ArcTanGent Festival 2026: The Review – Thursday
A day of everything between doom, bliss and total inexplainable madness, here's what went down on the Thursday of ArcTanGent 2026. Words by Dan Hillier, Rowan Bruce, Adam Robertshaw and Adam Vallely.
Opening the PX3 stage has started to become a bit of a key slot in recent years at ATG. Most days and years now have some barnstormingly heavy act start the day, waking up any weary heads across the site. And after a classic ATG downpour overnight, many have not slept well anyway and need this Norwich trio to kick people into gear. Walking onto ‘Folsom Prison Blues’ by the late Johnny Cash, Sleemo hit the wet ground running. Their dichotomy between clean and heavy vocals, shared between Jack and Billy, is a perfect antidote to any damp socks in trainers. Their songwriting has come on leaps and bounds as they showcase their next chapter as a band after a short break.
Simultaneously over on the main stage, before a note is even played, IAN guitarist Ted Reynolds breaks one of the cardinal rules of playing live music: never tell the audience you’re nervous. His case of the heebie jeebies is understandable though; IAN are opening the main stage for the entire weekend, and the tent is packed. Thankfully, as soon as they start, it’s as if all the nerves are carried away in a barrage of oppressive doom riffs, droning, distorted cello, and thunderous drums. There’s an off-kilter weirdness to their brand of post-metal that will satisfy the fans of Swans, Melvins and Godspeed in the audience – of which there are likely to be many – and their use of eerie sepia visuals on the giant video screen behind them adds further atmosphere to their dense compositions. It’s a brilliant start to the weekend proper, and by all accounts has guaranteed them a returning spot on next year’s bill.
Forget post-rock ambient soundscapes and prog circus music, Birmingham trio Terminals are here to deliver huge riffs as efficiently as possible. Establishing themselves as one of the UK’s most exciting heavy alternative acts before even releasing an album, Terminals’ live shows alongside bands like The Last Vinci and Blank Atlas have already become the stuff of legend. The trio, led by guitarist and vocalist James Whitehouse, drag Deftones-inspired downtuned riffs kicking and screaming into a catchy British alt-rock context. With both a baritone guitar and bass, Terminals’ low end is punishingly heavy; Whitehouse keeps things breezy and accessible in the upper register with angelic clean vocals on tracks like ‘Breathe’ and set closer ‘Awake’. Terminals sound like both a throwback to the heaviest bands of the noughties and the future of alternative rock, and sure, whilst their craft may seem a bit basic when compared to some of the more adventurous acts here today, none of that really matters. These lads are going places.
Back under the tarp of the PX3, it’s utterly rammed for Witchsorrow’s sinful sermon in all things doom. Sounding not unlike that of Green Lung being sacrificed to one of their revered older gods before being revived by Electric Wizard and Cathedral, the trio’s set is one of thick riffs and even thicker gloom. But whilst Witchsorrow may certainly seem like a more elementary proposition than what’s just come before in IAN, it’s clear such riffery is more than welcome here. A cheeky guest appearance from the as-of-yesterday ex-Svalbard vocalist Serena Cheery is nothing but welcome too. A great 30-minute exercise in classic Iommi worship, clawed hands, and the slowest headbanging possible.
Photo Credit: Derek Bremner
With members from across the noise and punk worlds, Klämp’s pedigree outshines that of many acts much higher up the lineup. Built around frontman Greg Wynne of Manatees, alongside members of Idles, Sex Swing, Pulled Apart By Horses and Tall Ships, Klämp prove that, despite their name recognition, they’re far more than a half-cocked side-project. Having received plenty of praise for their sophomore album last year alongside live dates supporting noise rock icons McLusky, the six-piece band, including a pair of bassists, saunter into the Yokhai stage with the confidence of a band with multiple collective decades behind them. While frontman Greg holds down lead vocals, the duo of bassist Adam Devonshire and guitarist Matt Parker take over their corner of the stage with an unhinged charisma that’s impossible to look away from. Rather than simply trot out the hits, Klämp stretch their songs out into a noisy and aggressively weird jam session with a captivating energy somewhere between a meditative trance and a total mental breakdown.
Back over on the main stage, it’s time for what may prove to be one of the most bizarre main stage sets in ArcTanGent history. Quickly becoming a well-known name in the post-metal community following the announcement of her joining The Ocean, otay:onii – the performance name of Lane Mingyu Shi – sounds like Bjork if Bjork was even too strange for Bjork. That, and Big|Brave. Standing atop a bare stage in red netting with only a customised keytar and an array of pedals for company, otay:onii’s set is 40 minutes of what sounds like a supercomputer experiencing repeated blue screens of death whilst a poor server technician laments its demise with wailing and performative dance. It’s a strange spectacle, one not really described with genre tags, and one where you really can’t blame watchers for leaving early in search of something a bit more digestible. But for those who remain, this is the kind of boundary-pushing and authentic art in the key of human condition that they come here for. As the set ends with Shi waltzing through the crowd behind a harsh noise wall, if there was any argument against the complaints that ArcTanGent is becoming too metal orientated these days, it’s been this weird, wonderful and authentically human set.
