frantically and marauding the stage without pause.

Around him his bandmates whip up a musical storm with relentless intensity, such as the ludicrously fast Eye Of The Quarrel which sees drummer Ben Koller’s limbs turn into a blur from the sheer pace he’s having to keep. They are by no means one trick ponies though – the southern sludge of Worms Will Feed / Rats Will Feast rolls over with the pace and heft of a tank. The setlist offers a comprehensive walk across their catalogue with a special emphasis on genre classic Jane Doe and the similarly beloved Axe To Fall. The greatest surprise perhaps comes when the quartet return for not one, but two encores, culminating in a tribute to LG Petrov and ENTOMBED’s immortal classic Wolverine Blues. A no-nonsense, no-filler, no-mercy headline set by one of the modern greats.

Rating: 10/10

Friday – August 18th

HIDDEN MOTHERS – PX3

You wouldn’t guess that it’s 11am on the second full day of a festival by the size of the crowd that has gathered to hear HIDDEN MOTHERS. The Sheffield quintet provide a loud awakening with their style of blackened post-hardcore, embellished in equal measure with rapid blast beats and dreamy shoegaze excursions. Songs like Beneath, To The Earth showcase their strength in variety, switching between furious screams over dissonant riffs and really gentle moments of soft clean guitar and emotional cleans. The thousand-strong crowd clearly have an appetite for it, and HIDDEN MOTHERS deliver a winning set for their first, but surely not last, ArcTanGent appearance.

Rating: 8/10

HAAST – Bixler

Another ArcTanGent debut comes from Newport foursome HAAST who play an exceedingly catchy blend of grunge and stoner/doom with heavy prog influences – think something like SOUNDGARDEN meets BLACK PEAKS by way of PALLBEARER. Tying the mix of influences together is the Welshmen’s ear for an alt-rock hook, and the impeccable vocal harmonies of guitarist Adam Wrench and drummer Hywel Williams who share lead singing duties. The thick wall of sound that characterises the songs off HAAST’s third full-length Made Of Light draws in a fair few passers-by inside the tent, who are rewarded with an engaging half-hour of music by a thoroughly likeable band.

Rating: 7/10

CURSE THESE METAL HANDS – Arc Stage

“Hello, we are BARONESS” quips Brady Deeprose from CURSE THESE METAL HANDS. The combined forces of CONJURER and PIJN may not take themselves seriously (especially offstage), but the music they’ve produced is sublime and, on this overcast afternoon, they’re unbelievable. From opening with a brand-new song that includes banjo, tambourine and, erm, an otamatone, to closing with the incredible High Spirits that leaves many in the audience wiping away tears, CURSE THESE METAL BANDS have utterly triumphed. If you watched this set and didn’t fall in love with music all over again, your heart is made of solid granite.

Rating: 10/10

CALIGULA’S HORSE – Arc Stage

Few regional scenes are as sure-fire a sign of quality as the Australian prog metal scene of recent years, and CALIGULA’S HORSE are one of its shining flagbearers. Whether it’s huge power choruses or tug-on-your-heartstrings balladry, the Brisbane four can do it all and with bags of charisma to boot. Vocalist Jim Grey is a magnetic presence on stage whether flexing his vocal range or bantering between songs (he cajoles the crowd into attempting the loudest possible “G’DAY MATE”), while guitarist Sam Vallen brings unparalleled sensitivity and melodicism in his soloing. After a barrage of hits from their most recent offering Rise Radiant and their career highlight Bloom, the Aussies’ impressive set culminates in the powerful eight-minute opus Dream the Dead and the wish that we get to see them on our shores more frequently.

Rating: 8/10

BLANKET – Bixler

BLANKET are a late replacement for UNPROCESSED on the Bixler Stage; they come to ArcTanGent with a decent resumé, having opened for PALM READER in the past and soon to head out with DILLINGER/EVERY TIME I DIE supergroup BETTER LOVERS, but there’s something rather telling that the tent is only half full. They’re exceptionally easy to listen to, with plenty of proggy, post-metal vibes, but the music isn’t exactly mind-blowing and they lack stage presence. Better days will come for them.

