FESTIVAL REVIEW: ArcTanGent 2026

Having carved a unique position in the festival calendar, ArcTanGent has cemented itself as the celebration of the more leftfield and experimental aspects to heavy music. Whether it’s math, post-metal, sludge, post-rock, doom, progressive or downright weird, y0u can rest assured ArcTanGent has something that fits that persuasion. With 2026’s festival being the last to be held at the idyllic and familiar Fernhill Farm, and greater pastures awaiting for 2027, there’s a celebratory feel in the air, and thankfully – a lack of rain clouds – as ArcTanGent 2026 looks to book its place in the history books.

Wednesday – August 19th

SWAMP COFFIN – Yokhai Stage

The sun is shining, the birds are singing and the ArcTanGent punters are in great spirits which led to a rapturous welcome for Rotherham’s SWAMP COFFIN. The first band of any festival have a lot to live up to and the sludge brood more than set the bar with high octane energy and riffs that can only be described as disgusting (complimentary) during Everything Is Nothing and Know You’re Worthless. Humour is in no short supply either as vocalist/guitarist Jon Rhodes is quick off the mark with quips about being the best band of the festival. First band they may have been but what a bar they’ve set for the festival to come. It’s worth noting team Distorted Sound have survived the Slowest Wall Of Death and would happily return for more.

Rating: 8/10

GIANT WALKER – PX3

Newcastle’s GIANT WALKER might be a relatively fresh face in the world of UK prog, but recent years has seen the quartet grace many a festival stage up and down our small corner of the world. Back for their second ArcTanGent innings after impressing in 2025, there’s a hefty crowd awaiting them and they are rewarded with a tight and enjoyable performance. Material from 2024’s Silhouettes still sounds absolutely magnificent in the live environment, particularly the title track and Make Me, and frontwoman Steff Fish keeps the crowd bopping and vibing throughout. Top notch stuff from one of our own.

Rating: 8/10

OVERHEAD, THE ALBATROSS – Yokhai Stage

Dublin’s OVERHEAD, THE ALBATROSS have a reputation on reducing fully grown adults to emotional wrecks. Their highly cinematic post-rock is embedded with deep emotional threads that intertwine with their elaborate compositions and live, it’s stunning. They dropped jaws at this very festival a year ago, and achieved it once again at the more extreme metal-leaning Damnation Festival. At ArcTanGent 2026,  OVERHEAD, THE ALBATROSS waste no time in conjuring a vast emotional response from those gathered under the Yokhai Stage curtains. Your Last Breath is emotionally devastating with the spoken word delivery and its poignant subject matter speaking directly to every single person who has experienced loss while Hibakusha ebbs and flows from raw aural power to passages that shimmer like fragile shards of ice. A resounding and triumphant closer in Paul Lynch ensures that there are enough tears flowing to aid in the drought conditions and ends a performance that will live long in the memory. A stunning set from a special, special band.

Rating: 10/10

SANS FROID – PX3

The heavenly SANS FROID bring the intensity of their art-rock sound with the light and complex vocals from Aisling Rhiannon Trafford and Ellie Godwin. It’s a gorgeous set, speckled with dagger sharp playing from new record Back Into The Womb, and break out record of 2024 Hello, Boil Brain. Swirling and intricate it’s a wonderful expression of musical joy and emotional frustration that fuses to create something frenetic and exciting

Rating: 8/10

LOST IN KYIV – Yokhai Stage

French instrumental post-rock outfit LOST IN KYIV showed a heavier direction in this year’s excellent We’re All Going To Be Fine, and at ArcTanGent 2026, we’re treated to a lovely display from the Parisians. In a set comprised largely from their latest effort, it doesn’t take long for their expansive and intricate melodies to have heads bobbing and bodies swaying. Burst very much lives up its namesake and loudly announces the band to Fernhill Farm while Eclipse is simply gorgeous, with a spine-tingling passage of shimmering leads that washes over you like a warm embrace. A fine performance and a more than suitable musical companion to ease us into the evening of Wednesday’s action.

Rating: 9/10

DIMSCÛA – PX3

Such is the beauty of ArcTanGent that the bill is littered with gems from across the heavy music underground. DIMSCÛA are one such band. The Berkshire based-band have turned heads aplenty with last year’s cult favourite Dust Eater and at this year’s festival, they make good on the excitement surrounding them. Their amalgamation of post-metal and sludge creates a massive wall of sound that hits like a ten ton fucking hammer live. Existence (Futility) is absolutely testament to this and delivers an explosive introduction to the band’s set and by the time they finish with a killer rendition of On Being and Nothingness, it’s safe to say that we can expect DIMSCÛA to quickly eclipse their current cult status and become a much wider name in UK heavy music.

