ArcTanGent Festival 2023: The Review – Saturday

In similarity to Cultdreams, in truth, the only way to aptly describe GGGOLDDD in the Arc Stage this afternoon is intensely intimate. Performing tracks from their most recent record This Shame Should Not Be Mine, the Rotterdam band’s electronic-tinged sound blossoms from quiet, electronic driven textures to fully suffocating blankets of avant garde noise that cocoon around the thousands gathered. However, the intensity of GGGOLDD is justified and crucial, with each of their punishing tracks are detailed and unflinching documentations of the sexual assault that frontwoman Milena Eva has experienced. As Eva poetically and defiantly ruminates on her experiences through creeping lyricism and choreographed dance, her peers ardently focus on their instruments, delivering performances such vulnerable reflections rightfully deserve. The end result is a set that utterly arrests thousands into absolute silence. Truthfully, never has a festival audience been so silent and so captivated.

Relatively new Grub Nap are already garnering some attention in the DIY scene. Rightfully so after releasing a cracker of a debut EP via Human Worth and somehow slipping onto Empire State Bastard’s touring bills since their formation. Why are they turning heads? Well how much noise can a two piece make? Answer is a bloody lot. As the sun breaks through the clouds, drummer/vocalist Steve Myles (also of THANK and formerly Cattle) alongside Dan Barter (also of DVNE) raise hell with a raw and primal set. Trading blows via vocals between them in a short sharp set in which Steve explains as “punks they only have 20 minutes of material”, they commendably mould elements of hardcore, punk and black metal into a chaotic package most 4-5 member bands couldn’t create. As they grind to a halt in the last song, Steve psyches himself up for a savage finish. Bang, and the dirt is gone in all but a moment.

In odds to the heavy, oppressive and overtly intense music taking place across the site today, sugary sweet math-rock duo Standards are a welcome presence. Returning to ArcTanGent following their 2018 appearance, it seems the passage of time has only sweetened the duo’s take on the craft they effortlessly present, with tracks from their 2022 full length Fruit Island resonating a sense of childhood wonder lost to many of the other bands playing today. But that’s not to say that their music is mere child’s play. As the band rush through fruity jams, they present a set consisting of technical flurries and genuinely impressive fretwork that results in a sound most juicy and fluid. It’s fruity, fresh, invigorating, and much like all good exotic produce, crucial in retaining a sense of youthful energy and lasting youth.

It’s a bit of a different story over in the Elephant though. Who needs tonnes of guitars to make a racket? Brighton based duo fakeyourdeath certainly don’t. Much like Grub Nap they have also just been lucky enough to support Simon Neil’s E.S.B. whilst also warming the stage for math mayhem crew Frontierer. Vocalist Candi Underwood and drummer Sam Barnes showcases their only two singles ‘truth’ and ‘consume’ alongside new tracks ‘hell’, ‘broken’ and humanity’, all of which tell the story of a broken world in form most visceral. The duo’s force on stage amplifies their message as Candi screams for her life whilst looming over the crowd atop a flight case. Sam such a key component of the band with his sticksmanship. Issues with Candi’s earpiece don’t slow them down as they tear through their industrious set laced with hooks and thunderous beats.

Photo Credit:

Jonathan Dadds

As the crushing wave of noise that heralds ‘’Drip’ washes upon the Arc Stage and all those gathered within it’s shade, a cheer rises up that rivals it’s volume. What follows is 50 minutes of Rolo Tomassi at their absolute best. Balancing the dark with the light with the serpentine ‘Labyrinthine’ prior to delivering astral punishment with a rendition of ‘Stage Knives’ so intense that it rivals the most violent of supernovas, Rolo Tomassi are – as always – beyond flaw. The thrall and mediation of ‘Mutual Ruin’ proves to be a massive moment within in their set, it’s deliverance breaking way to one to the most spellbinding moments of the day, if not the weekend. In relation, ‘A Flood Of Light’ breaks away to a baptism of sound and luminosity that honestly illuminates tears in some eyes. It’s a masterclass of modern songwriting in it’s most awe-inspiring form, one that highlight’s Rolo Tomassi’s stance as one the most progressive bands in the world and one that further adds credence to the band’s evolution. With each passing set at ArcTanGent, the calls for Rolo Tomassi to perform their earlier, somewhat scrappy material have become more hushed, and tonight, such calls go finally unheard. This set shows that Rolo Tomassi have blossomed from a kitschy curiosity within the UK scene to genuine and inevitable festival headliners.

