The heat hung heavy over ArcTanGent 2025 as Friday afternoon settled in, the festival grounds buzzing with anticipation for the evening ahead. In the midst of it all, we found a (relatively) quiet corner to sit down with Mark Owen, founding member and lead guitarist of We Lost The Sea. Just a day earlier, the Australian post-rock collective had delivered one of the festival’s most talked-about performances, and in only a few hours they would return to the stage for something equally highly-anticipated: a complete playthrough of their landmark 2015 record Departure Songs. Despite the weight of the occasion, Mark arrived relaxed and smiling, his easygoing demeanour cutting through the intensity of the weekend.
“Oh, man. It’s been amazing. It’s hard to describe the feeling of walking out to a main stage and seeing it full. It might sound arrogant or whatever, but we just crushed it. We played really well as a band. We’re really happy as a unit, we love playing the new songs live. It felt really cool that we got an opportunity to show the band and our full current force, I guess. As opposed to playing Departure Songs, which we’re doing today, which is cool to play, but it’s a ten-year-old record. It’s not really who we are as people or musicians. And yeah, we played a 27-minute long song and no one really left. So that’s a good sign, I think!
But yeah, I mean apart from that, the festival’s really cool. I’ve never been before, so it’s been a bucket list thing to play it and because of touring and being in a band, you just don’t get a chance to just be like, “Oh, I’m just gonna go to the UK and hang out at a festival”, because I just wouldn’t have the leave from work or anything like that. So it’s been really cool to just hang out and it feels like a part of a really inclusive festival. Everyone’s really friendly. I haven’t really come across any dickheads. I think the biggest dickheads have been us that I’ve come across, which is cool!
Godspeed You! Black Emperor last night was just mind-blowing. I think that’s the fourth time I’ve seen them. But there was something about last night. They just felt more violent an I really loved the new record and they played my favourite music, I guess, my favourite record of all time in full. Yeah, I was like, “holy fuck! I can go home now”. What a way to round up the day, right?”
“Yeah man, we feel really, really good about it. There’s been kind of a long time between records; it took almost six years to get out. And we started working on it, like some of the ideas that end up on the record, during like the Covid lockdowns. We took a while and it was dragging out and everyone was kind of feeling pretty flat about it. We also had some drummer issues and so then we parted ways with our drummer before we got Alasdair (Belling) in. He’s not 30 yet. He’s young, super positive, he’s got energy and he’s really creative as a musician, so that really injected a lot of energy for us, because for the first time in the history of the band we weren’t relying on being this wall of sound of guitars. You could actually sit back a bit more and let the rhythm section have their moments.
Everyone’s really pumped. I’m really, really proud of the record. I think that it’s objectively our best work and I know lots of people say that about a new record, but I think for me, it’s a really great snapshot of who we are as people and musicians and it’s been received really well, which is always affirming, you know, because you don’t want to put out a record and be like, “Oh I don’t give a fuck what people think.” You always do. So, when you hear positive things back, you’re like fuck yeah, it’s good that people are getting it.”
Yeah, I think so. I think one of the cool things is because I’m on the ArcTanGent forum,
the Two Promoters One Pod forum, the Post Festival forum, the Dunk! Festival forum and the Damnation forum, we’re really accessible. So when people want to reach out and tell us their story because we’ve got a back story that, you know, is a bit tragic or whatever, sometimes people feel like they want to direct their story towards someone. So they see us sometimes as a conduit for that and we respond as much as we can. We’re really active on social media and responding to people. I think that kind of comes across and so people actively want to support our band. So when you drop new music, it’s not like “oh, here’s just another band’s record”. It feels like they’re like, “oh, here’s this band that are investing time in us and so I’ll like take the time to sit and listen.””
