ArcTanGent Festival, Fernhill Farm, England, 13-16 August 2025
There are few things I have been as vocal about, on Metal Storm or elsewhere, as my adoration for ArcTanGent festival: an excellently organized event that year-on-year also reliably hosts many of the most compelling bands that fall under the umbrella of ‘heavy music’, as my coverage of the 2022 and 2023 editions pay testament to. After a 10th anniversary edition of the festival in 2024 that took a step back towards the festival’s post-rock roots, ArcTanGent were as stylistically ambitious as ever with their headliners this time around.
None of these names were ones that I had thrown out as vague possibilities in the end of my 2024 article, but both Wardruna and Godspeed You! Black Emperor made clear sense when looking back at who headlined in 2023 (Heilung) and 2024 (Explosions In The Sky and Mogwai), while TesseracT were due a return after their sensational show in 2022.
ArcTanGent is not just about the headliners, however; this festival has a strength in depth that I’ve not seen any other even approach, and once more I approached Fernhill Farm with a clashfinder that afforded precious little time to do anything other than enjoy a plethora of stellar and diverse music. This included a number of first-ever UK (or even European) shows for a number of bands; I’ve not heard ‘this is our first time over here’ said quite so often at any previous ArcTanGents, leaving me wondering whether the organizers placed more emphasis on bringing niche acts to these shores, or if I’ve just been less aware of such novelties in previous years. The organizers were also able to bring several names that had withdrawn from previous events, including Clown Core, Bipolar Architecture and Car Bomb; there were far fewer cancellations this time around, although the absence of one of the few that did pull out, Anciients, is one that I would be eager to see rectified in future years.
ArcTanGent is very much a ‘not broke, don’t need to fix’ situation, so there weren’t massive changes this year, although this time around there were only four stages; having averaged about one visit to the fifth stage in each of the previous years, I can’t say I missed it personally. The one other major difference to last year was the further expansion of the Wednesday ‘bonus’ day; having been confined to a single stage when I had been in 2023 and 2024, this time bands were split across two adjacent stages to eliminate gaps in the running order, while the special guest headliner was afforded use of the main stage.
There were no other visible differences this year (aside from the return of corn hole near one of the bars, albeit not the hay bales), but I wonder if upgrades had been made behind the scenes, as from a customer experience standpoint this was easily the most enjoyable time I’ve had at a festival. Across 4 days, I can’t remember queuing longer than 10 minutes for a toilet, pint or meal, and after noticing the jumps in cost last year, this time food and drink felt very reasonably priced (at least compared with what I’d expect to pay for the same when out in London, which may not be the best metric). Combined with an effortlessly easy arrival into the campsite, and the stage was perfectly poised for this to be one of the best iterations of ArcTanGent yet.
Table Of Contents
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Once more, the Wednesday ‘bonus’ day was primarily comprised of bands that performed at ArcTanGent 2024, but as with the previous year, the organizers put on a proper headline act for the day, and with a bigger name this time around, they were afforded use the Main Stage, which was otherwise out of use until the start of the ‘main’ festival on Thursday. Additionally, a sufficient number of bands were booked for the Wednesday such that stages 2 and 4 (Yokhai and PX3) were both in action with alternating sets, rather than all bands playing on a single stage as in previous years, eliminating gaps in the entertainment due to changeovers. I missed the first two bands setting up my tent and settling into camp, but was still able to enjoy the large majority of the day’s entertainment.
Hundred Year Old Man 14:10-14:40, Yokhai Stage
While I was only able to enjoy the sounds of Sans Froid and Thank away in the distance from where I was setting up my tent (missing the former was unfortunate, as I had enjoyed their 2024 album), I was primed and ready for my first hotly anticipated band of the festival, Hundred Year Old Man. I had enjoyed the band’s conventional yet grand style of post-metal greatly last year; this time, I was initially perturbed by how loud the lead vocals were in the mix, and how muted the rest of the instrumentation felt. As time went on, things began to equalize on that front, and once in possession of a good mix, the Cult Of Luna-style textures and dense, slow soundscapes started to shine through nicely.
God Alone 14:45-15:20, PX3 Stage
On right after were a band with a less conventional musical approach; I have struggled to connect with God Alone in the past, and their odd eclectic mix of sounds that traverse the extreme, the vibrant and the mathy. Live, I found the disparate tones to make for an interesting mix, even if I was never quite taken in by it all.
Healthyliving 15:25-16:00, Yokhai Stage
This was a band that I unfortunately had to skip at ATG 2024 due to a clash with Hundred Year Old Man: how nice to be able to experience both of them this time around. Healthyliving caught my attention with their debut record Songs Of Abundance, Psalms Of Grief in 2023, which deservedly earned a Metal Storm Awards nomination in the Doom category that year. Their sound is doomy, but it’s more than just that; other parts of their songs have a dreamier shoegaze vibe, while they can also push the pace and intensity with sections of driving rock or moments bordering on extreme metal. Across all of this, Amaya López-Carromero’s remarkable vocals shone; they were moving in gloomier parts, but soaring and dramatic when the songs demanded a more forceful approach.
López-Carromero’s voice came through clearly in the mix, but I learned early on that there is such a thing as ‘too close’ when it comes to the Yokhai Stage, as the bass was initially far too overwhelming in the mix. This was something I noticed a few more times over the weekend before I fully learned my lesson; it was an issue I dealt with multiple times on that stage, yet curiously only on that stage (I was on or near the barrier for multiple bands on other stages without comparable issues).
Underdark 16:05-16:40, PX3 Stage
Underdark
Black metal can be one of the harder styles to nail the live mix for (despite how easy Fortress Festival made it appear), but between ArcTanGent last year and a support slot with Wallowing not long after, Underdark had translated well when I saw them previously. The same was mostly the case this time around, particularly in the lighter and more triumphant parts of their post-black sound, although the blasting sections could be a bit washy. Vocalist Abi Vasquez began the set shrouded in white, as if a ghostly apparition, before gradually shedding layers across the following half-hour to reveal the full visceral fire of her performance.