Back over on the Yohkai, it’s time for even more expressive experimentation. Founded in Venezuela and rightfully pissed off with the state of the world and the tyrants responsible for it, Zeta take South American rhythms, Afro-Caribbean textures and the slightest dashing of 70’s psych before infusing it with modernist post-hardcore. The result is a rebellious sound that just carries a sense of protest. With band members rapidly changing instruments throughout the set – swapping from guitars to percussion to synths on the fly – this entire performance is one of pure energy, fury and an evident love of the joy of experimentation among friends. It may be the band’s first time performing in the UK, but it’s clear there’s going to be demand for Zeta to come back to our shores following this set.
ATG head booker James Scarlett has spent a lot of time in the months leading up to the weekend hyping up Belgian prog-metallers Psychonaut on his podcast, and judging by how rammed the main stage is for their set, many have heeded his words. It’s a significant show for the band too, as guitarist Stefan De Graf explains; it was on the return journey from Fernhill Farm last time they played that bassist Thomas Michaels found out his father was dying, and unfortunately he never saw him again. This event would go on to form the inspiration for much of last year’s excellent Worldmaker album. Because of these factors, this show feels that bit more special. Granted, the trio are probably amongst the most technically proficient musicians in attendance this weekend, and they come armed with a killer set of songs, but you can feel them sprinkling just a touch of extra magic into their performance today. Much of the set comes from the aforementioned Worldmaker, with songs like ‘Endless Currents’ and ‘You Are The Sky’ really showing off the band’s technical prowess and songmanship. ‘Unfold The Godman’s The Fall Of Consciousness’ gets a well-received outing and proves just how catchy they can be while also tapping and string skipping. And whether you’re here to stroke your chin at the technique, achieve emotional catharsis or simply have a bit of a boogie and headbang, Psychonaut have you covered, often all within the same song.
Photo Credit: Abbi Draper-Scott
Immediately following, just next door in the PX3, Dublin’s Bucket are a horrible racket, but such is the point. Reminiscent of Gilla Band spiralling into a mania-induced anxiety attack after binging METZ records, the noise rock trio essentially manifest the delirium, panic and claustrophobia of the mental health issues that influenced their last record and present it without censor. It’s an intense and paranoid barrage of noise, one completed with manic flailing, microphones fully in mouths and a snare that sounds like they’ve taken the item of the band’s namesake and zip-tied it to the kit. Come the breakdown that serves as the end of their set, it’s amazing that the band and even the stage are still standing.
One of the most anticipated sets of the weekend has to be the Belgian rabble-rousers in Ronker, mind you. Coming from the stock of the likes of Raketkanon and Brutus, it is easy to see why that area of the European mainland is pumping out such talent in recent years. Hardly letting up for their arguably too short of a 30-minute slot, they crammed in every ounce of energy and emotion from this year’s Respect The Hustle, I Won’t Be Your Dog Forever and more. A cheeky nod to British ‘culture’ slipping in an Oasis segue and vocalist Jasper De Petter climbing the rafters at one point, this is a Fun House on speed. This noisy body is essential to witness if they return to our shores in the future. “Hopefully we will see you again,” Jasper calls out, and we hope so too.
Although emotional punk powerhouse Michael Cera Palin travelled across the Atlantic for their ArcTanGent debut, the Atlanta trio have spent the last few years becoming a beloved sight in the UK’s emo underground. While their initial run lasted only a handful of years, word of mouth made their live shows the thing of legend and niche corners of the internet made their early EPs essential listening for fans of the genre. Avoiding becoming the least weird band at ArcTanGent, Michael Cera Palin focus on deep cuts and math-rock-inspired tracks, playing ‘Gracious’, ‘Despite’ and ‘Murder Hornet Fursona’ as well as the ambitious twelve-minute title track from their debut album We Could Be Brave. Rather than end on their hit cover of Cheryl Crow’s ‘If It Makes You Happy’ like most of their sets, the trio closed out on the bouncy and erratic ‘Bono!! Bono!!’ proving that even though 2026 is their first year at the festival, Michael Cera Palin truly understand what ArcTanGent represents.
Unfortunately, every ArcTanGent sees at least one band’s set being deeply affected by one issue or another beyond anyone’s fault. Those who saw Deafheaven and BRUIT ≤ here in recent years will understand. Sadly, this year’s victim appears to be none other than Alcest. Performing 20 minutes late due to travel issues, come the start time of their set, gear is still being rapidly thrown onto stage by what appears to be the entirety of ArcTanGent’s stage crew team. But even when being forced to play a heavily cut-down set with a trimmed-down production. Alcest still sound supreme and utterly transcendent. If the band were experiencing any stress before swanning through ‘Protection’, ‘Sapphire’ and ‘Eclosion’, they certainly don’t show it, and given the reaction from the packed tent, it’s clear no one is holding any grudges for the band being late. Should there be one silver lining to all of this, it means a good excuse to get them back again next year.