Rating: 8/10

SVALBARD – Yokhai Stage

As the saying goes, all good things must come to an end and such is the case for SVALBARD. Their 15 year career has seen the Bristol-based band play a fundamental role in UK metal’s buoyed revival in the modern era, and after spending much of the 12 months on the road bidding farewell, ArcTanGent marks time on a band we’re going to dearly miss. What follows is a celebration from across their career, each number delivered with the utmost conviction. Faking It is a modern day classic with its thunderous delivery, Open Wound soothes and rages in equal measure, while older material (like For the Sake of the Breed and Grayscale) send the pit into absolute bedlam. Serena Cherry can’t stop smiling from the reaction given to her and her bandmates, with the crowd pouring every ounce of emotion into SVALBARD‘s swansong. By the time closer Eternal Spirits fades, the applause is deafening. So long and goodnight SVALBARD, we’ll never forget you.

Rating: 10/10

Thursday – August 20th

IAN – Main Stage

As the field gears up for many more festival goers showing up, IAN demonstrates the very reason ArcTanGent is so wonderful. Where else do you find a band this heavy, with a cello fronting the experience?! Chaotic, exhilarating and beautifully coarse, the set is stunning. The band play a variety of atmospheric and haunting songs from their album Come On Everybody, Let’s Do Nothing! From towering screaming to serene and haunting, IAN give the day a real wake up call.

Rating: 7/10

WITCHSORROW – PX3

Doom outfit WITCHSORROW have carved themselves a notable reputation within the doom sphere and with good reason. Gracing the same stage they did three years ago, the trio delivers a hefty slab of deep gloom which was lapped up by the heaving tent. Opening Bacchus is deliciously oppressive. Church bells slammed into dominating beats. Stank faces were evoked from every corner of the tent, spilling out to those camped outside in the midday sun with beers and books. Growing vocals floated through the cannabis laden air of Fernhill Farm and our position in the collective of WITCHSORROW was cemented from the get go. The piece de resistance came in the form of quite literally an appearance by Serena Cherry (SVALBARD/NOCTULE) whose ratting scream curdled the blood and perfectly set the tone for the excellent Hades Chains. From the first to the final buzzsaw guitars, WITCHSORROW gave us nothing short of perfection.

Rating: 10/10

HAAL – Bixler

Local boys HAAL have a superb balance of electronica blended with industrial and post-rock sounds. It’s an exhilarating set, and when some technical difficulties struck, HAAL were the peak of performance professionalism and just cracked on around the issue. It bodes well that these guys can work so well under pressure, as there are so many moving parts to their music that every player is as important as the others, all distributing the musical load between them beautifully. To Be A Machine and Blank Sleep are great examples of how you can write complicated, expansive music that doesn’t bog down the crazy time signatures in dead weight or bloat. HAAL feels alive, glitching and itching sentience freaking out in a surreal musical experience that’s both fun to unpick and get a little jig on to.

Rating: 8/10

MATADOR – PX3 

It’s interesting getting to see what MATADOR are bringing to ArcTanGent. With their superb record Above, Below and So having to be tweaked and reimagined for live performance, they did not disappoint. Poignant, expansive post-rock blended with psych-doom that feels as huge live as it does on the record. From the bludgeoning soundscapes to mammoth weight, it’s a journey through the dirge that’s both pleasant in the sun and the cool shade in equal measure as it washes over you.

Rating: 7/10

PSYCHONAUT – Main Stage

Belgian psychedelic post-metallers PSYCHONAUT are a unique proposition and they’ve really been turning heads in recent years. Last year’s World Maker laid a serious claim to AOTY lists and a stunning appearance at last year’s Damnation has built the threads into what feels like a very natural mid-afternoon slot on ArcTanGent‘s Main Stage. And what follows is simply astonishing. The Belgians waste absolutely no time in laying down some seriously wicked grooves and melodies, with the likes of Endless Currents and an incredibly emotive rendition of You Are The Sky… keeping the crowd caught in a trance. It’s breathtaking stuff and one of the festival’s clear highlights in a weekend packed to the brim of quality.

Rating: 10/10

RONKER – Yokhai Stage

A stand out of day is RONKER, a Belgian speed-noise outfit with explosive energy and a penchant for fun. They’ve a high energy set that includes climbing the rigging, and declaring the British National Anthem to actually be OASIS, there’s goofin-aplenty between furious performances. The 30 minutes blisters by all to quickly, and it’s been a hell of an introduction to a band that are bound to make some waves with those who are fresh to their antics.

