Festival News: Arctangent // THE FIRST BANDS ARE ANNOUNCED!
One of the most well-curated festivals in the UK returns with a lineup that you won’t see better anywhere else and a devoted fanbase to match that makes Arctangent an essential stop on the festival circuit. As first drops go, you couldn’t have asked for more – and this isn’t even the headliners yet.
With a 5,000-capacity field near Bristol as its home, Arctangent festival has given us some of the best prog-rock lineups over the last few years; post, mathcore and metal all mixed into one with a belter of a curation that most other specialist festivals could only dream of. Small yet mighty and coming off the back of the all-timer headliner lineup of the last two years which gave us the likes of Spiritualized, Mogwai, Godspeed! You Black Emperor and the incredible folk heroes Wardruna, Arctangent returns for an instantly memorable four-day epic spanning the entire breadth of noise – James Scarlett has outdone himself yet again.
The three names at the top of the bill (with more headliners on the way) – Igorrr, Chat Pile and Perturbator, give you an instant insight into what Arctangent is about.
Igorr’s unique fusion of black metal with baroque and trip hop creates a sonic explosion of creativity that warps an entire universe around his records – having recently played in London to great acclaim, he stakes a case for being one of the most anticipated acts of Arctangent with a real firecracker of a headliner booking. His latest record opts for a darker tone with a choir in a church being recorded with him for a real unique set – Amen feels appropriately mythmaking in its tendencies
Across from that on the other end of the metal spectrum you have Chat Pile – one of the best hardcore bands in the business. I saw them at Primavera earlier this year and frontman Raygun Busch went on an extensive monologue on the trainline stage about his four favourite train films – so I’m looking forward to the chaos he’s set to bring to Arctangent’s unique tent set-up. Chat Pile’s music is noisy, loud – and above all just plain fun. Perturbator play in London in November but their music makes them essential for Arctangent – their unique synthwave gothic rock really allowing for an eye-catching experience.
Repeat bookings from the previous year are not above Arctangent but no complaints when they’re bands as good as Overhead the Albatross and Lost in Kiev. Overhead are full instrumental post-rock and deliver one of the best instrumental sets of the last few years – pretty much essential even if you caught them in 2025. Likewise with Lost in Kiev, their epic and cinematic soundscapes really allow themselves a good fusion of talent.
Svalbard look set for their final show bowout, and anyone who saw Ithaca this year will know that Arctangent is a special place for final shows – their heroes welcome to Robbie Williams’ Angels has a special place in my heart. Considering the post- hardcore band have been going since 2011 it’s going to be an incredible send-off – rich in emotions and inviting guitars that ascend to the heavens. I’m a big fan of the free-spirited chaos that Michael Cera Palin bring to their sets – delivering a strong wave of emo firecracker that pulls Arctangent back to its sister festival 2000 Trees in nature and in spirit. Caro Tanghe’s punching vocals give Oathbreaker a real kick – and I’ll be sure to keep an eye out for them on top of this.
Further down the billing is full of gems – black metal doomers Dimscûa are fantastic, and Giant Walker were good at Radar ’24, very early on the Friday – sure to be a good wake-up call for the fans Arctangent, I’m really looking forward to seeing them again. I missed the chance to see the wonderfully named Erotic Secrets of Pompeii at St Albans when they last came to Hertfordshire, but the band instantly drew my attention – Arctangent can always do with more art rock and the band fit the billing perfectly with their theatrics.
2026 is the year for reforming – Heck have their UK exclusive 10th anniversary (how has it already been 10?) of Instructions, TTNG have their first show in 7 years, as do Agent Fresco with a UK exclusive. There’s no better place to be to see these bands – and to top it all off, there’s even Humanfly, reforming for their first show in 13 years – as if you couldn’t top that. Oathbreaker I’ve talked about already but it’s among their first show in 9 years – a real chance for bands to dust off after their time away and get more in the action.
All bands are a wonderful coup for Arctangent that sets the world alight instantly – and I can’t wait to see where it goes from here. I’ll be back in the field for sure – and if prog/post is your thing then you should make it an essential pitstop. My annual leave is already booked for that weekend in August. If only it were earlier in the year.
Words by Miles Milton-Jefferies
