ArcTanGent Festival 2022: The Review – Saturday

All good things come to an end and sadly ArcTanGent Festival 2022 was no different. Following on from the first three parts of our mammoth ArcTanGent Festival Review, we look at that the final day entailed. Words by Dan Hillier and Will Marshall.

It’s the dawn of the final day at ArcTanGent Festival and PX3 openers Dead Bird more than amplify the relative gloom shared by one and all. Despite this being their second set ever performed, the Brighton post-screamo collective are simply phenomenal, with the delicate and pliable riffs that bind their output buckling under the screeched vocals that drive their pain-stricken work. Cuts from their recent debut In The Absence Of sound brilliant amongst the morning mist yet it’s performance of ‘As Sunflowers Rise’ that solidifies this band’s finesse. A heartbreaking ode written in memory to a dearly missed late friend, the tenderly performed track only highlights the genuine aching, pain and human emotion that lies at the crux of this extremely promising band. In contrast, Leicester collective Garganjua sound perfectly akin to the fictional black hole of similar namesake in due to their physics breaking density, a fact that palatable as their take on post-metal threatens not just to destroy the parched ground before them, but the space-time continuum itself.

In a whole different vein, Jo Quail proves that classical music can embrace modernism to become something truly special. With just an electric cello and a looper pedal, she conjures an entire orchestra across a short, but emotionally dense set. While she might not be as raucous as other bands of the weekend, she’s certainly no less spellbinding, even if such an open setting isn’t quite the ideal for these compositions. It’s certainly a different approach to musical progression in contrast to Respire back under the PX3. Tracks from their recent LP Black Line are presented as an aching and beautiful triptych on the nature of humanity, and whilst the stringed orchestration may be missing from their sonic equation today, the collective’s output still retains the genre-defying and cinematic aspect that makes them so alluring.

Following their Canadian peers in Respire, Heriot prove why PX3 is packed out; their abrasive hardcore-meets-industrial-meets-sludge assault is as visceral as it is compelling. Near Vision threatens to claim necks and it’s only their second song, while Debbie Gough tears through squealing solos and brutalising riffs like nobody’s business. It’s a scene none too different under the maroon canopy of the Bixlar stage, where Ithaca lay waste in the most cathartic fashion possible. Still swinging after the release of their incredible new record They Fear Us, today see’s the band truly giving it their all, with the likes of ‘The Future Says Thank You’, ‘Camera Eats First’ and the all consuming ‘Cremation Party’ inciting some of the biggest pits of the week. Though despite the musical melee being conducted, today see’s Ithaca placing great emphasis on the empowering and healing qualities that lie inherent to their work, resulting in a set that’s cathartical as it is chaotic.

Photo Credit:
Jonathan Dadds

Back under the yawning canvas of the main stage awaits one of the most anticipated acts of this weekend. Conjurer’s ascent to the main stage hasn’t been without hiccups; even getting to the festival, their van tire blew out. Fortunately they’re here and channelling that frustration into a battering set right from opener ‘It Dwells’. The songs from second album Páthos sound nothing short of monstrous while debut Mire material more than holds its own on sheer power of riff alone, resulting in a violent speculate of borderline apocalyptic qualities. The push, pull and trawl of ‘Choke’ is all-encompassing, the innermost neuroticism of ‘Rot’ seeps into one’s pores and as the band close out with the fan favourite ‘Hadal’ it’s a surprise that the four towers that hold this tent aloft haven’t crumbled from the density summoned from the Rugby band. If you want an example of the best metal in Britain, Conjurer are at the top of that list.