Rating: 6/10

HOLY FAWN – Arc Stage

Tales of how loud gigs by MY BLOODY VALENTINE were in the 90s have become cliches of the rock media by now, but years from now our generation might have our own cliche in recalling the same about HOLY FAWN. Their brick-walled shoegaze, dreamy and doomy in equal measures, comes in one size only – huge. The Arizona band’s crushing post-metal riffs and cosmic vocals comfortably fill the main stage and beyond, and even softer moments of ethereal cleans feel like they hold enough potential energy to devour galaxies. Alongside tunes from their acclaimed 2022 album Dimensional Bleed, HOLY FAWN offer up highlights across their recorded output (Candy and Dark Stone hit especially hard), in an altogether mesmerising set. 

Rating: 9/10

DAWN RAY’D – Bixler 

Like BLANKET, DAWN RAY’D also have a half-full Bixler Stage but, unlike their stage counterparts, the audience in front of them are fully invested in the black metal trio, one which comes with occasional violins. The contrasting elements of the blast beats and wailing guitars with the serenity of the strings is an interesting one; it doesn’t always work, but the moments where it does are very good indeed. Additionally, having punters who raise multiple waggling fingers for the drums and getting into the groove helps a lot in how a band comes across; it’s not a perfect set, but it’s far from a complete bust.

Rating: 7/10

PROJECT MISHRAM – Elephant In The Bar Room

The smallest stage delivers one of the biggest delights of the year, as a packed tent welcomes PROJECT MISHRAM from Bangalore, India. Their unique blending of djenty prog metal in the vicinity of TESSERACT and HAKEN with traditional Indian singing and scales (a form of Indian classical music known as ‘Carnatic’) results in a fascinating form of fusion that oscillates between the heavy and the ethereal. It is the vocals that grab you most powerfully, whether it’s via the fast narrative singing of Tamasat or the frequent harmonic vocal interplay over scales rarely heard in metal. The collective have a great stage presence, with members either clad in traditional Indian dress or the more standard metal musician uniform, and they appear to be as delighted by the crowd’s jubilant reception as we ourselves are to be hearing them. PROJECT MISHRAM’s stunning set serves as a heartwarming reminder that there is still so much opportunity to experience groundbreaking music for the first time.

Rating: 10/10

BELL WITCH – Bixler

The big question surrounding BELL WITCH’s set is “Will they play more than one song?”. The answer is no; they don’t even play that. As much of the monstrous, 83-minute composition The Clandestine Gate as possible is performed during their 50 minutes on stage and it goes down a treat; to boot, rain has begun to fall, accentuating the duo’s drawn-out stoner/doom by the power of pathetic fallacy. At times serene and akin to a church service, at others a skull-crushing display of chords and cymbals, it’s hugely impressive; when they’re able to play the full song, it’ll be even more so.

Rating: 8/10

SWANS – Arc Stage

Make no mistake, SWANS and their mastermind Michael Gira are talked about in the most revered of tones; the experimental rock band from New York have been going on-and-off for the last 40 years and there’s no doubt they’ve been a huge inspiration for many of the bands who make up a lineup such as ArcTanGent. Musically, tonight the band are almost a soundscape to one of Artaud’s Theatre of Cruelty pieces; jarring and uncomfortable, yet all in the name of performance art. Unfortunately, it’s not connecting with many; the bodies leaving an initially packed Arc Stage is noticeable and Gira doesn’t seem overly interested from his chair onstage either; a case of ‘what could have been’ all round.