Equal parts beautiful, unhinged and unpredictable, The Callous Daoboys take to the ArcTanGent field late Saturday afternoon. In a chaotic mix of ‘Sweet Caroline’, Hoobastank samples and healthcare related mosh-calls, the six piece take no prisoners with their grandiose mathcore set. ‘Star Baby’ gets things going and from the first words, the crowd is singing almost as loud as Carson. Tracks from Die On Mars get a great reception but it’s ‘Title Track’ and ‘A Brief History Of Time Loops’ that steal the show. The entire band, from Maddie’s split kicks to Jackie’s thousand yard stares, look like they’re having the time of their lives. The set ends with Carson screaming his lungs out as he gets carried by the first few rows, with those holding him up enraptured by his mere presence. Mark our words, this band are beyond special.

Following this comes somewhat of a dire shame. Every festival is host to an act that get’s affected by technical difficulties; just look back to BRUIT ≤‘s set from last year’s ArcTanGent. However, heartbreakingly, ArcTanGent 2023’s accused act to be blemished by difficulties is one of it’s of it’s most anticipated sets; Deafheaven performing Sunbather in full. Whilst opener ‘Dream House’ is performed flawlessly and thankfully is spared from issue – it’s climax delivering pure euphoria – the following titular ‘Sunbather’ suffers from a full vocal cutout for it’s entire ten minute run time. This, compared with the projected video behind the band crashing and comedically displaying a MacBook home screen, does ultimately hinder what was originally anticipated to be a set celebrating one of modern metal’s most ceremonial releases. Thankfully, such issues are resolved following ‘Please Remember’, with the anxiety-inducing ‘Vertigo’ hosting the ever-enigmatic George Clark in his most impassioned form. But for some, such issues do ultimately characterise this set. It’s a shame, as Deafheaven sound phenomenal in the latter half of this set, and do ultimately uphold the legacy, longevity and significance of the record they’re performing.

Simultaneously across site, eccentric Norwegian duo Aiming for Enrike enter the mud laden fray to get feet shuffling inside wet through Vans and blister inducing Docs. Drummer Tobias opens with a skittish hi-hat and beat as guitarist Simien revs up the engines of his vast array of tools that lay at his feet as they ease into ‘Nibblonian Car’ that gets the pulse racing. Not afraid to experiment beyond their usually high tempo back catalogue, the duo slot in tracks from their new album Empty Airports, a much more atmospheric affair. ‘Feel No Threat/Absent Lovers’ adds variety to the usual breakneck pulses that fans have been accustomed to whilst Simien and Tobias seamlessly overlap tracks not to stop the underlying groove that is irresistible to the hips. As they kick into fan favourites ‘Flat Beats’ and ‘Don’t Hassle The Hoff’ a feel good feeling fills the air; there is no mud under feet only sunshine. It may be the last afternoon of the weekend, but energy levels arise. Not a single soul leaves the tent unhappy and gleefully they provide Aiming for Enrike with one of longest rounds of applause of ArcTanGent 2023.

Photo Credit:

Derek Bremner

Following Aiming for Enrike for whom they shook a stage and floor with the previous night in London, The Fall of Troy make a triumphant return to ArcTanGent after an over extended, much mourned absence. And oh my they do not muck about. Playing tracks exclusively off their first three albums, leaning heavily into 2005’s Doppleganger, the elder emo generation feel their fringes growing once more, this time with beaming smiles rather than frowns of their teenage years. The crowd becoming a literal symphony recalling the chorus of ‘I Just Got This Symphony Goin’’ Guitarist/vocalist Thomas Erak bellows ‘We are gonna keep this shit moving!’ and they do not feign on this promise propelling into ‘Sledgehammer’, he even has the bare faced cheek to play some of the song one handed. Guitarists across the audience consider retirement immediately as the trio are as tight as ever. Unstoppable as they play all the hits the crowd boo as Thomas says they only have time for one more before promising a new record and tour next year. Yes please, and don’t leave it too long.

Perhaps starting a little too early in the day, as it’s still light outside and their music is best suited for darker nights, the tent is still packed out for HEALTH. From the moment the opening from anime Neon Genesis Evangelion begins to play, an almost tense, sultry atmosphere takes over the second stage, signifying one thing. HEALTH have arrived. Their merch, which is adorned by dozens, proclaims “Sad Music For Horny People” is frankly, spot on. Bass moves through your bones, Jake Duzsiks haunting, sultry vocals float through the speakers as your body begins to move, to sway, to their pounding rhythm. A career spanning setlist, this is probably the closest that the festival has came to sounding like a vampire dungeon rave, and the crowd couldn’t be happier/hornier.