Year Of No Light 16:45-17:30, Yokhai Stage
This was the fifth year in a row that I had seen Year Of No Light at a festival, although it was the first time I’d seen them more than once at the same festival. Their sets have been reliably engaging, and this was no exception, with a good full mix playing to the strengths of their huge, layered sound. I’ve become used to hearing “Hiérophante” in their sets, but this time a different track, or more accurately tracks, were performed from Ausserwelt, with the two-part “Perséphone” making for a strong beginning to the show. “Alètheia”, another recurring inclusion in their setlist, was performed here, and the escalation to its energetic driven ending was very satisfying.
Colossal Squid 17:35-18:15, PX3 Stage
On top of all the different types of metal and rock that can be found at ArcTanGent, there also tend to be a few unusual wildcard acts, and Adam Betts’ Colossal Squid is one such name. Solving the conundrum many one-man bands face of how to handle drums when taking their music live, Colossal Squid is only drums, and it initially seemed like it might be a bit limited in its scope because of this, despite how cool and lively the beats are, but as Betts makes increasing use of samples and backing tracks, it’s easy to be won over. The beats are varied, from metal rhythms (mixed with techno vibes) to break beats, and despite how bright and danceable the sound often was, Betts was able to take things in a heavier direction, particularly near the end of the set when a lot of distorted synth was added to the mix. Of all the acts new to me that I saw at ArcTanGent 2025, Colossal Squid was one of the most impressive.
Kalandra 18:20-19:05, Yokhai Stage
Kalandra
Probably my most anticipated band on the Wednesday was also arguably the least heavy; Kalandra’s artsy folk rock is one that charms and beguiles with beauty and tenderness rather than volume, although it definitely has gained an extra heft every time I’ve caught them live compared with on record. This was as good as every other time I’ve seen them, with a solid mix of the strongest songs from both their albums (including probably their most ‘metallic’ tracks from A Frame Of Mind in “I Am”, “Are You Ready?” and the delightful closer “Bardaginn”). One novelty this time was an instrumental piece that was just horns from the two guitarists; I did wonder if this was from the Kingdom Two Crowns: Norse Lands Soundtrack, but Setlist.fm credits it simply as “bukkehorn jam”. Whatever it was, it made for a mellow introduction into “Borders”, which was as tender and emotionally rich an experience as always.
Teeth Of The Sea 19:10-19:55, PX3 Stage
Another new name for me, Teeth Of The Sea are described online as a psychedelic experimental rock band, and the combination of guitars, electronics, trumpet, loops, techno grooves and other elements felt quite experimental in combination. While my memory of this set is limited after all the bands that followed, I do remember generally digging their sound, particularly some of the more electronic directions it went in.
Slift 20:00-21:00, Yokhai Stage
Returning from an extravagant performance near the end of last year’s festival, France’s psych rock wizards Slift were back again to melt some more faces. As much as I see the band referred to as not being a metal band, they certainly bring a heaviness live (and recently on record too) that feels close enough to warranting the label. This sounded very loud, with intense vocals and devastating energy that was almost overwhelming at times, and a cool backdrop video screen added to the crazed psychedelia.
Wardruna 21:15-23:00, Main Stage
When Heilung played at ArcTanGent 2023, I did wonder whether Wardruna might eventually follow, and it didn’t take long. Curiously, in spite of Wednesday being portrayed as an ‘extra’ day, this headliner was given the longest set time of the entire festival. The pebbly backdrop and stage arrangement felt very familiar to me, having seen the band earlier this year at the Royal Albert Hall, and the set was near-identical, from opening with “Kvitravn”, through the massive double horns of “Isa”, and ending with “Helvegen” and a solo performance of “Hibjornen” by Einar Selvik. The sound was very full and mixed great, offering some surprisingly heavy moments. I enjoyed the show a fair bit, although I was already starting to feel the aches and fatigue that would drain me throughout the festival taking hold, so I’m glad I got to enjoy them in a less exhausted state earlier in the year as well.
AK/DK (Silent Disco) 23:10-00:24, Yokhai Stage
This year’s festival stayed true to the example set last year by following up the headliners with silent disco sets (predominantly from electronic acts) on the second stage. The first of these, AK/DK, performed some kind of wonky space rock/krautrock-esque electronic music. While I wasn’t sold on the vocals, the instrumentals were upbeat and fun, at least until an equipment issue 15-20 minutes in. With me almost dead on my feet after a very early start to the day, I took this unscheduled pause as my cue to leave and try to get some rest.
The first ‘full’ day of ArcTanGent 2024 was typically stacked, although it did afford a few welcome moments of relative respite in which I could enjoy acts from a distance while eating or sat down rather than being in the thick of the action. Nevertheless, with a plethora of exciting acts (including a couple of unfortunate clashes), it was primed to be a barnstorming experience after warming into the festival on the Wednesday.
The forecast for the four days had mainly been that of a roaring heatwave, but the unexpected appearance of rain early Thursday morning was a prelude to a mostly cool and cloudy day, albeit one in which the heat of the sun could be very much felt in the moments that it cut through the heavens. Moderate temperatures were welcome while dealing with a real lack of sleep the night before due to some of the more antisocial campsite behaviour I’ve ever dealt with at a festival (I’m used to obnoxiously loud music late at night and early in the morning, but never before from the same group of campers – when did they find time to sleep?!).
Codespeaker 11:00-11:30, PX3 Stage
The first slot of the day was between Lost In Kiev and Codespeaker; I was initially going to check out the former simply due to knowing their name, although I’ve never been too taken by their take on post-rock. However, one of my camping buddies informed me that Codespeaker would be more up my street, and he was very correct on that front. Big, hefty post-metal/atmospheric sludge metal was a perfect introduction to the day’s music, with a good heavy mix bolstering the weight of their chunky riffs, while the softer parts (albeit quite rare) were also effective.
The Grey 11:35-12:05, Bixler Stage
Next up was more post-metal, albeit a band I knew, having seen The Grey very impressively open for Hippotraktor around Easter. I wasn’t quite as wowed this time, even though they had a chunky sound and enjoyable atmospheric passages. The set I saw earlier in the year was mostly instrumental, but this time around, Will Haven’s Grady Avenell joined them on stage for most of the show (having already cameo’d during Hundred Year Old Man’s performance), offering a different dynamic. An even more different dynamic came with the punky end to the set, which felt like a bit of a weird stylistic detour.