Rating: 7/10

NORDIC GIANTS – Main Stage

To experience NORDIC GIANTS live transcends the mere experience of watching a band. Their highly cinematic instrumental compositions are accompanied by bleak short visual films to create an truly unique emotional response to experiencing the duo in the live setting. And under the canopy of ArcTanGent‘s Main Stage, NORDIC GIANTS deliver a aural and visual emotional gutpunch, one that hits so hard that leaves members of the crowd overcome with emotion. Their compositions swirl with devastating effect, building from subtle melodies that pull at the heartstrings to explosive renditions that crash like waves upon the rocks. The result? A performance that can be difficult to translate into words if we’re completely honest and although the raw, emotional delivery can be difficult to stomach at points, there is no denying their impact is utterly profound.

Rating: 8/10

AGENT FRESCO – Yokhai Stage

It’s been a long time since Iceland natives AGENT FRESCO last graced our shores. Seven years in fact, and you’ll have to extend it by another three to the last time the band performed at ArcTanGent. On their much anticipated return, the band provided a wide and vibrant musical landscape that straddles the realms of prog, math and pop. The result is a splendid time to close Thursday afternoon, led by the ever-energetic and instantly likeable frontman Arnór Dan Arnarson. The bulk of the band’s time on stage is spent delivering cuts from 2015’s excellent Destrier, but with a hint of new material being shown to the ATG faithful, we’re confident it won’t be another decade until we see more from this lovely group of Icelanders.

Rating: 7/10

ALCEST – Main Stage

Unfortunately there can be no festival without issues of a logistical nature. The unlucky candidate for this year’s ArcTanGent is French shoegaze brood ALCEST. Though the 20 minute delay has resulted in their set being cut short, what ALCEST were able to give is outstanding.
Protection is ethereal in every sense of the word. Neige’s vocals weave through the bodies populating the Main Stage while his melodies ensnare us in the most satisfying of head bobs. Écailles de lune, Part 2 is gorgeous from beginning to end, smatterings of conversation within the crowd containing nothing but praise for ALCEST. If this is what they deliver with a shortened set, ALCEST are more than deserving of an invitation to christen ArcTanGent’s new site next year.

Rating: 9/10

TONY DANZA TAPDANCE EXTRAVANGAZA – Yokhai Stage

If there’s a show to see, TONY DANZER TAPDANCE EXTRAVAGANZA’s first UK festival performance. In fact, it’s been more than two decades since they’ve even been in the country! The crowd seem to be bursting at the seams to gobble up the show-crazed math rock madmen. With promises of merch and guestlist for the most amount of crowd surfers, there’s hardly time for a pit to really open up before its commandeered into a pool of volunteers to lift the masses, all while the band tears us open a new one. Cracking stuff!

Rating: 8/10

IGORRR – Main Stage

Practically a second headline set for the Main Stage, IGORRR orchestrates a truly unforgettable performance. Black metal blast beats, Eastern European baroque; it’s spiritual, avant-garde electronica the likes of which that doesn’t exist anywhere else in the world. Gautier Serre is truly having a riotous good time with his set, and the crowd interaction is second to none. The operatics and screaming vocals, pairing as dualling feminine and masculine energies on stage, are sublime together, interweaving and overlapping. The light show is meticulously well put together, with the whole show feeling incredibly fine-tuned and orchestrated.

Rating: 10/10

MØL – Bixler 

Since their inception in 2013, MØL has gone from strength to strength. This year’s full-length DREAMCRUSH being another scintillating entry to their already impressive repertoire. It makes sense then the Danes waste little time diving into the suite. DREAM is the perfect opener to their set, MØL operating like a well oiled machine. Diorama’s Photophobic simply reaches into the mind and scrapes out our innermost thoughts, punctuated with incredible light production, even if many did have to look at the floor from the intensity of the strobes. The riffs on display from Nicolai Hansen and Sigurd Kehlet are astronomical. Kim Song Sternkopf’s vocals are on point, even when grasping the opportunity to stage dive. Sailing through Ligament, Serf, and CRUSH with a brutal elegance only MØL possesses, they have surely become one of the most formidable names in our scene today.

