Heading today’s announcement are arguably two of the most requested headliners in ATG history: Blood Incantation and Neurosis. Arguably two of the finest names in left-field heavy music, the announcement comes at a crucial time for both acts, with Neurosis dropping their latest record, An Undying Love for a Burning World, earlier this year and Blood Incantation recently releasing the soundtrack album for their documentary All Gates Open. 2027 will be the first time both bands play the festival, with Blood Incantation headlining Thursday and Neurosis closing the festival on Saturday.
The undercard is absurd as well. Special one-off sets will see The Wildhearts performing an exclusive prog set and Employed To Serve performing their 2017 release The Warmth of a Dying Sun in full to celebrate its tenth anniversary. They will be joined by the likes of Slift, The Ocean, Holy Fawn, Smote, IAN, Ronker, Sans Froid, Messa, Cowboyy and loads more from all corners of the alternative left-field scene.
On today’s announcement, festival head honcho James Scarlett says: “There’s no better way to kickstart the new chapter of ArcTanGent, for the first year at our new location in the Cotswolds, than with two of our most requested headliners. Both bands are absolutely solid gold headliners – anyone that listens to 2 Promoters, 1 Pod will likely be sick of hearing me wax lyrical about the new Neurosis album. To have them along with Blood Incantation – a band it’s frankly criminal they haven’t played before – is the dream way to kick off a new edition of ArcTanGent. We’re also unleashing the vast majority of our Wednesday line-up, bringing back some of the most exciting acts from previous years. There are a lot of bands here that stood out with huge crowds in 2026, so we’re stoked that they want to return and help us kick off the early entry day of ATG 2027. As always, this announcement is simply a list of artists I’m extremely excited about from top to bottom and can’t wait to watch live at our new Cotswolds home.”
From its humble beginnings in 2013, ArcTanGent has become the biggest event in experimental music and a favourite for many – us included. Next year’s festival will take place at its new home of Todenham Manor Farm, Moreton-In-Marsh, between the 18th and 21st August. Find tickets here and peep the line-up thus far below.
DEATH CULT ELECTRIC, hailing from Cardiff, are an eclectic bunch with a sound that could be described as fuzzy alt rock but also incorporates elements of punk, math, doom and everything in between. With a keen ability to pack their music full of aggression and melody, the dichotomy just works, almost like four individuals launching paint at a canvas and crafting art. This makes for a wholly immersive and largely unpredictable listen which is why its no wonder that the band have found themselves on bills with peers such as Future of the Left, Mclusky, JOHN, Himalayas and more.
On Friday 12th September, DEATH CULT ELECTRIC will storm through Clwb Ifor Bach, bringing new music and a heavier live show than ever before. With a new single on the way, dropping on 20th June, and more crazy video footage than you can (and will) shake your fist at, 2025 is going to be a busy one for the band and this show is going to be a celebration of that.
Metal Merch Day was established for rockers and metal-heads across the UK to wear their favourite merch with pride in support of Metal For Good. No gatekeeping here, no genre-shaming, its all about community and pride in wearing a piece of clothing that means something to you, and all for the sake of an excellent cause. Metal Merch Day was launched in 2023 by Metal For Good, the charity making a positive difference through supporting communities using the positive values of rock, metal and other alternative subcultures. Last year the charity raised £10,000 and garnered a huge amount of support in order to do this.
So when is it? Metal Merch Day is on the 18th October but there is already a number of ways to get involved and MFG will be celebrating and promoting this all month long. Metal For Good are encouraging that for those taking part to donate £5 or more to the charity, simple as that. Other events that have taken place include metal quizzes, gigs, sorting, selling of clothes and donating of earnings and loads more. Its all about awareness and raising money for a good cause.
If that’s not enough, Metal For Good even have their own metal merch that you could don in the name of metal. There’s even a specific Metal Merch Day 2024 exclusive design (which is gnarly af).
So wear it proud and wear it loud. Find out the further details on the Metal For Good website page and get involved!
Kent based alt-metallers Crostpaths have released their brand new single ‘Shapeshifter’, a song that lyrically dissects the concept of duplicity in the digital age. Stating that “the pressures of projecting a positive persona on social media while battling demons ‘behind the scenes’ is a relatively new phenomenon which humankind needs to revise”, the band have not only set the tone but coloured it with an impressively polished and well-crafted soundscape. With a back-catalogue that leans into multiple genres, Crostpaths have never been afraid to make music that is daring and bold. ‘Shapeshifter’ is yet another example of this, combining elements of rap and metal into one raucous anthem that juxtaposes the concept of technology alongside a sound that feels futuristic and somewhat digital in its own right. Leaning into ambient and electronic elements at the forefront is a real step forward for the band and one that demonstrates expansion and creativity. If all that wasn’t enough, Jessie Powell of Dream State makes a prominent and earth-shattering impact on the song, lending her powerhouse vocals to compliment the ethereal nature of the song and to add a layer of heft that even Hugh would be jealous of.
Watch the lyric video for ‘Shapeshifter’ below.