Something a bit different awaits in the Arc following this, and whilst it takes a lot for an act to make a punter cry “what the fuck” at ArcTanGent, Igorrr manage this feat before the end of their first song. Opening their set with a wall of techno that wouldn’t go amiss at Creamfields prior to diving headfirst into the maniacal absurdity of ‘Paranoid Bulldozer Italiano’ and the wonderfully titled ‘Spagetti Forever’, Igorrr are bizarre, unintelligible, ludicrous and absolutely, utterly brilliant. Collecting and fusing elements of breakcore, techno, grind, operatic baroque and pretty much everything in between in a fashion not unlike how a 17th century serial killer would collect trophies from their victims, Igorrr utterly disregard convention and offer 50 minutes of absolute insanity. Yet, it sounds huge, arena worthy, and the populace of the main stage – and those unable to get in due to the sheer volume of people gathered – absolutely love it. A set courtesy of Igorrr mastermind Gautir Serre wouldn’t fit in at other other festival, especially in a main stage setting, but here Igorrr are celebrated and are treated almost like headliners; the glitching death metal of ‘Parpaing’ inspiring bedlam and the warped and esoteric nature of ‘Camel Dancefloor’ making those in attendance partake in rituals lost to knowledge.

Despite mutterings about the lack of new material, one thing that can never be denied is the force of Loathe as a live band. It also says a lot about their star power and quality that despite it being about three years since a full UK tour, they still have an impressively large crowd in front of them. Making their Arc Tan Gent debut headlining a stage on the Saturday is also one hell of a way to make your bow and for a band this young to have this much confidence and swagger, it’s great to see. Kicking things off with ‘Aggressive Evolution’, they sound absolutely gargantuan and threaten to take the roof off. Each track is given a heroes welcome, particularly ‘Two Way Mirror’ and ‘Is It Really You?’. The former in particular gets the crowd singing every word, torches aloft as the Deftones-worship takes over. If the band were to return to this festival with a new record in tow, no doubt the crowd would be even bigger and more feral than it already was. As Kadeem’s endearing Scouse gratitudes finish the set, the ardent fans are sated, the unconvinced are converted and the unaware leave with a new favourite band.

Photo Credit:

Derek Bremner

Over on main stage, tonight’s headliner. Despite being a name that some forget is etched into the pillars upholding the prog metal halls of legend, it’s hard to envision a version of the prog metal scene or indeed this very festival without the input or inspiration of Devin Townsend. After all, Hevy Devy has 30-odd records of music to his name that has indirectly guided the progressive metal movement and it’s related musical circles. But tonight, on the final eve of ArcTanGent 2023, Devin Townsend reinstates his importance, longevity and damn near genius.

Opening with the theatrical, almost inspirational ‘Lightworker’ prior to the crushing ecstasy of ‘Kingdom’, Devin and his peers on stage sound like true titans this evening, their sheer presence inciting fawning mania in those before him. Chaptering the set into three segments – in his words classic and new materiel, weird material and heavy material – Devin spends the following 90 minutes presenting every shade and hue of this musical technicolour dreamcoat. In truth, it’s a masterclass of performance and a set that presents just how varied and rich contemporary heavy music can be. As the classic riffs of fan-favourite of ‘Deadhead’ stretch into the theatrical arms and splendour of ‘Spirts Will Collide’ prior to Devin pummelling the audience with the thunderous ‘Truth’, this is a set that bares witness to just how many genres and stylistics Devin has mastered over the years. In fact, the push and pull, to and fro across genres is intense, but far from overwhelming, with each of the setlist inclusions only complimenting each other through pure diversity.

But regardless of such musical finesse, Devin is still the same comedic character as he’s esteemed for. Referring to ArcTanGent as a collection of power nerds – not that he’s not wrong – each anecdote and tale is greeted by laughter and appraisal both from those dotting on him and those new to his music and name. But regardless if many in the audience are new to the tales and prowess of Devin Townsend, as he and his fellow band ring out with ‘Bad Devil’ and the Strapping Young Lad classic ‘Love?’, this is a set that will be cemented deep within the annuals of ArcTanGent lore. A wonderful end to a wonderful weekend full of joy, kinship and music in it’s most forward thinking form.