Rating: 6/10

ENSLAVED – Bixler 

Norway’s progressive black metal pioneers ENSLAVED close off the Bixler Stage at ArcTanGent without much fanfare, drenched in darkness and hit by waves of psychedelic lighting. Who needs stage magic when you can sound so huge? Homebound is a blackened post-rock whirlwind, while Kingdom sees them masterfully use dissonance at breakneck pace without losing an iota of clarity. To mark the 20th anniversary of their classic record Below The Lights, we are treated to two special songs off it, which form the high point of the set. The Dead Stare wreaks havoc upon necks with its ‘krautrock SLAYER’ bridge, while Havenless envelops like a sort of Viking chant-along space march. The quintet round off a perfect showing via the hellish doom of Heimdal, once again proving they are one of the most consistently excellent bands in extreme progressive metal.

Rating: 10/10

HEILUNG – Arc Stage

As HEILUNG’s curtain is drawn back, the Arc Stage is revealed to be covered in foliage; the band have turned things into their own, personal wood clearing. Over the next ninety minutes, the neo-pagan folk outfit – who have had to scale back their lineup tonight from, er, 32 to 27 performers – are nothing short of mesmeric. The rain is now pelting down outside, but those in the tent are hypnotised and transfixed by the rhythmic drums, ritualist vocals and regimented movements of those performing. There’s something very poetic about watching such a show in the middle of an official Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, where the elements dance with humans in perfect harmony and the likes of Krigsgaldr and Svanrand are works of art. As the band end with the now customary Hamrer Hippyer and their customary Closing Ceremony, one thing is clear; ArcTanGent’s most left-field headliner to date have conquered all comers.

Rating: 9/10

Saturday – August 19th 

NAUT – PX3

“We’re NAUT and we play in E standard” quips singer Gavin Laubscher as he introduces the Bristol goth rockers first thing on Saturday. This signifies the combination of deadpan and fun that is about to come, with a barrage of danceable hooks, dreamy post-punk melodies and a hard-hitting rhythm section starring a drum machine. Sitting somewhere on the spectrum between SISTERS OF MERCY and UNTO OTHERS, the four piece treat us to ominous pop bangers from their full-length album HUNT which move the early morning crowd to dance and headbang. Frontman Laubscher possesses the typical baritone voice and all-black-leather demeanour, combined with his engaging stage banter (“This next song is in 4/4” elicits a laugh from the knowledgeable ArcTanGent crowd). With their slick presentation and catchy music, NAUT are irresistibly fun and a thoroughly enjoyable way to start the day.

Rating: 8/10

LAWI ANYWAR – Elephant In The Bar Room

Born to a Ugandan father and British woman in the US state of Georgia and raised in Bristol, LAWI ANYWAR has had a life almost as patchwork as the music he plays with his band. Taking to the Elephant In The Bar stage earlier after, at one point the quartet are in the throes of chilled, post-rock and the next into the realms of driving, fuzzy riffs a la DOLOMITE MINOR. Anywar stands off to the side, likely so that he’s not the sole focus and the music can do the talking – the response is very warm and one that shows plenty of fans have been won over.

Rating: 7/10

PSYCHONAUT – Arc Stage

It’s a small miracle PSYCHONAUT are here at all, having nearly missed their ferry from Belgium last night. It’s a good job they made it, though, because the trio are sonically immaculate as morning becomes afternoon. For a three piece, they sound MASSIVE: the vocal harmonies from guitarist Stefan de Graaf and bassist Thomas Michiels are on point and songs like Violate Consensus Reality are nothing short of spellbinding. Like BRUTUS and others before them this weekend, PSYCHONAUT are proof of just how healthy the post-rock/metal scene in Belgium is right now.

Rating: 9/10

GGGOLDDD – Arc Stage

Over at the main stage, Dutch collective GGGOLDDD present their dark ambient synth-pop, characterised by droney synths, soft percussion, atmospheric guitars and the graceful hypnotic vocals of frontwoman Milena Eva. The band focus on songs from the powerful 2022 album This Shame Should Not Be Mine which tells of Eva’s first-hand experience as a victim of sexual assault. Her unflashy theatrical dancing powerfully communicates the emotional weight behind the songs, while the visceral lyrics set against an anxious musical backdrop make for a hair-raisingly intense experience. The high point of the set, if not the entire festival, comes in the form of closer On You – a soft ballad rendered only through Eva’s vocoder-processed voice and subtle synths – which stuns a crowd of thousands into complete pin-drop silence. GGGOLDDD deliver a moment and a performance that will reverberate into ArcTanGent history.