“Yeah, I think so. I think we’re all a bunch of dudes who grew up in the southwestern suburbs of Sydney, like the rough part of Sydney and we’re a bit… what’s the word I’m looking for? Not sombre, but we’re introspective and a bit cynical and angry about stuff all the time, but it’s all from a place of love. We really care about people and people having freedom of expression and freedom to basically do whatever they want because it’s their business, and so I feel like that contributes to people feeling like they can connect to an instrumental record.”
Self-described as “a band that appreciates the peaks and troughs of post-rock as much as the crunch of the riff”, IAN are a collective that confront the misery of all things with a sense of joy. But after all, who can blame them. Modern living has become synonymous with monotonous drudgery. Whilst the world continues to roll downhill to a crest of a vertical cliff, existence has become a perpetual uphill slog punctuated by moments of personal grief, loss and tragedy. It takes a real sense of resilience and maybe something somewhat resembling bravery to not only square up against the jaws of defeatism, but to smile whilst doing so. Which in turn makes this debut just so fantastic and genuine.
The debut full length from the band composed of members Hannah Asprey (Cello), Anna Jones (Bass), Craig Murray (Guitar, Samples), Ted Reynolds (Guitar, Samples) and Bob D’Mello (Drums), Come On Everybody, Let’s Do Nothing! is a record as radiant with camaraderie as it is musically bleak. Across the five long-form tracks that form this record, IAN take the intricate, emotionally devastating string-led post rock of the aforementioned likes of Pijn and Godspeed before intermingling them with the kind of annihilating post metal akin that’s akin to Amenra and Cult of Luna. The result is a record that’s utterly emotionally devastating – it’s serene crests and thunderous crashing mirroring that of the violent rising seas that threaten all life upon earth.
The titular fifth record from the Australian experimental instrumentalists, V is the sound of a math and post rock band who don’t really comply with what one would expect from either genre. In fact, in some instances, they’re the polar opposite to standard stereotypes regarding the world of all things post and math.
The brainchild of primary songwriter / multi-instrumentalist Simeon Bartholomew that’s here joined by a whole array of musicians including drummer Chris Allison, V is a record that fully embraces both the joys and trails that come with a drive to constantly grow in all aspects of life. Be it to incorporate new instruments into their band, spontaneously collaborate with friends orsomething more personal like trying to be a better person in the wake of newfound fatherhood, SEIMS throw themselves into it headfirst and have ultimately channeled that energy into this record.
The end result is a record is a record that’s simply glowing with charm, energy and enthusiasm. There’s no po-faced stoicism. Human imperfections are favoured over compressed edits. Chaos is preferable to control. And maybe most evidently at all, growth and outside thinking is better than musically perfect albeit conventional stagnation. All of this is what makes this record and band just so exciting. V is the sound of a human band in a scene where many chose to hide dehumanised behind their instruments and a record that’s simply instantly lovable yet mindbogglingly technical.
With that in mind and with V out today via Bird’s Robe / Dunk! Records, we got in touch with Simeon Bartholomew to break down the record, track by track.
“An orchestra can make mountains move with a single legato. Drums? Try harder. Harder. HARDER. C’mon Chris. HARDER. DO MORE. MORE. I SAID MORE. MORE OUTRAGEOUS.”
“Almost a decade ago (omg) our live show got coined with the term “controlled chaos” – and it’s been something I’ve held dearly close to the mantra of how we turn up, live and studio. With the trope of the genre going for the “perfectly polished” 187 takes / highly edited / compressed / silenced and processed sound; SEIMS’ sound sits in the magic of the unknown. We don’t rehearse before we record. I generally use the 1st take of every tracked line. I love hearing how the band could fall of the rails at any moment – this is what makes the music exciting. So let’s capture it, and etch it into everything this band spits out.