Maud The Moth 12:45-13:15, PX3 Stage
The next slot, which featured Drongo up against Lemondaze, was ultimately a good opportunity for me to grab some food and get some brief rest. Up after was a name I’d encountered earlier this year courtesy of a very unusual and bold album. Amaya López-Carromero was pulling double duties this year, following the previous day’s Healthyliving show with a performance as Maud The Moth, which allowed her to show off the more flamboyant and operatic end of her incredible vocal range. The music in general, which was dominated by piano and keyboard with some guitar/drum accompaniment, has a rather theatrical and dramatic feel, as well as a wide dynamic range spanning the quietest of piano right up to some shockingly heavy moments.
Rezn 13:20-13:50, Main Stage
I’d enjoyed Rezn at Damnation Festival last year, but only part of their set due to the clash with Hexis. This time there was no such conundrum, and in truth I feel like I chose the right performance to enjoy in full. The mix was one of the best of the weekend for me, with each element loud yet very clear; the bass was thick and rumbly, the guitar riffs and texture all very clear along with the hazy vocals and electronics, and when the saxophone arrived (such as during the emphatic “Chasm”) it cut through the mix remarkably powerfully. While “Chasm” is very much a vehicle for heaviness, the band’s psychedelic parts offered some luscious vibes. Even though the end of As Living Arrows sounded promising as I made my way in that direction, I had no regrets about seeing all of Rezn instead.
Pothamus 13:55-14:25, Yokhai Stage
Up next was a truly brutal clash; I’ve wanted to see Horrendous for a long time, so pitting them against my favourite band of ATG 2023 in Pothamus was not well received by myself. Thankfully, my conundrum was resolved before the festival. Many bands performing at ATG will combine their journey with shows in London for those not attending the festival, but they typically tend to clash with the actual festival dates; thankfully, however, Horrendous’s co-headline show with Crypt Sermon was a full 3 days before I had to head towards Bristol, allowing me to get my fix then and dedicate all my time to my beloved Belgian ritualistic post-metal trio.
Pothamus’s performance at ATG 2023 was truly mesmerizing and engrossing for me, and with a killer new album out earlier this year in Abur, I wondered if this could eclipse it. Ultimately, this set didn’t quite live it up to it, perhaps due to me again being very close to the front of Yokhai Stage and having the sound overwhelmed by the bass; this made some parts supremely heavy, but also overwhelmed some of the guitar textures. Nevertheless, this was still one of the absolute highlights of my weekend, with the awesomely hypnotic sound and Sam Coussens’ captivating stage presence luring me in once more.
The Gorge 14:30-15:15, PX3 Stage
Band of the weekend for me, and I can’t say I was surprised. I was very enthusiastic about Mechanical Fiction when I first reviewed it, but by this point it’s my undisputed favourite album from 2023, so a set that exclusively drew from it was perfect for The Gorge’s first-ever European show. Opening with “Remnants Of Grief” (my personal favourite song from the album), the sound was very heavy, albeit perhaps with a slight lack of some of the finer details; however, this had clearly been resolved by the time they reached the extended rapid technical section midway during “Beneath The Crust”, which is up there with the ending of Dvne’s “Court Of The Matriarch” when it comes to riding a single riff idea to its absolute limits, and which came across very clearly. This was super heavy and super delicious, feeling very much like an alternate universe version of Mastodon that turned more technical and extreme after releasing Blood Mountain.
Lowen / Snooze 15:20-15:50, Yokhai Stage / Bixler Stage
Lowen
Do Not Go To War With The Demons Of Mazandaran turned me into something of a Lowen last year, but I also enjoyed Snooze’s 2025 release, so this was a tough clash again. However, with the former scheduled to play in London this autumn, it felt like a good opportunity to do watch two split sets and see whether Lowen would be worth paying to see more fully. Having seen this, I would like to try them again, mainly to experience them with a more forgiving mix. Once more I was too far forward to begin with, and after the cool introduction of the band on stage in their various costumes (not to mention the neat mic stand), I was pulverized by the deafening bass and bass drum during the first song; the latter in particular was loud to the point of distraction due to a bricked sound. I stepped back into the tent for the second song, which helped to a degree, but I still found the guitars to be overpowered by the low end; obviously the heaviness of the bass and bass drumming plays a big role in the appeal of their most recent record, but I hope in the Underworld they fill find a better balance between the various elements of the group.
Things didn’t necessarily improve by switching stages, unfortunately; while Snooze did not have the same problems, the murkiness of the mix was still not ideal for such mathy detailed instrumentation, while I found the quirkiness of their sound a bit more grating live than on record. Probably worst was the vocals, which were both mixed low and regularly sounded off-pitch. This again was a first ever show in the UK; hopefully, they’ll have another opportunity in the future to put on a stronger performance.
Pelican / Vianova 16:50-17:35, Yokhai Stage / Bixler Stage
As huge a post-metal fan as I am, I’ve never had a real connection with Pelican, so I was convinced to try Vianova on the competing stage for the first half of this clash. The Germans, performing their first show outside of their native country, dressed up for the occasion with pristine white costumes (especially the singer’s big furry hat), and their quirky math/djent metalcore went down well with the crowd, inspiring a number of moshpits. For me, some of the riffs and breakdowns were pleasantly chunky, but there was a wackiness to the composition that didn’t gel with me, particularly in moments such as the funk jam in a song they performed from their earlier discography. Pelican’s sound was far more conventional, and while it didn’t blow me away, the satisfying builds and fairly mellow vibes of their instrumental post-metal sound made for some pleasant listening from outside the packed Yokhai tent.
Melvins 17:40-18:30, Main Stage
One of my biggest failings in terms of ‘getting into’ a cult band in a style I generally like is Melvins, who have been recommended to me on many occasions; while I don’t dislike them, I also can’t say that I’ve ever properly clicked with any of the several records by them I’ve tried out. As such, this set for me was one to try and enjoy from a slight distance while giving my legs some more much-needed rest; while I can’t say I gave them my full concentration, I did find myself mostly digging the sounds that Melvins were creating. One of my camping party that had watched them from much closer considered them a highlight of the day, so I imagine any fans of the band in attendance were thrilled by the performance.