Rating: 9/10

CHELSEA WOLFE – Main Stage

Such is the beauty and diversity of the ethos surrounding ArcTanGent‘s identity that it allows for headliners that wouldn’t typically land in the same vein at other events in the calendar. Such is the case for American singer-songwriter CHELSEA WOLFE, which surprisingly, marks her ATG debut with the audacious task of closing Thursday’s Main Stage. The anticipation has been building far beyond the day’s running order, WOLFE was originally booked to perform at 2020’s festival, aka the pandemic year, and as such, by the time in which set opener Iron Moon unfolds and WOLFE‘s iconic crooning and alluring vocals begin to soar, we feel the first of many, many shivers.

In a headlining outing that thoroughly captivating, CHELSEA WOLFE takes ArcTanGent on a victory lap from across her multifaceted back catalogue. The likes of Whispers In The Echo Chamber, Tunnel Lights and The Liminal (all taken from 2024’s She Reaches Out to She Reaches Out to She) sound utterly magnificent in the live arena, with WOLFE‘s voice spear-heading the enormous wall of sound, while Flatlands is nothing short of exquisite, its delivery beautifully delivered to create a fragile and shimmering atmosphere. With her headlining performance arriving on the eve of the release of her new album, The Dark, we’re treated a host of new material, all slotting seamlessly into her live arsenal (especially Cold), and as the sun sets on ArcTanGent, we’re speechless. CHELSEA WOLFE is a special artist and her headlining performance at ArcTanGent is testament to the unique place she occupies in our world.

Rating: 10/10

Friday – August 21st

WILDERNESSES – Bixler

Early morning sets are something of a cursed chalice at festivals. Many punters are still waring off the cobwebs from the night prior, others are patiently waiting in the seemingly never-ending queue for morning coffees. But ArcTanGent is a different breed of festival and for London’s WILDERNESSES, a pleasantly populated Bixler tent awaits them as they kick off Friday’s fun. Arriving on the back of this year’s lovely debut Growth, they present a smooth aural concoction that swirls from shoegaze through to atmospheric alt/post-rock. Their compositions build and have enough hooks to keep you engaged, especially with Phillip Morris‘ vocals. A delightful introduction from a band that we fully expect to see grace stages aplenty in the years ahead.

Rating: 8/10

MOKSHA – Main Stage

ArcTanGent is nothing if not eclectic in the sheer range of genres on display within their hallowed grounds. Nothing truer can be said for the debut festival performance of MOKSHA. Composed of members of ITHACA, FORLORN, and FIRE BLANKET, MOKSHA delivers a spiritual affirming experience with Holly Chetan-Welsh at the helm. If there were any nerves about performing to the Main Stage crowd, they certainly didn’t show. With a generation which is increasingly open about their mental health, what better way to start than with a breathing exercise. The result of which was an incredibly intimate feeling set which would be difficult for any band to create. Whisp is delightfully whimsical to the point very few realise that we’re singing along to a SAM SMITH cover (Ever New) until it’s already three quarters of the way through. Sole single Three Rivers is enchanting with Holly Chetan-Welsh’s silken vocals. A charming experience from start to finish.

Rating: 8/10

CONJURER – Main Stage

From the myriad of merch populating Fernhill Farm this year, the cult of CONJURER is alive and well and the perfect opportunity for new comers to be welcomed into the fold. With their brand of doom-cum-post-metal, the Rugby collective arrive to a packed Main Stage ready to worship the glory of 2025’s Unself, the title track starting proceedings with riffs thicker than the toasties. It comes as little surprise then that the majority of this set pulls material from the recent offering, with Choke and Retch being the only outliers. Though with obliterating cuts such as All Apart and highlight Hang Them In Your Head, this choice was the correct one. The tandem of Dani Nightingale and Brady Deeprose are in fine form, trading vocal blows and devastating riffs with ease. Alongside the sonic brutality, there is a moment of remembering why ArcTanGent is the success it is with Nightingale dedicating Let Us Live to the trans community. With the festival’s ethos of resounding inclusivity in a time where trans rights are still being attacked, humanity will always have a vehicle with CONJURER.

Rating: 8/10

THE INTERSPHERE – Yokhai Stage

A steady inclusion with Distorted Sound comes in the form of German progressive rockers THE INTERSPHERE. It comes as a slight surprise to us that Yohkai is sparse in population by the time the band takes the stage. However that is quickly rectified a few minutes later when floaty notes collide with the dense riff of Wanderer. Christoph Hessler’s vocals are spectacular, guiding us through tales of sorrow, regret, and everything the human condition. Harmonies trickle through the openings of the tent, drawing people inside the sphere to share in the experience. The cadence of Down is infectious, recent single Time To Deliver ladles the set with a sticky riff that will remain with us for days to come, while Antitype’s dalliance with the celestial made for a delectable set. If there was any doubt about the band’s inclusion within the ArcTanGent bill, they were quickly erased and we were left wanting more.