I’d initially approached Rory from And So I Watch You From Afar to shred a guitar solo on the outro of this tune. Everything I kept doing wasn’t sounding right, but I knew it needed some colour. Rory was keen, but unfortunately we couldn’t make timings work. In hindsight – this section didn’t need a guitar solo at all – just a reprioritise of what the mix was bringing to the front – we layered a stack of vocal harmonies running through my pedal board, with literally every pedal turned on. Pumping that hard gave that outro the uplift it needed, without taking away the constant push that tune embodies right from the start.”
The Virginian metal legends Lamb Of God are back with their regularly scheduled slab of groove laden metal to kick your teeth in. ‘Sepsis’ is the first new music from the band in over three years and serves as their Century Media debut. Not as full throttle as you’d expect from Randy Blythe and co, at least initially, ‘Sepsis’ is a slow burner of a song that lumbers and sways its way into an intriguing part of the band’s catalogue. Described as a celebration of bands who influenced their journey that don’t get much notice outside of their native Richmond, Randy Blythe sounds as pissed off and vital as ever, particularly when it all kicks off in the last half of the song and it sounds like they did on their rather good last album, ‘Omens”. As statements for new eras go, this is a rager. – Chris Earl
Always intent on making new songs and blasts of sexy, almost industrial electronic music to soundtrack a warehouse BDSM rave, HEALTH‘s new track ‘Vibe Cop’ is another one for the pile, but in the best way. You can almost picture the strobes and feel the sweat as the opening pulse hits you, alongside a pretty fun, catchy riff from Lamb Of God‘s Willie Adler. With new album Conflict DLC a few months off, the trio have ensured that their fans are left on tenterhooks for new music, as they continue to evolve their sound to become simultaneously darker and yet more inviting, particularly in these darkened times of sanitisation and a seemingly unknown puritanism directive. HEALTH stands defiant in the face of those movements, and long may it do so. – Chris Earl
New York banjo-wielding hardcore icons Show Me The Body have never been a band to stick to what’s expected of them, collaborating with rappers like Denzel Curry and Moor Mother one minute and shredding banjo-fuelled noise punk the next. Now, the trio have returned to drop one of the most chaotic covers of the Beastie Boys classic ‘Sabotage’, taking the original’s rowdy energy to another level with layers of feedback and noise backing frontman and lead banjoist Julian Cashwan Pratt’s spitting vocals and distinctive, twanging riffs. Paying homage to one of New York’s best known anthems, Show Me The Body bring ‘Sabotage’ up to date with their uniquely chaotic voice. – Rowan Bruce
As silly and as outlandish as that film felt when it first premiered in 2013, it’s impossible to deny that the film pretty much nailed how many interact with their computers 12 years post its release. In the horrid year that is 2025, we’re seeing more and more people turn their backs on human connection in favour of the soulless glow of tailored algorithms. We’re even seeing the emergence of romanceable AI in, thanks to the horror that is modern technology.
Wretched and weird proposals indeed, but to be fair, who can blame people for embracing such things. Your devices probably know more about us than your significant other. They know your deepest desires, your darkest fears, things you might not want anyone else to know. They’re probably the first things we reach for in the morning. Such is the theme of the new song from Bristol’s grubbing, which we’re overjoyed to premiere.