Kylesa 18:35-19:25, Yokhai Stage
After a brief run of slots that contained no one I was particularly keen for, finally a band was on, and one of my most anticipated sets of the weekend at that; Kylesa’s announcement among the first few bands confirmed for ArcTanGent 2025 was all the persuading I needed to buy my ticket to this year’s event. The show opened with multiple songs from Spiral Shadow, the album from the group that I’m most familiar with, and “Tired Climb” and “Don’t Look Back” made instantly clear that Kylesa meant business, sounding huge and anthemic. There’s times when I listen to that album that the group’s classification as sludge feels a bit off the mark, with plenty of stoner, punk and alternative metal elements also on display, but the subsequent inclusion of five songs from Static Tensions and a couple from Time Will Fuse Its Worth (plus a welcome outing for “Unspoken”) really underlined just how heavy this band can get. I will be very keen to see them again soon.
Leprous 18:35-19:25, Main Stage
Leprous
Even as my excitement for their studio output slightly declines with each passing release since Pitfalls, I will always make sure to capture Leprous live, as they are one of the most outstandingly professional acts on the circuit. The fluid motions of band members between keyboards/electronics and their stringed instruments is always fascinating to watch, and with a stellar lights and pyrotechnic show along with a strong mix, this performance was excellent to watch. While it wasn’t the ideal set for me, the likes of “Nighttime Disguise”, “From The Flame” and “Slave” were fantastic, and the incredible semi-encore performance of part of “The Sky Is Red” was a contender for song/moment of the entire festival. Each year, Leprous feel closer to warranting a headline slot at ArcTanGent, particularly with the similarly sized Karnivool getting a crack at it this year.
Sungazer 20:25-21:15, Bixler Stage
Although I’ve never properly delved into Adam Neely’s YouTube channel, I did become aware of Sungazer through their 2021 album Perihelion, and with fond memories of that, I made sure to catch some of their show here. Neely showed off his entertainer chops with some witty stage chat, but it was the crazy technicality yet charming fun of the crazy electronic jazz fusion mix the band brought to life that stole the show.
Godspeed You! Black Emperor 21:20-23:00, Main Stage
While I had been impressed with myself for lasting all the way to the end on Wednesday (unlike last year), by this point on Thursday I was really beginning to struggle with drowsiness. Having listened to most of their music in the past, I’d never been truly enamoured by Godspeed You! Black Emperor, so I felt that I could afford to rest for part their set and enjoy the second half. As it turns out, trying a quick nap was a poor move, as I was even drowsier afterwards. We did go along to the edge of the main stage tent for part of this set, but in truth, this felt like a show that you either had to be right up in the centre of the tent to be overwhelmed by the soundscapes, or you could enjoy it as much wherever you were on site, with the prolonged drones and expansive, uplifting soundscapes carrying pleasantly to everywhere in the remote vicinity. I don’t think even if I had had the energy for it that I would have been blown away by the band, but I did enjoy experiencing their gargantuan compositions from a relative distance.
Yard (Silent Disco) 23:10-00:00, Yokhai Stage
Yard
Finding something of a second wind, I was filled with a renewed vigour to tackle the silent disco set, which this night was Yard, a group I had discovered on a whim at ArcTanGent 2024 and very much enjoyed. Their heavy techno sound at different times leant towards industrial rock, aggrotech or slightly more mellow sounds that reminded me a tad of Neurotech, and it made for visceral and satisfying dance-worthy music to round out the day in style.
After a relative reprieve across the first few days, the heatwave was here; that said, having dealt with near-40-degree heat at Bloodstock in 2022, the temperatures here (approaching but never hitting 30°C) were fairly manageable. Still, it did make the more packed stages quite sweltering, and disproved the claims of my new tent’s manufacturers that its blackout technology was sufficient to keep it cool during the day (the idea of a midday nap initially being quite appealing, what with another night of noisy neighbours keeping us up).
Overhead, The Albatross / Chalk Hands 11:00-11:30, Main Stage / PX3 Stage
The first couple of slots on Saturday featured no one that I particularly knew, so on a whim we first checked out Chalk Hands. The mathcore/post-hardcore group had some venom at times to their mathy riffs and harsh vocals, but the meandering songs never really captured my attention. Midway through we opted to give Overheard, The Albatross a try, who I only knew of due to their place on the Damnation Festival line-up later this year. Based on this performance, I could be persuaded to try them again when that festival comes around, as the post-rock sound was nicely accentuated by vocals and strings to give the compositions a more clear song-like feel. There were some delicate twinkly parts, but also some tastefully measured heaviness, as well as surprises such as a drum & bass vibe on a track near the end of the set.
Mt. Onsra 11:35-12:05, Bixler Stage
Having been so blown away by Codespeaker the day before, I became determined to see Mt. Onsra when I saw them described in the ArcTanGent app as blending post-metal, doom, and sludge. Ultimately, this set was nowhere near as heavy as that description promised; instead, this felt more like heavy-ish post-rock with alternative rock leanings. I found it a pleasant listen, but ultimately was never really gripped by it.
Ithaca 12:10-12:40, Main Stage
I hadn’t been able to properly catch Ithaca when they played at the festival three years prior, as the Bixler Stage had been absolutely rammed at the time. I was therefore surprised that they were granted such an early slot on the Main Stage for what was to be their final ever performance before disbanding; however, as they came on stage to the sounds of “Angels” by Robbie Williams, the stage tent was less full than expected. As it turns out, this was perhaps a blessing, as what was evidently intended to be a grand celebration of the group (with guest appearances from the likes of Pupil Slicer’s Kate Davies and Ed Gibbs of Devil Sold His Soul/Copse) turned into a bit of a nightmare. The sound was frankly terrible, sounding very quiet and muddy, and the band clearly picked up on the resultant lack of crowd energy. Combined with a somewhat raw vocal performance, this was not the way in which Ithaca likely would have wanted to sign off their impressive journey.
