ArcTanGent Festival 2023: The Review – Thursday

Following this, within Arc stage is a band that has an air of mystery around them; and not only because their namesake is a riff on a certain previous ArcTanGent headliner. Hailing from Wuhan and on their first tour overseas, the aptly titled Chinese Football shine a wonderful spotlight on China’s math-rock scene. Reminiscing thoughts of acts such a Delta Sleep, TTNG and other esteemed ArcTanGent alumni, Chinese Football offer a bouncy and wholesome set that captures many a punter off guard. Granted, there’s no deny many an attendee has originally been drawn forward due to curiosity, but as the group pacify the swelling audience there’s no denying that this band plays right into the demands of the ArcTanGent populace and dispel any notion that they are just a mere curiosity. They may be representing the musical scene of an entire country on this main stage, but as the band ring out their set with the weekend’s most wholesome wall of death, China may be harbouring one of the planet’s best math rock scenes if Chinese Football are anything to go by.

In contrast to the wholesome adolescent whimsy of Chinese Football, something otherworldly transpires across site. Hailing from the outer reaches of the solar system, Wallowing utterly atomise the Bixler in essentially the same manner as a gamma Ray burst is inevitably going to annihilate Earth in the future. Mixing classic death metal with celestial drone and a progressive mindset that mirrors that of Rush being torn limb from limb from a lack of Xenomorphs, Wallowing eviscerate the crowd before tossing baby pink dad caps to those surviving out of tribute; drip is clearly crucial in the grim reaches of space. They may only play two songs including the 22 minute long ‘Earth Reaper’, but that’s more than enough to complete the task at hand; this a set of pure aural devastation from a band that truly does not come in peace.

Heralding the approach of their fourth LP The Weight Of the Mask, Svalbard’s set on the Yohkai stage this afternoon is quite simply a triumph. Flying through the likes of ‘Throw Your Heart Away’ and ‘Disparity’ with unrelenting force, Svalbard may be blistering and relentless but their take on post metal is by no means as cold as the ice-encased island that the band share a namesake with. The last few years and albums courtesy from the band have seen Svalbard articulate musical extremity with both grace and emotion, and here, they demonstrate it flawlessly. However, it’s new content from The Weight Of The Mask that takes this to a new level. ‘Faking It’ is a fantastic testament to that, one that makes the band’s crux of genuine emotion palatable to the point of it being somewhat overwhelming. In fact, as Serena Cherry bellows forth “I don’t feel love, I just fake it, I don’t feel real, I just fake it”, her heart is not so much on her sleeve as it is on the faces of those before her. Yet, with her and her band mates wearing nothing but authentic grins, it’s clear that Svalbard are a unit decorated to healing and collective catharsis. Simply, if we where to judge this set on future events, The Weight Of The Mask may truly be the album of the year.

Warming up the crowd for their brothers in Converge in which Nate Newton will surely be Nate Knackered later after two sets, the love for Cave In has been reignited with latest album Heavy Pendulum which they lean into heavily this afternoon on the Arc Stage. Opening tracks ‘New Reality’ and ‘Blood Spiller’ still hitting hard even if the sound isn’t quite there until later in the set. Covers of ‘Cave-In’ by Codeine and ‘I’m So Afraid’ by Fleetwood Mac break up the set as Stephen Brodsky and Adam McGrath do justice to songs intertwining soaring solos. Steve asks the crowd if they can play a couple oldies as they roll out ‘Big Riff’ and ‘Sing My Loves’. Steve’s vocal range on striking display as they leave on the sweetest of notes.

Photo Credit:

Jonathan Dadds

Acerbic, abrasive and antagonistic. Three words that sum up Chat Pile’s entire existence, not least their staggering Thursday afternoon set. Opening with ‘Why’, singer Raygun Busch is stripped to the waist after just a few minutes and then things start to take a crazy turn. The sonic equivalent of IDLES after a decade mainlining heroin in a derelict church (Only sludgier), they introduce ‘Rainbow Meat’ by comparing Greggs to Arby’s and at this point, the crowd are absolutely hooked on every word that tumbles out of his shrieking mouth. Summing up his experiences of the American dystopia like Bob Dylan’s half naked Wario, they might not be for everyone but trust me, you’ve never experienced anything like this before.