Rating: 10/10

LE BESTIA DE GEVAUDAN – Yokhai

LA BESTIA DE GEVAUDAN have probably travelled further than anyone else to be here; the progressive black/sludge metal trio, named after the mythical animal that terrorised the French Province of Gévaudan in the 1760’s, have come all the way from Chile and, whilst they have a very small crowd to begin with, the Yokhai Stage fills nicely as time goes on. Musically, the band have a strong enough arsenal of material that it pulls through on its own accord, but the vocals are really low in the mix, at times non-existent, which is a shame because, if there had been a clear voice over the top, this would have made for a more compelling performance.

Rating: 6/10

COBRA THE IMPALER – PX3

Another representative of the strong Belgian contingent on the lineup this year, COBRA THE IMPALER play only their second show on British soil on the PX3 stage. Presenting songs off their 2021 full-length Colossal Gods, their sound is a concentrated concoction of modern heavy metal. Combining huge post-metal riffs, progressive song structures and a touch of US power metal sensibility, the result is crushing and melodic in equal measure, like a more muscular-sounding MASTODON. Towering over everything is the powerful rasp of vocalist Manuel Remmerie who motivates the bodies in the crowd to move along with the bulldozing mid-tempo beats. The quintet’s committed performance gets the crowd on side, and provides another successful example of a thriving Belgian metal scene.

Rating: 8/10

ROLO TOMASSI – Arc Stage

ArcTanGent prides itself on giving a chance to the future stars of the scene early, and there are few examples more evident than Sheffield post-hardcore ROLO TOMASSI. Having played the first edition of the festival back in 2013, they now return on the main stage and look every bit the part. Focussing almost entirely on 2022’s excellent record When Myth Becomes Reality, cuts like Drip and Prescience showcase their brand of progressive hardcore, fusing anything from chaotic mathcore to dreamlike shoegaze. ROLO are a force of nature when going at full pelt, but are truly special in their dramatic hardcore mode, as showcased in the enormous sound of Mutual Ruin and A Flood Of Light, with their majestic pianos and masterful intermingling of beauty and fury. The huge metalcore of Cloaked rounds off an impressive set of a band whose upwards trajectory corresponds with that of the festival itself.

Rating: 8/10

THE CALLOUS DAOBOYS – Bixler

The CALLOUS DAOBOYS might just be the band of the moment; as such, the Bixler Tent is heaving for the Atlanta, GA septet. After sound-checking with Seven Nation Army and words about Tesco, among other bits and bobs, the DAOBOYS open with Star Boy, get everyone waving their hands after bludgeoning them with some of the best mathcore around in 2023 and then go into Violent Astrology after sampling NEIL DIAMOND’s Sweet Caroline and getting a huge sing-along going. From there, they have everyone eating out of their hands and rightfully so; it’s bold, brash and undeniably brilliant.

Rating: 9/10

DEAFHEAVEN – Arc Stage

Festivals are often an occasion for ultra-special sets, and they don’t come much more special than this. A packed main stage prepares to hear DEAFHEAVEN perform Sunbather in full (only for the second time anywhere in Europe), to mark the 10th anniversary of one of the most important metal albums of the last decade. The major-scale tremolo riff of Dream House sets the stage for the wild combo of furious black metal and heart-wrenchingly beautiful shoegaze. Unfortunately the set is marred by technical problems, but the five brave through them stoically. Most impressively, charismatic frontman George Clarke still strains every sinew with his shrieks despite knowing for long stretches of time that his mic is malfunctioning. Even the technical issues can’t mute the emotional power of the songs, and the momentous crescendo of The Pecan Tree closes out a cathartic hour.