In continuation of uttermost destruction, Devil Sold His Soul are on flawless form this afternoon. Performing a setlist exclusively consisting of select cuts from Loss, the post-hardcore pioneers set is simply a reinstatement of the band’s position at the zenith of the scene, one that once again solidifies the fact that the national circuit would be vastly different place without their influence. As co-vocalists Ed Gibbs and Paul Green trade lines throughout the likes of ‘Witness Marks’, ‘Burdened’ and the kickstarting ‘Beyond Reach’, it’s impossible not feel the palatable chemistry shared between the two, something that only heightens the human emotion that serve as the foundation of the band’s sound. Yet, it’s the performance of ‘The Narcissist’ that serves as the highlight not just of this set, but arguably the weekend itself, with Djamila Azzouz and Chad Kapper of Ithaca and Frontierer respectively making surprise appearances to reprise lines. It’s an absolute triumph of a set, and as the band close out with the title track from their most recent endeavour, it becomes impossible to envision a version of ArcTanGent without Devil Sold His Soul’s input or existence.

Photo Credit:
Derek Bremner

To return to the Yohkai lies another act who might perhaps benefit from more enclosed surroundings; Emma Ruth Rundle performs her brand new Engine of Hell in full to an audience that falls silent the moment the first notes ring out. Over the course of her set, that stays the case; not even the low-level chattering normally heard is there, the crowd totally captivated by such sublime, emotionally haunting music.

Elephant Tree are certainly a more rambunctious proposition this afternoon though; if anyone has wondered what has happened to the livestock that typically inhabit Fernhill Farm, it appears they’ve been sheered en-masse and had their fur applied to the stoned doomers sound. Still, they’re far more than just their genre tag and Sabbath worshiping implications, a fact made concrete with the mountainous and scorched likes of ‘Sails’ and ‘Bird’, tracks that bare witness to why Elephant Tree have become such a renowned act even within a saturated scene. The fantastic melodies and group harmonisations within ‘Wasted’ further push this, with such inclusions within their live sound being mostly sunken within their recorded output.

With the day slipping into the final evening of ArcTanGent, along comes a band that can not really be critiqued, albeit in a conventional sense. Of course we are referring to The Armed. Infamous for their overwhelming live shows and their total disregard for genre norms, it’s not a surprise to see the main stage at full capacity even prior to their set, and of course, their set fulfils all expectations. Manifesting as a whirlwind of excessive force, their performance is nothing less than a total sensory overload, with the band and crowd before them attempting to become one in despite of the barrier separating the two. Material from their most recent record Ultrapop either drive the thousands in attendance into a blinded frenzy or stun them into rapt attention and select choices from 2018’s Only Love is the subject for nothing short of mass hysteria. Yet, despite the frenzy, a sense of joy, inclusivity and community is paramount. The Armed have long fostered a community of like minded individuals – something made evident with devotees of the so-called Church Of Daniel bolstering the front lines – and this 50 minute act of musical hypermania is more a demonstration of love as opposed to a set to noise-wracked ultraviolence. There really isn’t another band on Earth like this band, and even amongst a line-up harbouring artists committed to pursuing unearthed music The Armed still remain unparalleled.

Photo Credit:
Jonathan-Dadds

As evening slides into night, the last few remaining bands of the weekend prepare to take to the stage. On the Yokhai, Leprous are, quite bluntly, immaculate. They clearly understand what makes a great show, with lighting synced to all manner of moments from drum hits to breakdowns. Consummate performers, they’re note perfect and have the sheer cajones to drop ‘Nighttime Disguise’ halfway into their set; yet they’ve still got the catalogue for an equally mind-blowing second half. Frontman Einar Solberg is unafraid to lose himself entirely in their progressive metal masterpieces, and there’s a sense of euphoria throughout the entire tent from beginning to end. A truly, truly special band.

Despite clashing with prog-death legends Opeth, Pupil Slicer’s crowd is packed to the rafters – quite literally sometimes as a daring punter scales the tent pillars. Their seething mathcore goes off like a bomb, limbs flailing in the pit and vocalist/guitarist Katie crowdsurfing during ‘Vilified’ after proudly proclaiming Pupil Slicer stand for love and inclusion. It’s a message that’s clearly resonated with plenty, as their rapturous reception and the (fulfilled) demand for an encore proves. They may have only done their first tour six months ago but tonight, on the final eve of ArctanGent 2022, Pupil Slicer are flying. A brilliant end to the best instalment of ArcTanGent thus far.

Photo Credit:
Jonathan Dadds

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