Across site in the Bixler, going up directly against Chat Pile one of the most hyped bands of the weekend this could’ve put some bands under pressure. The Guru Guru do not bow under pressure however, they party to it. Vocalist Tom Adriaenssens adorned in his now signature pyjamas grasps various percussion items more like blunt objects than instruments whilst lit up by a self-controlled light box. As they burst into ‘Lotta tension’, a song which they personify on stage, turning pressure into an explosive performance. These seasoned Belgians know how to put on a show, Tom regularly engaging and taking on the crowd to exert more of their own energy asking, ‘Do ArcTanGent people know how to make allota noise?!’ as the tent screams in response before bopping into fan favourite ‘Skidoo’. Closing out with ‘Honestly (I don’t feel like dancing)’ the most blatant of lies, the whole tent is indeed dancing.

Back in the Arc Stage lies something that proves that the age of the supergroup is not over, and these guys are a massive one by any standards. Empire State Bastard take to the main stage on Thursday afternoon and by the end, it’s frankly amazing the tent is left standing. Simon Neil, Mike Vennart, Naomi McLeod and Tom Rice (Replacing Dave Lombardo) all play today like it was the last show on earth and sonically it’s not far away from the end of the world. Amongst the grinding, crushing set Simon ends up just wearing a short pair of cut-off jeans as he flails and tears across the stage, unleashing hell from his lungs. On the drums, Rice unleashes a barrage of rhythm that combined with Naomi, leave a sonic imprint on one’s bones. Finish all this off with Mike’s scorching guitar work and you’ve got…well, Empire State Bastard. With their debut right around the corner, they do an amazing job of increasing the already massive hype around themselves.

To produce gritty emotional hardcore that is musically brilliant on record is easy to find nowadays, but to deliver that energy and a real, brutal, honest message from the heart live is a whole other deal. Birds in Row produce this in spades and with such high energy levels throughout their set in the rammed PX3. Tearing through last year’s well received Gris Klein in order bar the last two tracks and ’15-38’ from their previous record. The double a-side ‘Noah’ and ‘Cathedrals’ is a particular highlight as they barrel through like a runaway train. Before catapulting into ‘Nympheas’ (Latin for water lilies and a painting by Monet) vocalist ‘B’ leads with a statement ‘freedom is not just a word, it is something we have to fight for’, and after this set any single person follow this trio go into battle shoulder to shoulder. This is hardcore with true heart and purpose.

Photo Credit:

Jonathan Dadds

As multi-instrumentalists go in all forms of music, a singing drummer remains one of those that can’t help but impress, particularly in a band that blends punk and post-rock. As the sun began to set on Thursday of ArcTanGent, Brutus take to the Yohkai and proceed to provide a light in the encroaching, muggy darkness. The Belgian trio produce a set that’s equal parts chaotic and beautiful. Stefanie sounds near perfect as she delivers a rhythmic assault alongside her soaring, yet vulnerable vocals. ‘Storm’ and an expected airing of ‘Space’ are perhaps the highlights of this brilliant set, with many present not fully converted to the cause left with open eyes and hearts. As the epic ‘Sugar Dragon’ coalesces into a catharsis laden climax, hands are aloft, tears are glistening and those present know they’ve just witnessed something almost ethereal.

Carrying none of the unhinged ferality of the prior Empire State Bastard on this stage but plenty of the sonic weight, Russian Circles might lack vocals but more than make up for it in sheer riffs and atmosphere. Lights pulse behind their first chugging riff as they launch headlong into the set, captivating from the very start. Songs from last year’s phenomenal Gnosis sound gigantic, the hulking guitars accented by a shotgun snare and bass like the movement of tectonic plates. It’s obvious why the Arc is rammed; no other band seems to meld such heaviness with melody and groove as Russian Circles do, or to write the kind of towering crescendos that make them one of the heaviest bands of the weekend.