Rating: 8/10

HEALTH – Bixler

With both PERTURBATOR and CARPENTER BRUT having delighted ArcTanGent in the past with their synthwave, LA outfit HEALTH are already onto a winner with their more industrial and goth-leaning version; ounding like the bastard child of NINE INCH NAILS and TYPE O NEGATIVE, it makes their merch stating ‘Sad Music for Horny People’ even more appropriate. The bass is a bit overpowering in places, admittedly, but otherwise the combination of the synths, vocals and guitars garners a LOT of support from a packed Bixler Stage, making you wonder why they weren’t booked for a bigger stage.

Rating: 8/10

IGORRR – Arc Stage

Few bands truly personify the vibe of ArcTanGent like IGORRR, a group who, when asked how many genres they wanted to showcase in the project, simply answered ‘Yes’. The festival has always held dear to it those groups that push the boundaries of music to new limits and IGORRR, the brainchild of Frenchman Gautier Serre, do just that. From all out black metal, abrasive and confrontational, to the delicate, operatic vocals of Aphrodite Patoulidou, Serre’s cauldron of influences continues to produce a potent cocktail of sounds and sensations to tantalise and, at some moments, terrify.

Rating: 8/10

HAKEN – Yokhai

Closing proceedings over at the second stage are prog metal masters HAKEN who take to the stage dressed in colourful floral shirts that mimic the album art for their recent release Fauna. Taurus and Sempiternal Beings off it offer a slightly shaky start due to the mix not quite gelling, but by the time of the iconic Cockroach King the quintet are in full flow. The unlikely hit (nearing 10 million streams on Spotify) is a profoundly weird eight-minute opus, fleeting from acapella choirs through jazz fusion and DREAM THEATER-esque excursions into heavy-as-fuck metal. But they can also dial up the catchiness – the thoroughly likeable frontman Ross Jennings has a keen ear for a vocal hook, as the poppy might of Lovebite demonstrates. The answer to ‘What would YES sound like if they were formed today’, HAKEN are undoubtedly one of today’s best flag bearers for 70s-inspired prog metal.

Rating: 8/10

DEVIN TOWNSEND – Arc Stage

After three-and-a-half days of all things weird and wonderful from the world of heavy music, the final curtain of ArcTanGent is about to be drawn by the CEO of the weird and wonderful – DEVIN TOWNSEND. Tonight’s show is particularly special, as it is his last before a planned break in touring for a few years in order to focus on writing and recording – as if he is not already ridiculously prolific. This impressive catalogue is on glorious display tonight, with beloved tracks like Kingdom or Deadhead sounding as heavy as a bag of bricks. Whether he’s showing off his best impression of German industrial metal (Dimensions), or opuses worthy of soundtracking a metal reimagining of Les Mis (Lightworker), everything he touches has an unmistakable quality of Devin-ness.

Throughout the set he demonstrates his loveable nature and proneness for self-deprecating humour – from introducing Heartbreaker as “the least pleasant song to hear in a festival environment”, through conducting the crowd into being mightily impressed by a theremin as “touring budgets post-pandemic are tight”. Elsewhere he catches an inflatable unicorn thrown from the crowd under his arm whilst not missing a beat on the guitar, or dons a rainbow jacket given to him by a punter. Peppered alongside the fun, Devin’s heartwarming attitude of positivity comes through, and an invitation to embrace the beauty of our short time on this earth resonates particularly during Spirits Will Collide where, through teary eyes, the crowd sings as one “Don’t you forget that you are loved”. The latter third of the set brings out some of his heavier big guns, and an encore of the iconic Love? closes out a stirring show from progressive metal’s goofy genius uncle.

Rating: 9/10

Words: Elliot Leaver, Pavel Kondov

Check out our photo gallery of the action at ArcTanGent from Sarah Tsang here:

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