Where 2023’s Sanguivore lent into campy goth rock by way of Meatloaf, everything we’ve heard from Sanguivore II: Mistress of Death ups the campy ante even further while planting its tongue more firmly in cheek. Latest single ‘Prey For the Night’ is big, brash fun replete with saxophones and duelling vocals between Will Gould (rechristened as William von Ghould) and keyboardist Hannah Greenwood. It’s all very 80s, overblown theatricality and – frankly – hard not to be drawn in by its lavish absurdity. Of course, Sanguivore II could only be out on Halloween, and it’s sure to be a wonderfully silly, spooky time. – Will Marshall
Far from their usual tact of burying meaning layers of allegory and metaphor, Conjurer loudly, and bluntly demand equality on their stunning new single ‘Let Us Live’, the second from their upcoming third album Unself. As well as acerbic and vital lyricism, ‘Let Us Live’ features arguably Dani Nightingale’s best vocal performance of their career switching from that signature snarl to a heartbreaking clean chorus that is made to be sung defiantly in the face of the oppressors. On top of all of that, Conjurer continue to do what they do best and deliver neck-snapping riffs. If ‘Let Us Live’ is an indicator of what is to come, Unself is looking like it could be the album of the band’s career to date. – Kevin Ashburn
For those still riding high after Karnivool‘s grand return to Compton Martin, brace yourselves for the studio version of their new song ‘Aozora’, which means “blue sky” in Japanese. Vocalist Ian Kelly describes the song’s theme as one of escaping or waiting to escape. Vocalist Ian Kenny reflects on this idea, stating, “the whole theme for that song is escaping, or waiting to escape […] Trying to find a way to escape yourself. The idea of finding freedom in the blue. Trying to find freedom amongst the complications of just being human.” There is definitely an airy lightness in his voice that blends perfectly with the heavy riffs and progressive melodies. It has been a while since we last heard new material from Karnivool, and their upcoming album In Verses is poised to be one of the most highly anticipated album releases of 2026, if not the most anticipated. – Nessie Spencer
The second single presumably taken from their as-yet unannounced third album, ‘Point of View’ sees As Everything Unfolds delve into more melodic pastures than previous single ‘Set In Flow’. With VUKOVI-esque riffing and an anthemic chorus as AEU know so well, it shows another side of the band’s continued evolution. It’s also a deeply personal song, vocalist Charlie Rolfe explaining of its meaning that “you give everything you have, your whole being, your whole life, to help someone but it’s never enough if they don’t want to help themselves. I really struggled to understand how someone close to me couldn’t see my point of view in the awful situation we were in. They were angry when I helped, they were angry when I gave them space, they were angry when I stayed, they were angry when I left.” – Will Marshall
Cali sun-kissed hardcore rippers Drain are gearing up to release their third album …Is Your Friend in November and its latest single ‘Scared of Everything and Nothing’ might just be one of their best yet. Barely over 2 and a half minutes long, it’s all bouncing crossover riffs and snarled delivery from frontman Sammy Ciaramitaro. Dealing with his own emotional state and desire to keep pushing himself and the band, it’s another slab of riffy positivity about the constant drive for self-improvement as the band continue to lead the renaissance of American hardcore. – Will Marshall
It’s a been a little wee while since we’ve heard some new music from Jumper Boy, but this certainly makes up for such a wait. The latest single from the South Yorkshire quartet, ‘Elephants’ is a wonderful crash of emo and math tropes that interweave and compliment each other beautifully and seamlessly. It’s an utter earworm of a track, and a single that sounds like something Delta Sleep would release after spending a night at a sweaty basement showcase filled all the talent that makes the Yorkshire emo scene so brilliant. – Dan Hillier
Manchester’s Guilt Trip have had a whirlwind couple of years since dropping their last album Severance, and their signing to Roadrunner Records as they reveal latest single ‘Burn’ only reaffirms that. Amping their metallic hardcore up with more thrash influence than before without fully straying into crossover territory, ‘Burn’ feels like The Blackening-era Machine Head worship without fully aping them or losing Guilt Trip‘s own confrontational identity. It’s a crushing statement of where the band have been, and where they could be heading next. – Will Marshall
It’s been a hot whole minute since we’ve heard from False Advertising. Thankfully ‘The Sorry Window’ more than makes up for lost time. Releasing more than a year after the band’s brilliant last track ‘Don’t Ask Me’, this new single see’s False Advertising coalescing heartfelt indie-pop with viscous grunge in order to fully articulate the unique and unfading ache that is hindsight. Longtime fans will no doubt be familiar with the dichotomy between sweetness and sourness that serves as the crux of this song, but for those new to this band, this is a wonderful introduction. Hopefully it won’t be another year until the next single. – Dan Hillier