Photo Credit: Jez Pennington
But if Alcest was a brief moment of transcendence, it’s the opposite case across the site in the Yohkai. In the UK for the very first time since their inception way back in the distant past of 2004, The Tony Danza Extravaganza compress what feels like 22 years of anticipation into 40 minutes of total mind-scrambling mathcore. Arguably one of the pioneers of the genre, Tony Danza waste none of their allocated time, flying through the likes of ‘Cliff Burton Surprise’ and ‘Big Pun’s Not Dead Because I Just Saw Him at Krispy Kreme’ in a way that makes it feel like the band have been waiting decades to play them in the UK. Not even brief tech issues stop the momentum, with the polyrhythmic and nonsense riffs clenching and twisting internal organs already hampered by a day and a half on the beer and Bunnychow. Even if a lot of people under this tarp may be watching this for the bragging rights that come with seeing a band such as this, there’s no way anyone leaves come the end of ‘The Alpha, The Omega’ with a smile. Also, has to be said, probs to them for somehow effortlessly leading C+C Music Factory’s ‘Everybody Dance Now’ into a song that sounds like it was written by throwing a kitchen blender into a washing machine on speed cycle.
They may not officially be top of the bill but French genre-blenders Igorrr bring a headline performance nonetheless. The main stage has been transformed into some kind of baroque structure complete with imposing hooded statues, which are swathed in smoke and backlighting. The band are kitted out in dramatic-looking garb, all robes and horns and makeup, and from the colossal opening barrage of Daemonic, it’s clear they mean business. Tracks like ‘Spaghetti Forever’, and ‘Blastbeat Falafel’, which blend elements as disparate as western movie theme songs, surf rock, blast beats and breakbeat, bring a sense of terrifying fun, like a clown making you a balloon giraffe before pulling out a machete and planting it into your skull. Any murmurs that the newly recruited Gerda Iguchi might struggle to replace Marthe Alexandre on operatic vocals as she belts out ‘Polyphonic Rust’.
Bandleader/multi-instrumentalist/visionary Gautier Serre stands atop his riser, conducting his acolytes as they rip through frantic renditions of ‘Downgrade Desert’ and ‘ieuD’. It’s a set built on juxtaposition. It’s animalistic yet mechanical, antiquated yet futuristic, absurd yet deadly serious, extreme yet oddly accessible, but the fact it’s driven by such a singular vision enables it to connect perfectly with the audience. And for all the breakbeat nonsense of tracks like ‘Very Noise’ (which gets an outing with Serre taking the helm while the rest of the band change costumes), putting Igorrr on the map, it’s the monstrous, metal grooves of tracks like ‘Headbutt’ and ‘Pure Disproportionate Black and White Nihilism’ that really whip the crowd into a frenzy tonight. Sure, this may be more or less the same set the band presented on their European headline tour last year, but good luck finding anyone complaining about that. Bona fide headline material in the making.
Photo Credit: Joe Singh
The Bixler Stage is packed like sardines for the Danish black-gaze champions Møl, begging the question of whether they should have been on one of the bigger stages this evening. Unfortunately, the sound isn’t that great for them either, with the mix feeling a little flat. Thankfully though, the performance on display amply makes up for any misgivings beyond their control. Frontman Kim Song Sternkopf is on especially fine form, throwing shapes and waving his mic stand around like an extreme metal Freddy Mercury and crowdsufing into the audience without missing a rasping, gurgled note.
Having one of the best extreme metal records to be released this year under their belts in the form of Dreamcrush certainly helps, and showings from that record such as ‘Dream’ and ‘Garland’ get an exceptional response from the audience. The setlist doesn’t just rest on the laurels of that album’s success though, and older cuts like ‘Serf’ and the magnificent ‘Jord’ get just as much of a rapturous response from the audience. Closer ‘Crush’ steals the show though, with its pop sensibilities, guitar heroics and good old-fashioned clap-along from the audience. It’s an exceptional display of song craft and showmanship that certainly satiates those in attendance but perhaps it could have been even better on a bigger stage with better sound.
As for tonight’s actual headliner, there are artists that regular ArcTanGenters clamour to see and want back every year, and some more than most deserve the sacred headline slots. Chelsea Wolfe is absolutely one of the latter, especially after waiting a long six years since she was due to headline in that fateful year of 2020. On the literal eve of releasing her new record The Dark, she and her band of not-so-merry men are here to prove why she is not only one of the best singer-songwriters of the ‘alternative’ scenes but much, much wider-reaching genres. Playing a career-spanning set, from inspiring new tracks like ‘Death is Not The End’ to fan favourites in ‘16 Psyche ’, the delivery is ethereal and mesmerising from start to finish. Enveloped in stunning lighting and visual design of moody red lights to lightning strikes engulfing the interior of the Arc tent. Not a single pair of eyes dares to look away.
However, a major surprise of this set has to be Neige of Alcest joining to deliver a hard-hitting performance of ‘Vex’. Sure, standing next to Wolfe, he may look like the class goth that’s been called up to the front of class to deliver a group presentation, but this collaboration is legit what ArcTanGent dreams are made of. This is a warm, unsettling hug in the night, heavy-hitting with such smoothness, like a perfect pint of stout. Everything an ArcTanGent headline set should be