Rating: 8/10

HECK – Yokhai Stage

The most high-octane set of the weekend, it has to be said, has to go to HECK. At their (supposedly) last gig, HECK have given it their all and more. Matt Reynolds brutally bashing his head at the beginning of the set has barely scratched the surface of the utter shenanigans that unfold. Flipping without fear into the crowd, while bandmate Jonny Hall allows a wall of death to smash together around him, it’s wall-to-wall bonkers in the frantic mashing of mathcore and progressive punk. While the band have a been drastically absent from performing over the last decade, it’s been a must see and a live performance that many will not forget. Having this kind of furiously infectious live music is exactly what keeps the scene alive, no matter if it’s the first or last performance.

Rating: 10/10

LILI REFRAIN – Bixler 

There comes a time in every festival goer’s life when seeking shelter from a torrential downpour is necessary. Oftentimes, our newest favourite acts can be found by happenstance. This is how we and many others found our way to the Bixler tent for LILI REFRAIN. With that in mind, REFRAIN has an opportunity to win over some new fans, something the multi-instrumentalist launches into. Armed with her loopstation and a myriad of instruments, REFRAIN delivered a masterclass in blending folk with a heavy dose of the dark nature of blues tones. The result was intoxicating. There is nothing quite like seeing a song come together in real time, from the beat to the final accoutrement of operatic textures. We are well and truly spellbound by the atmosphere of pouring rain melting into the warmth of her instrumentals. An incredible display of composing and minimalist showmanship.

Rating: 8/10

ARCANE ROOTS – Main Stage

The return of ARCANE ROOTS has been one of the few bright lights in a year of seemingly perpetual misery. Having already marked their return at 2000trees earlier in the summer, now comes the turn of ArcTanGent to welcome back one of UK rock’s best kept secrets. In a set that flies from start to finish, the Kingston Upon Thames-band dazzle and amaze at every turn. Comeback single, A Wave, Across The Sea, is absolutely enormous, while Resolve‘s infectious chorus is passionately screamed back at the band. At the helm of their ship, Andrew Groves leads the celebration with a passionate display, and his angelic cleans and pained-screams hit that sweet spot, time after time. If Nothing Breaks, Nothing Moves – a fitting set closer – sees the band at their very best and marks a beautiful moment in the weekend’s action. Welcome back ARCANE ROOTS, we’ve missed you.

Rating: 9/10

NOTHING – Yokhai Stage

Philadelphia’s NOTHING have been steadily growing their stock over the course of their sixteen year history, and following an explosive outpour of emotion to ARCANE ROOTS over on the Main Stage, their pleasant and inviting soundscapes makes for a lovely companion to welcome us into Friday evening. The band ended a six year wait with a short history of decay, released earlier this year, but instead of overloading their set with new material, NOTHING spend their ArcTanGent debut taking us on a journey across their discography. A quick-fire one-two of purple strings and cannibal world (both taken from this year’s aforementioned new album) gets things off to a splendid start, while later numbers in Bent Nail and Downward Years to Come evokes a strong reaction from the crowd. Lovely stuff.

Rating: 8/10

PERTURBATOR – Main Stage

The cross-pollination of synthwave into heavy music circles has been one of the biggest success stories of the modern era and at the helm sits French outfit PERTURBATOR. Capturing that sweet spot of darkwave heaviness with enough beats to replicate the neon lights of Night City, the band – helmed by mastermind James Kent – is a firm favourite on our shores, gracing stages aplenty, ranging from Damnation all the way through to RADAR Festival. To absolutely no one’s surprise whose experienced PERTURBATOR before, ArcTanGent is transformed into a rave and it’s nothing short of exhilarating to experience. The likes of Future Club‘s pulsing synths boom and shake the tent’s foundations to its very core, while Apocalypse Now kicks the set off in the most emphatic way possible. It’s a set that flies, and as you cast an eye over a sea of human limbs moving in unison to the music, it’s a moment that symbolises the unique beauty that only live music can provide.

Rating: 9/10

NAPALM DEATH – Yokhai Stage

The story of this set starts with bassist Shane Embury having come to ArcTanGent to promote his From Broseley to Obliteration cassette and wondered why NAPALM DEATH haven’t played before. Although the legend himself sadly isn’t on stage tonight, that question is very much answered with NAPALM DEATH blaring through a raucous set this year. It’s a booking that may that seems bizarre, but that’s the whole point of ATG, to blend together the absurdity of all that music has to offer. Veterans of the punk scene, the grindcore legends spout perfectly anti-fascist, anti-religious and anti-establishment rhetoric with Barney Greenway joking and riling the crowd. To quote the man, 40 minutes of “horrible sounding shit” goes down like the most delicious thing; it’s evident this is a much-needed release for everyone watching these batshit madmen tear the stage apart.