Off the back of two shows at their old stomping ground The Cluny back in April, YOURCODENAMEIS:MILO make one more planned outing to headline The Bixler stage tonight. A mixed audience fill the tent, part OG diehard fans, some who missed the connecting flight first time around and are new to the atmospheric post-hardcore. Regardless there is a buzz and sense of intrigue to Paul Mullen and company’s return, even without Justin Lockey who was elsewhere with his now day job of Editors’ guitarist. Even with a replacement guitarist and such little practice due to the logistics of members living as far away as the USA nowadays, it feels like they never left for all of 16 years (yes 16 years you read that right). Taking on a wide range of their back catalogue, from the dauntingly heavy and eerie ‘Translate’ to ‘Schteeve’ and both of its respective B-sides, they show that the intrinsic link between the musicians onstage never left them and the muscle memory is still there after all these years. Not only are the crowd elated shouting ‘Hello hello’ back during ‘Understand’ but the band are clearly joyful playing these songs again. Guitarist Adam Hiles belting out ‘All for glutton!’ during their colossal single ‘17’ Closing on fan favourite ‘All Roads To Fault’ the band slowing to an almost halt during the bridge, fans yearning for this moment to last the rest of the weekend as a pit finally kicks up dust. Fans old and new leaving the tent craving for more from these noisey Newcastle legends.

Photo Credit:

Jonathan Dadds

As one can imagine, the main stage is utterly packed for tonight’s headliners. Converge’s headline set at ArcTanGent 2017 has become the stuff of legend as the years have ticked by since, and for good reason. Taking place back on the old Arc stage, fondly remembered for its unique architecture and its inability to provide any shelter whatsoever, the band’s set that year was intense in every way imaginable. As the band ripped their way through their metalcore in the most feral form, the wind and rain of that night bellowed into the tent from every angle, creating conditions that most emergency services would dub as unsurvivable. Does tonight live up to the legacy of that set? Almost.

As Jacob Bannon and his peers plunge into the set with ‘Eagles Become Vultures’ prior to flogging the thousands gathered with the likes of ‘Dark Horse’ and ‘Axe To Fall’, Converge are the same beast that levelled this festival all those years back. There’s no remorse or consideration in their sound or presence, but however, something feels off. It’s not the band, though. Nor is it the audience, nor sound for that matter. If anything, it feels like the stage. Known and esteemed for their savage intimacy, one can not help but feel like Converge is not an act that can be successfully transplanted into a tent designed to hold upwards of 10,000 people without issue. After all, even after all these years Converge are an act associated with the hardcore scene and it’s haunts, rooms where one cannot escape such musical intensity. It he end result is an atmosphere that feels, sadly, somewhat static..

‘Cutter’ and the frantic mathcore of ‘Thaw’ may send the front few rows into a blood-lusting Frenzy, but beyond that, there’s nothing but stillness. Thankfully, life does begin to emerge as the band fly though their set. ‘All We Love We Leave Behind’ sounds intimating under the yawning canvas tonight and garners a reaction not just from those devoted and ‘Eye Of The Quarrel’ highlights a shade of the band some who only know the time established hits may not consider, it’s responded groove invoking a reaction from the front to the back. The frigid reception does thaw as the band progress through their set, but of course though, it’s the closing blows of ‘Concubine’, ‘I Can Tell You About Pain’ and a surprise cover of Entombed’s ‘Wolverine Blues’ that get the biggest reaction of all evening, the former inciting hysteria on a mass scale. It may have been a difficult set to begin with, but come the explosive end, tonight serves as a testament to Converge’s ability to turn even the biggest of venues into grotty punk establishments home to collective violence on a mass scale.