Papangu 12:45-13:15, Bixler Stage
Papangu
From the ridiculous to the sublime, Brazil’s Papangu turned the day right around with an awesome display. Another band making their first appearance abroad, one hopes we will see more of the zeuhl metallers soon, as this was a glorious half-hour of music. In contrast to Ithaca, Papangu had a full and very well balanced mix that allowed the vicious vocal rasps, the cool chill keyboards, the quirky percussion (which included the triangle and rubber chickens/pigs) and more to all be easily heard. There was strong crowd interaction and stage energy to go with a set of fun and vibrant music, perhaps peaking with a section where blasting metal traded off with the stage left guitarist/percussionist making full use of all the bells, whistles and speaking animal toys he had at his disposal. Papangu were an absolute delight to witness.
Car Bomb 13:20-13:55, Main Stage
Having cancelled on multiple occasions previously, it was hard to trust that Car Bomb would actually turn up until very close to the event, but here they were, and their crazed math metal was afforded a much fuller mix than Ithaca had suffered less than an hour ago on the same stage. The polyrhythmic grooves were very meaty, and the manic aggression inspired plenty of moshpit violence during their set. For me, I do tend to find their complexity sometimes gets in the way of my personal enjoyment of their music, but overall this was very fun, and featured a song near the end that contained the classic Car Bomb ‘pew pew’ sounds to cap everything off.
Dimscûa 14:00-14:30, Yokhai Stage
By this point, the heat was fully here, and so was lunchtime after a string of back-to-back sets. At this point Anciients were initially scheduled to play; while few groups could adequately replace them, the organizers did pull off a decent booking in Dimscûa, a very new British post-metal act that had won me over with the accomplished Amenra-inspired sound of their debut release earlier in 2025. Sat outside the tent, I wasn’t giving this my full attention, but their sound was suitably heavy and rumbly, and translated rather well, even if it wasn’t the best post-metal of the weekend.
Eyes 14:35-15:15, PX3 Stage
Emma Ruth Rundle seems to be someone I am destined never to see, whether with her solo project or bands such as Marriages. I’ve been in the right place to catch her on several occasions, yet have never done so. This time, I felt sure it would happen, as I planned to watch half her set after half of Eyes; however, while I have never come close to enjoying Eyes on record nearly as much as their brethren in LLNN, I ultimately found myself unable to drag myself away from them here. Victor Kaas is a bundle of goblin energy on stage, prowling and high-kicking around with crazy intensity. The mix initially felt muddy and indistinct, blending into an amorphous angry [insert prefix]-core sound, but both the sound and the band grew on me as this set rolled on; the slower, heavier parts in particular hit really emphatically.
Envy 15:55-16:40, Main Stage
The next clash was between Alpha Male Tea Party and Coilguns; we ultimately opted for neither, instead taking this as an opportunity to rest by the tents (although we quickly realized that resting in the tent would be impossible, with my new tent’s blackout capabilities turning out to be quite limited in this heat). We returned in time to see part of Japan’s Envy; the screamo legends put on a solid show, with a solid mix that let the dainty parts of their sound translate well. However, with three guitars and a bass competing for space, the sound tended to get a bit muddy in the heavier parts of their songs.
Delving 16:45-17:30, Bixler Stage
Delving
When the project first emerged in 2021 with Hirschbrunnen, my instinct was to categorize Delving as ‘bonus Elder’, although the project’s lighter touch and instrumental-only approach naturally distinguished it from Nick DiSalvo’s main band. However, subsequent releases and live performances have pushed my appreciation for Delving close to the adoration I have for Elder, and this performance underscored that Delving is a sensational band in its own right. Considering this is meant to be a lighter, more krautrock-ish take on the signature DiSalvo psychedelia, there is a real visceral heaviness to Delving live, enhanced by an outstanding mix, and that heaviness is nicely countered by lush, trippy psychedelia. The band brought plenty of energy and face-melting virtuosity, and the vibes for this set were immaculate; it was easily amongst the highlights of the festival.
Meth. 17:35-18:15, PX3 Stage
Meth.
From the exquisite to the vile, Meth. were quite staggering in how putridly and overwhelmingly heavy they were. I don’t think I’ve ever heard a band equal the cosmos-imploding density of LLNN’s sound, but Meth. are up there with bands like Dragged Into Sunlight when it comes to suffocating, devastating heaviness in extremity, and the super slow sections of this set did capture a similar crawling, sickening, engrossing heaviness akin to Dragged Into Sunlight. Sebastian Alvarez’s pained shrieks fit nicely with his demented stage energy, although he spent plenty of time off stage getting into the crowd and collapsing in the pits, which opened frequently for the faster and gnarlier sections of the set. This is the kind of performance that redefines expectations of heaviness, and I loved it.
Between The Buried And Me plays Colors 18:30-19:35, Yokhai Stage
One of the few shames when it came to the festival’s scheduling was that We Lost The Sea were down to perform twice, and both sets were up against my two most anticipated sets of the festival. After missing their ‘regular’ performance to see The Gorge, I also had to skip their Departure Songs special show due to it going up against the truly seminal Colors. I had hugely enjoyed the Covid livestream of this album, yet had been very jealous of those across the Atlantic who got to experience a live demonstration of it, so was ready to grab this opportunity with both hands.
My anticipation of this set was such that I once again, against my better judgement, went very close to the front, and once more in the Yokhai tent, bass was overly dominant near the stage, to the point of rendering the guitars only vaguely audible. After a couple of songs, I naturally found this situation unacceptable and moved band to the moshpit region of the crowd, in which the mix offered a far appealing balance. It’s crazy seeing Tommy Rogers looking so wizened with his fully grey locks and beard, but he was a livewire on stage, and the energy from the band (including current live guitarist Tristan Auman) was matched by the intensity of the crowd. The album closes with one of the all-time great metal songs in “White Walls”, and it made for a similarly sensational ending to this show. The golden sun was approaching sunset, and after a performance like that, one could almost believe that the glow was welcoming punters through the pearly gates.
Vower 19:40-20:30, PX3 Stage
In general, bands that played the previous year’s event are confined to the Wednesday, but this isn’t a hard and fast rule, as demonstrated by this prominent billing of Vower on the Friday schedule. Although I have covered their EP Apricity for our Clandestine Cuts series, I have yet to be fully swayed by this up-and-coming British prog-metal supergroup, yet when experiencing this from a distance, I found myself enjoying the passion of Josh McKeown’s vocals, as well as plenty of satisfying heaviness being carried by the breeze.