Rating: 8/10

BRUIT ≤ – Bixler

French collective BRUIT ≤ have been one of the breakout post-rock successes of the last ten years, having captured attention at the tail-end of the pandemic with the breathtaking The Machine is burning and now everyone knows it could happen again in 2021 and subsequent follow-up three years later, 2024’s The Age Of Ephemerality. It’s an enormous wall of sound and live, it works a treat under the tent of the Bixler stage. Offering a more elaborate and expansive approach to the grindcore ferocity of NAPALM DEATH over on Yokhai, BRUIT ≤‘s blend of expansive post-rock with neoclassical elements that just invites you to shut off the outside world and experience their craft. Moreso that none of the material performed is available on streaming services, this is music designed to be experienced live, with your own eyes. Beautiful.

Rating: 8/10

PRIMUS – Main Stage

The final big boss of the evening, PRIMUS have been a giant draw this weekend. The day-trippers are out in huge numbers, but the buzz overall is one of excitement. With a bombastic start with Those Damned Blue-Collar Tweekers, it’s Les Claypool at his absolute best. Breezing through the insane basslines and even more whacky lyrics, the set starts in the more self-indulgent and moves to the most well known tunes as the progress. Wynona’s Big Beaver, John the Fisherman and Shake Hands With Beef are some of the best received to name but a few, the crowd knows every percussive beat. Latest drummer John ‘Hoffer’ Hoffman is seamless in his integration, and of course Ler LaLonde makes this powerhouse trio complete. It’s an absolutely packed in the tent and beyond, and the final duo of My Name Is Mud and Jerry Was A Race Car Driver comes around all too quickly. A blast of the super-weird, it’s evident from the thousands of people who’ve turned up to today that PRIMUS do in fact, suck.

Rating: 9/10

SCALER – PX3 

While the majority of the sold out Friday crowd gravitate toward PRIMUS, a slice of the patrons descend on PX3 for a turn with SCALER. What a turn it becomes. A heady blend of rave beats collide with industrial metal guitars for something transcendental. Heads and hips are overtaken by the exhilarating rush of intensity. Momentum drives us to enjoy with full abandon despite perhaps not being our first choice on a playlist or turntable. In support of 2025’s Endlessly, the set is heavily populated with the album’s scintillating beats and slamming drops. The minimalist nature of Salt’s verses slither into Evolve’s understated nature, draped in celestial harmonies. SCALER is a formidable addition to Friday night’s proceedings and a particular highlight of our festival.

Rating: 9/10

Saturday – August 22nd 

KATHRYN JOSEPH – Main Stage

The final morning is one that requires a certain beauty and tenderness that KATHERYN JOSEPH more than delivers. The Inverness singer-songwriter has a serene and ethereal feel, with stripped back synths and gorgeous vocals. Her songs Deer all the way through to the superb What Is Keeping You Alive Makes Me Want To Kill Them For are haunting and uplifting in a bizarre ebb and flow, one that is both inspiring and bittersweet in equal measure.

Rating: 7/10

MEATDRIPPER – PX3 

PX3 arguably has some of the best up and coming bands that are a must for further listening. MEATDRIPPER is a delight with their doomy psychedelic riffs, their sound is massive and instantly interesting. The four piece carry a weighty confidence that far surpasses their few years playing together. With songs like Animal Brians and Exterminate Her brimming with thundering energy and the spine tingling, truly unique vocals, the tent is chocker-full by the end of the set. Clearly MEATDRIPPER are ones to watch and their bold music will have won them many new fans.

Rating: 8/10

DIN OF CELESTIAL BIRDS – Yokhai Stage

Pardon the pun, but there’s been a din of noise surrounding Leeds’ DIN OF CELESTIAL BIRDS. The instrumental post-rock quintet are no strangers to ArcTanGent, but on their third outing at the festival, they make their biggest statement of intent to date. It helps that their slot at this year’s festival comes hot on the heels of Takeoffs & Landings, released just weeks prior, and with their set comprised almost entirely of cuts from their new offering, we’re treated to a beautiful display of emotive-laden post-rock. Whether that’s When Suddenly…, Marmoris, or cataclysmic set closer, From This Summit We Can See The Heavens & Stars, it’s difficult not to become utterly engrossed in the spectacle.

Rating: 8/10

LEECHED – PX3

At the tail-end of the 2010s (yes, we know it feels like a lifetime ago), UK metal was enjoying a purple patch. A crop of killer bands sat at the forefront of the buzz around heavy music. LEECHED were one such band, having captured attention with their brutal mix of metallic hardcore, industrial and noise. But having seemingly vanished into the hiatus wildernesses, their logo’s placement on the ArcTanGent bill is very much a surprise, albeit a very welcome one. Showing no signs of rust in their first show in six years, LEECHED are nasty, in the best way possible. Their enormous wall of sound batters those gathered at the PX3 stage. Riffs batter and obliterate, harsh noise swirls viciously like a maelstrom and the resulting aural violence is ferociously sick. Although little future activity is known at this point, it does feel like ArcTanGent marked a starting point for the rebirth of one our own. Welcome back LEECHED.

Rating: 8/10

JO QUAIL + THE CROSSBONES ENSEMBLE

Heavy and classical music quite often go hand in hand and there are a plethora of bands using orchestral accoutrements. However there is one name in our current climate that sits atop the rest; JO QUAIL. The cellist returns to ArcTanGent for the fourth time, but what she seeks to deliver on this Saturday afternoon is something extraordinary. Along with Tom Atherton and The Crossbones Trombones Ensemble, we are treated to a selection of material from 2025’s Notan. QUAIL’s command of the cello is breathtaking. The tent was silent throughout the pieces, the only noise made by patrons being cheers of enthusiasm. Butterfly Dance sends chills coursing through our corporeal beings. The pairing of Embrace and First Rain elicits wonder from us effortlessly. The atmosphere these musicians are able to create is unlike anything we have witnessed. Utterly mesmerising. A beautiful rendition of the haunting Kingfisher brought one of the most special moments we have ever experienced to a close. Judging by the comments we overheard upon leaving the tent, and our own takeaways, QUAIL is simply divine. It was certainly a set the Distorted Sound team are glad to have been there for.

Rating: 10/10

OATHBREAKER – Main Stage

ArcTanGent always has the ability to conjure up special moments. Bookings and performances that go down in festival folklore as a “I was there” moment. OATHBREAKER at ArcTanGent 2026 felt like one of those moments. Having reformed and returned earlier this year and graced Roadburn with a full playthrough of 2016’s landmark Rheia, now, the UK is to get the same treatment and anticipation is at fever pitch as Caro Tanghe delivers a fragile and pained introduction in 10:56, before exploding into Second Son Of R in a moment we can only liken to the force of a collapsing neutron star. It’s absolutely devastating as a cacophony of riffs smash and collide with Tanghe‘s devastating screams and cleans that are drenched in emotion. Whether it’s Needles in Your Skin, Immortals, or a triumphant one-two punch of Where I Live and Where I Leave, the following 50 minutes leaves jaws firmly planted on the floor. Indeed, a “I was there” moment.

Rating: 10/10

DARKHER – Bixler 

DARKHER have been swirling around the subconscious of our world for some time now. Helmed by the enchanting Jayn Maiven, we’ve seen various iterations of her project over the years. Where DARKHER‘s outing at Fortress Festival last year was folk-focused, at ArcTanGent, we see DARKHER embrace their more ‘heavy’ sound and the result is entrancing. Doom-laden guitar lines built slowly and crash and cascade in unison to the pounding of drums, all while Maiven delivers her angelic vocals with the utmost precision. It’s a set that breezes by in an instant, with the likes of The Dawn Brings a Saviour and Undrink the Poison being just some of the many, many highlights. After the aural battering of OATHBREAKER and with CHAT PILE to come, DARKHER provide a lovely palette cleanser to ease into Saturday’s final stretch.

Rating: 9/10

CHAT PILE – Main Stage

As expected, things are pretty fast and loose with CHAT PILE. The music is on top form with the chaos of I Am Dog Now right out of the gate. Song from the new record Who Loves The Sun, PEN I S MALL and Deep Blue, keep very much in line with favourites Funny Man and Slaughterhouse. It’s a violently fun time and the banter between songs is second to none; song-after-song, it’s as if the band haven’t played anything as Raygun Busch continues conversationally recommending books and films to the crowd. It’s delightfully silly, coupled with the shitless packing and bopping, CHAT PILE are masters of the grotesque and the articulate.