Maybeshewill / Frontierer 20:40-21:35, Yokhai Stage / Bixler Stage
A near-hour set offered a good opportunity to finally catch the stirring post-rock band Maybeshewill live, while still having the chance to enjoy some of Car Bomb’s British brothers in chaos Frontierer. The former had a nice full sound that supported their evocative music, which was rendered by an extensive ensemble of musicians on stage playing metal and non-metal instruments alike. Frontierer offered a very different brand of music, serving up very hectic tracks crammed with chunky polyrhythms boosted by a very full bass drum sound. I didn’t find their sound quite as alluring as Car Bomb earlier in the day, but I enjoyed the crazy grooves that the Scots conjured up.
Karnivool 21:40-23:00, Main Stage
Karnivool
Karnivool’s announcement as headliner was both unexpected and yet fully understandable; the band have been capable of selling out sizeable venues on tours for a number of years by this point, and their popularity has remained undiminished by their sparse recording activity since 2013’s Asymmetry. Singles have been trickling through in the past few years, however, and their performance here was preceded by news that recording of their as-yet-unannounced fourth album is complete. This set opened with newest single “Drone”, and featured four songs in total that (assuming “All It Takes” is not left as a standalone single) will appear on the upcoming record. Sound Awake and Themata were similarly well represented, although “We Are” was the solitary inclusion from Asymmetry.
Having last seen Karnivool in a fairly cramped Chalk in Brighton, the band seemed more at home at this stage of their career on a big stage such as this; they felt like a very natural headliner, particularly when the likes of “Cote”, “Themata” and “New Day” were greeted with plenty of crowd singing. I must admit that I was not entirely taken by the new songs, although I’m sure increased exposure will win me around; that said, I fully enjoyed the show, with a very solid mix supporting the band in assuredly delivering bangers like “Simple Boy” and “Deadman” with apparent ease. Karnivool approach prog from a less complex and more emotional angle than the following night’s headliners, and everything about this performance brought those feelings to the fore, as the Australians confirmed themselves as natural headliners going forward.
Nordic Giants (Silent Disco) 23:10-00:00, Yokhai Stage
Although I had already experienced them on record and previously at ArcTanGent in 2019, I was still surprised by how wondrous Nordic Giants were at Damnation 2023, and their piano-heavy cinematic post-rock was a natural choice for a silent disco set, even if it made for a stark contrast to the pounding electronica occupying the same slot on the preceding and following nights. Those keys were huge-sounding and evocative, losing very little in the conversion to headphones compared with their typical live sound. Music as blissful as this is very easy to be charmed by, and Nordic Giants capped the penultimate night off in some style.
That said, those with the energy to stick around could enjoy another live silent disco set, this time from the Black Sabbath cover band Walpurgis (featuring Mike Vennart of Oceansize/Empire State Bastard renown). For my part, I’ve already seen perhaps the definitive Sabbath cover show (Thou and friends at Roadburn 2022), and while it would have been nice to stick around for this tribute to Ozzy, I was once again dead on my feet, and with a veritable onslaught of must-see bands lined up for the final day, I had to prioritize and tap out after Nordic Giants.
The sun was out and proud all of Saturday, but thankfully we were blessed with an unexpectedly quiet night from the campsite locale, while was much appreciated when faced with tackling a final day of almost non-stop bands that I was eager to see, along with a body that was growing increasingly stiff and achy. As much as final days of festivals do bring that encroaching feel of imminent post-festival blues, I may now be at an age where my physical discomfort softens the blow of the festival’s ending by bringing a sense of relief over the approaching prospect of a proper bed.
Sugar Horse 11:00-11:30, Main Stage
The nebulous and fluid style of Sugar Horse is one that works perfectly on early festival bills and support slots. The group can offer enticing levity through gazing, dreamy and droning passages, only to suddenly turn around and throw out thick, slow and chonky sludgy heaviness, all tied together by an amiable stage presence. A supremely heavy conclusion to their half-hour set the stage perfectly for several crushing sludge/post-metal bands that would be performing in the coming couple of hours.
Wren 11:35-12:05, Bixler Stage
I last saw Wren at the Black Heart in Summer 2021 shortly after the release of Groundswells, and their performance that day made good use of the hefty material from said album to overwhelm listeners still getting used to live music again. I noted in my review of Black Rain Falls that the group had gone in an oddly sparse direction arrangement-wise on said record, to mixed results. Thankfully, Wren sounded very full and heavy here, luring me into a trance as I spaced out to the slow, thudding pace, albeit with a couple of vague surges of relative speed to offer a hint of variety.
A Swarm Of The Sun 12:10-12:40, Main Stage
A Swarm Of The Sun followed up releasing one of my favourite records of 2024 in An Empire by delivering one of my favourite sets of Damnation 2024. However, that performance had been in a comparatively small room with a perfectly fitting dark and foggy atmosphere; a midday slot on the festival’s biggest stage was a bit less suited to their sound, and the thin crowd (perhaps the least dense I spotted all weekend – evidently the dirty sludge of Swamp Coffin was more appreciated by the festival’s punters right now) provided less optimal conditions to enjoy the Swedish sextet’s achingly gradual crafting of massive compositions. For me, however, I was once more delighted by A Swarm Of The Sun’s meticulous, meditative and subtly engrossing songwriting, which layers textures in the most incredibly nuanced manner to work from near-silence right up to massive soundscapes. Thirty minutes provided enough time for just 2 songs, but one of them, the last album’s standout song “The Pyre”, was majestic, and righted the one disappointment from Damnation when it was excluded on that occasion.
Lo! 12:45-13:15, Yokhai Stage
Exhibiting the full span of Pelagic Records’ exquisite ensemble of post-metal, we went right from A Swarm Of The Sun’s minimalism into the raucous, viciously fast sludge of Australia’s Lo!. Vocalist Sam Dillon seemed to be having a blast, between his on-stage quips and intense prowling of the stage, and the band’s music contrasted venomous aggression with grim slow riffs. In spite of us nominating The Gleaners in the post-metal category, the band’s sound often feels more rooted in sludge and hardcore, but the sensational closing track of this set featured a deliciously protracted escalation that ratcheted up the tension in captivating fashion.