Rating: 8/10

EIVØR – Main Stage

Faroese artist EIVØR has seen her stock rise considerably in recent years. Although her career stretches back to the latter years of the 90s, recent times and releases (namely 2020’s Segl and 2024’s Enn) has seen the artist land and build a substantial following in heavy music circles. Her placement this high on the Main Stage bill, and on her ArcTanGent debut no less, may appear a tall order, but what follows is an absolute masterclass from a performer whose multifaceted and diverse soundscapes is quite unlike anything we’ve heard before. Mixing traditional Nordic folk with splashes of electronica and art-driven rock, EIVØR weaves an magical musical tapestry that is so engrossing. Whether that’s Upp Úr Øskuni or the wicked Gullspunnin, her set ebbs and flows naturally like a river flows to the sea as she shows her versatility by regularly switching her instrument of choice. Given her work contributing compositions to God of War and The Last Kingdom, it’s no surprise that at ArcTanGent, EIVØR conjures an epic fantasy world, bringing the tales of ancient legend through to the modern era. Magnificent.

Rating: 9/10

HIGH ON FIRE – Yokhai Stage

A predicament is presented to ArcTanGent attendees on Saturday night. The monolithic HIGH ON FIRE clashes with A.A. WILLIAMS. As Orange cabs and monitors flood the stage of Yohkai, we know we are about to see something incredible. As guitarist Matt Pike shirtlessly takes to the stage, lusciously smoky riffs soon dominate the tent. Ecstatic roars lift from the crowd with a molten rendition of Burning Down. The band is tight, the riffs are heavy, and the atmosphere is electric. There is certainly no messing around with HIGH ON FIRE as they attack their material ferociously. A quality the crowd laps up in spades. The energy is as infectious as the ecstasy-ridden grins on expressions that aren’t gripped by a stank face. Rumours of War sounds massive, the crunch of 10,000 Years prompt the hands of worship, while Snakes for the Divine is the maraschino cherry on top of the delectably rich masterclass the Oakland titans serve. Commanding high energy from an audience on the final night of a festival is a tall order but HIGH ON FIRE not only manage to do that easily but surpass even their own expectations. As those who don’t want to miss a single moment of the transcendental CULT OF LUNA + JULIE CHRISTMAS set over on Main Stage sprint from the tent, they do so with a new found energy and a mass appreciation for all that is HIGH ON FIRE.

Rating: 9/10

MASTER BOOT RECORD – PX3 

For those who want something a little different to what the Main Stage has on offer, MASTER BOOT RECORD is an awesome final performance for the PX3 stage. Video game, retro-influenced metal is the best way to describe the delights of MASTER BOOT RECORD, fronted by master-orchestrator Victor Love, with 16-bit visuals and a host of synth flavours including Commodore 64 and Amiga 500. The three-piece fill the tent with pure nostalgia, the integrated synths seamlessly working with the live drums and guitar. Edoardo Taddei on guitar is playing at a million miles an hour and looks as calm as if he were waiting for a bus; Giulio Galati makes the sense of the crazy layered synths with his seamless drumming, while Love, with retro-fitted tech to blends everything together. A masterclass in ingenuity, it’s a glitching, shredding blast off into the night and a superb send off for the final day.

Rating: 9/10

CULT OF LUNA & JULIE CHRISTMAS – Main Stage

We’ve mentioned numerous times throughout this review that ArcTanGent is specifically built to create moments of magic. And what better way to close ArcTanGent 2026, and indeed the last iteration at Fernhill Farm, than CULT OF LUNA. The post-metal heavyweights are no strangers to this community, indeed they sit in the upper echelons in terms of respect of recognition, but 2026’s headlining slot isn’t your usual affair. A celebratory rendition of Mariner, their collaborative record with JULIE CHRISTMAS, a record that is regarded as a modern day classic.

We’ve experienced this once before, back at Damnation Festival in 2016, and a decade on, the performance still hits like a freight train. Opener A Greater Call is fucking colossal, that rolls over the crowd like rolling thunder, while The Wreck Of S.S. Needle is a post-metal masterpiece, and live, its delivery is utterly sensational. Johannes Persson‘s booming vocals are countered perfectly by JULIE CHRISTMAS, whose ethereal vocals are dispatched to astonishing effect. As the final notes of Cygnus ring across Fernhill Farm and huge applause serenades the day’s headliners, the chapter on this iteration of the festival closes. A perfect send off for a festival that is bound for a bold, defiant, heavy, and beautifully unique future.

Rating: 10/10 

Words: James Weaver, Tasha Brown, Laura McCarthy

Check out our photo gallery from all the action at ArcTanGent 2026 from Sarah Tsang here: 

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