Up after this was the only real time of the day in which I had no interest in seeing either band; 2025’s new album from The Callous Daoboys cemented my lack of appreciation for them, while Burner’s meaty hardcore was adequately enjoyed from far away while taking one of the few opportunities to grab lunch.
Bipolar Architecture 14:05-14:35, Yokhai Stage
After that gap, it was time for some more Pelagic Records magic. We’ve been following Bipolar Architecture on Metal Storm right from the beginning, when we featured The Tragic Protagonist in our Clandestine Cuts series, but for me they really began to unleash their true potential last year on Metaphysicize. The music from that album translated into a great live performance that made the wait to see them (after their withdrawal from ArcTanGent 2024) worth it. I had learned from past experience and sought out a sweet spot under the Yokhai tent, where I could feel plenty of bass without the details of the guitars getting lost in the mix. Their very heavy sound delivered lengthy, intelligently evolving songs with great climactic moments, as well as some very tasty djenty grooves (the band, alongside Hippotraktor, prove the merits of fusing these genres). This set was pretty no-frills on the stage show front (particularly when compared with what immediately followed), but it was simply great music delivered to a high standard.
Sleepytime Gorilla Museum 14:40-15:25, Main Stage
Sleepytime Gorilla Museum
Despite having listened to their comeback album Of The Last Human Being upon its release last year, my main memory of Sleepytime Gorilla Museum’s music was its fundamental oddness, rather than specifics of what precisely was odd about it. As it turns out, oddness is part of the band’s general vibe, with some very eye-catching stage costumes. As for the music, there’s a real circus-esque theatricality to it, but while I enjoyed parts of this and appreciated the artistry of the rest of it, I couldn’t help but feel like some of the music seemed to prioritize that aforementioned oddness over actual enjoyability.
Dvne 15:30-15:05, Yokhai Stage
By this point, I think I’ve sung the praises of Dvne, perhaps my current top UK band, extensively both live and on record. This set, one of the shorter I’ve seen from them in a while, was among their less memorable, in spite of dealing with fewer sonic pitfalls than they have been prone to in the past (at the very least, all vocals were perfectly audible). Opening with “Sì-XIV”, the set otherwise drew exclusively from Voidkind, much like their Desertfest 2024 performance; as much as I firmly enjoy that album, the fundamental superiority of Etemen Ænka’s material (to my ears, at least) makes me glad that I maximized my opportunities to see this band before that album came out. By no means the quintessential Dvne, they are still never less than great to experience live.
Between The Buried And Me 16:10-17:00, Main Stage
Between The Buried And Me
Like We Lost The Sea, BTBAM were pulling double duty at ArcTanGent 2025 (and with Sometime In February performing earlier this day, Tristan Auman was pulling triple duty, kudos to him), and with Colors delivered in full the previous day, the band were free to focus on other albums. As it turns out, ‘other’ albums meant newer albums, as only the title track from Alaska made an appearance from their pre-Colors discography. The set featured one song from every post-Colors full-length, including the new single “Things We Tell Ourselves In The Dark” from the upcoming The Blue Nowhere, and admittedly this song didn’t leave me overly excited for the new record.
The set in general was slightly underwhelming to begin with, going from “The Coma Machine” and that new track into “House Organ”, but thankfully the band took things up a notch later, streaking together a solid back-to-back-to-back of “Lay Your Ghosts To Rest”, “The Double Helix Of Extinction” and finally “Disease, Injury, Madness”. This wasn’t the best Between The Buried And Me show I’ve seen (even excluding the previous day’s epic display, their double-set 2019 tour was something to behold), but as an added bonus after the Colors set, it was still firmly enjoyed.
Inter Arma 17:05-17:50, Bixler Stage
A band that I’ve struggled to grapple with the extremities of at times, Inter Arma unexpectedly swayed me with an emphatic display at Damnation 2024 that saw their skronky intensity really hit the spot for me. While I wasn’t quite as blown away this time, I enjoyed the filthy slower riffs they conjured up, and like their Damnation set (which featured nearly all the same songs in a slightly rejigged order), it worked its way gradually and very effectively towards the remarkably melodic and moving “The Long Road Home”, a truly epic blues-oriented song, before working their way back outwards towards their extreme side via a quick cover of Van Halen’s “Hot For Teacher”.
Rolo Tomassi 17:55-18:45, Main Stage
Rolo Tomassi
When calling Dvne ‘perhaps my current top UK band’ a couple of paragraphs ago, Rolo Tomassi are the reason for the ‘perhaps’, but a poor mix on the same stage 2 years ago had rendered the last time I saw them something of a disappointment. This was a special 20-year anniversary career-spanning celebration, so I wished for better this time around, and my prayers were answered.
I first saw this band all the way back in 2010 supporting The Dillinger Escape Plan (alongside The Ocean – an incredible line-up in retrospect) at what was the first ever standalone metal show I’d been to; both of those bands’ mathcore was too much for a fresh-faced 18-year-old Matt to appreciate fully at the time, and it was only with 2018’s Time Will Die And Love Will Bury It that I was converted into the fan I am today (it’s scary to think that the gap between that album’s release and now is almost as big as the gap between that release and said 2010 show). I’ve subsequently come to strongly like Grievances and Astraea, but the band’s raw early days are still a bit too much for me on album; nevertheless, it was fascinating, and somewhat nostalgic, to see the group open with a trio of songs from their first two albums, with Eva Korman in full mathcore frenzy mode on stage.
Still, the string quartet instruments were a Chekhov’s gun on stage, and soon a troupe of additional musicians would come on for a tender and slightly whiplash-inducing performance of “Crystal Cascades”, gradually blending into the introduction of “Aftermath”, at which point the show went to the next level. This song was followed by fantastic renditions of some of my favourite tracks from the band in “The Hollow Hour”, “A Flood Of Light”, “Cloaked” and finally “Prescience”, and with the added orchestral accompaniment, this was truly a celebration of one of the country’s most remarkable artists within the realm of heavy music. The band have accomplished some special things over the past two decades, and I would gladly see them around for another 20 years to come.
Ahab 18:50-19:40, Bixler Stage
After a relentless streak of sets since Bipolar Architecture, a moment of respite was needed, and thus I enjoyed my dinner with the crushing sounds of Ahab not far away. For all their reputation as one of the pre-eminent funeral doom bands, I sometimes forget that Ahab have some legit intense riffs up their sleeve, and this extremely heavy career-spanning set (if we forget The Giant exists) was a highly satisfying accompaniment to my final meal of ArcTanGent 2025.
Clown Core 19:45-20:40, Main Stage
Clown Core
The disappointment at Clown Core’s withdrawal in 2024, and the number of people spotted with squeaky red noses and clown make-up on Saturday of this year, made clear how anticipated this set was. As someone who had completely missed the craze for this band back in the day (but who was sufficiently put off by this year’s Kayo Dot album to be tempted by them instead), I approached this set with limited expectations. The duo came on stage, and then stood/sat still in position for an extremely long time as a backing video played, to the point where I could have believed that this would be an elaborate prank, but eventually Clown Core got stuck into their short, almost vignette-style tracks of chaotic drums, saxophone and electronica, with some compilations of their videos and reactions sandwiched in between.
The music, albeit perhaps too scattered for me, covered an impressive range, from genuinely great danceable heavy electronica to detours into lounge jazz and synthpop, but undoubtedly the most memorable aspect of this show was the predominantly AI-generated backing video, which ranged from bizarre vistas of mountains made of steak to extremely NSFW graphic sex/nudity (both human and animal); I hope the various young kids at the festival had been taken elsewhere for this performance (in fairness, the show did open with a Parental Advisory warning).
God Is An Astronaut 20:45-21:35, Yokhai Stage
A band I would have been (and was) far more excited for a decade ago, God Is An Astronaut’s output since has become a bit too samey to sustain the full extent of my initial appreciation for them, but they made for a nice palette cleanser between Clown Core and the upcoming headliner. The set mostly veered towards more recent material from their albums Embers and Epitaph, which offered blissfully dreamy wall-of-sound fare, but lacked the substance of their strongest early material. Thankfully, I managed to catch a very enjoyable rendition of the classic “Suicide By Star” before making my way one last time to the Main Stage for a prime headliner spot.
TesseracT 21:40-23:00, Main Stage
TesseracT
It’s funny to look back and think that TesseracT were a surprise headliner in 2022; initially booked as a sub-headliner (at least based on early posters), they were ultimately given the nod, and delivered the ultimate statement of intent by delivering a show that eclipsed their more established co-headliners Cult Of Luna and especially Opeth. Come 2025, and bringing them back as headliners felt very natural, but after such an incredible effort last time around, expectations had been suitably raised, particularly since they had released perhaps their best album to date, War Of Being, in the interim.
Well, War Of Being came with an accompanying video game, and TesseracT very much levelled up their show this time. The lights were already transfixing in 2022, but with a much more elaborate multi-tier stage and two ever-present backing singers, TesseracT felt more like they were putting on a complete show. They radiated a big stage presence, particularly courtesy of Dan Tompkins’ Blade Runner-esque outfit and compelling frontman aura, and they had everything else on their side as well. The mix was emphatic, providing every bit of the necessary heft to those juicy djent polyrhythmic grooves to make them fully shine; there was always another headbang-ready riff just around the corner. The set, which drew extensively from War Of Being, did unfortunately lack my beloved “Of Matter”, but aside from that one point, this was arguably a step up from that mighty 2022 performance on every other front. I stupidly missed the band’s last headline tour even after loving that 2022 show so much, but after this, I know that I am taking every reasonable opportunity to see TesseracT live going forward, and any readers should do the same; they are arguably the prog-metal band to see right now.
John Cxnnor (Silent Disco) 23:10-00:00, Yokhai Stage
It was hard for anybody to come after a set as incredible as TesseracT’s, but for one final time, it was back to the Yokhai tent for the last silent disco set of ArcTanGent 2025. This time it was John Cxnnor, the side-project of half of LLNN (considering the other half of that band was performing in Eyes, it feels like an opportunity was missed to fit another LLNN show in – who cares if they already played at 3 of the past 4 years), who brought the hype with the heavy, pounding electronica, which spanned industrial, synthwave, drum & bass, and other styles, including slightly random remixes of hits such as “Maniac” and “Sabotage”. Unfortunately, while LLNN/Eyes vocalist Victor Kaas had performed with John Cxnnor last year, he evidently didn’t fancy the silent disco format, as there were only pre-recorded vocals of his to be heard this time. In spite of a few odd moments, this was ultimately a very fun way to found out what was another awesome ArcTanGent festival.
At the end of my past couple of articles on ArcTanGent, I have briefly pondered the question of where the festival goes next; at this point, it feels unnecessary, as the organizers have demonstrated so many times that they will always deliver outstanding quality right across the board. Indeed, with the number of first-ever UK appearances this year, the door feels very open for various other top-tier bands from the worldwide heavy music underground to make long-awaited trips to these shores in future years; as much as I’ve previously thought that most-everyone worth seeing who fits the ArcTanGent bill has already played here, there are a lot of bands I can think of who would conceivably work that I would love the opportunity to see for the first time.
I am curious about who might headline in future years; the success of Karnivool feels like it might further expand the range of viable candidates, so I expect to be surprised by at least one name on the 2026 roster. Still, in contrast to the big mainstream metal festivals in the UK, ArcTanGent has such strength in depth that the headliners sometimes feel like the least important factor (this year was the first since 2022 where I was actively excited by a majority of the headline acts), so I feel confident asserting that attending ATG 2026 will be mandatory regardless of who is ultimately booked. Heck, I was genuinely disappointed to miss multiple of the alternative acts in the headline slots (GosT and Vessels) due to them clashing with Karnivool and TesseracT, respectively.
It’s hard to think of how the festival could improve on the music front next year, as I felt like I was pushed to my physical limit to enjoy everything worth seeing here; it’s also hard to think how it could be improved from a customer experience (aside from magically ensuring that the idiots in the tent next to us in the campsite get stuck on the opposite side of the field next year), as everything about entry, refreshments and amenities was pretty much spot-on. Really, if ArcTanGent 2026 matches this year on all those fronts, they will have done another incredible job. One way or another, I’ll be there to find out.
