Festival News: Arctangent Festival - Announces another round of amazing acts for this summers event
Arctangent Festival announces another wave of amazing acts that cement its status as *the* best festival for emerging rock bands in the UK.
How could you top a lineup that includes Cult of Luna and Julie Christmas performing Mariner in full, Chelsea Wolfe, Chat Pile, Primus, Svalbard, Alcest, Igorrr, Pertubator, Agent Fresco and Sikth? Arctangent festival showed how with what James Scarlett describes this year as being the “best-selling edition of the festival by a country mile.” If that was before today’s announcements, it’s easy to see the Fernhill Farm getaway selling out.
Scarlett can rightly be full of praise for this kind of festival operating in such a unique sphere. “We are absolutely buzzing to be adding another huge wave of artists for the festival. In particular, bands like EIVØR, Nothing and Master Boot Record, who are joining us at the festival for the very first time. One of the best parts of booking a festival is also to be able to have some artists return significantly bigger than the last time they played. The likes of Maruja and Mass of the Fermenting Dregs have well and truly sped through the ranks and both are not to be missed this year after playing much lower down the bill only a few years ago. All this without mentioning the return of the mighty Arcane Roots - to have them returning after over 7 years, exclusively for our festivals, is a truly special moment."
Arcane Roots of course, were leaked by the BBC as returning to Arctangent and 2000 Trees, complimenting both festivals nicely. The live exclusive sets are supported by their first new music in over seven years – A Wave Across the Sea; and it sounds just as triumphant as the first time around. No festival can combine metal, doom, psych, math, post, folk rock, avant-garde and shoegaze quite like Arctangent can – it’s a melting pot of talent all in one place.
The Wednesday is the festival opener party, and recruits bands that fans will instantly fall in love with – mostly already all announced so far, but it shouldn’t be ignored: SikTH, Svalbard, Alpha Male Tea Party, Lost in Kiev, Overhead the Albatross, brazillian avant-garde metal band Papangu, all among the brilliant list of names that make sure to get the party started in grand fashion.
Having performed further down the billing in 2024, Maruja’s rise since then with the critically acclaimed Pain to Power has led them to an incredible slot on the Thursday – the same day as the likes of Chelsea Wolfe, Igorrr, Alcest, Agent Fresco and new arrivals Nordic Giants, who are a cinematic post rock duo from England. The Thursday is appropriately stacked as you’d expect a festival headliner to be – and it’s been fun to watch names like Zu and Maruja grow in strength to return as higher bookings up the festival. They are supplemented by the likes of rapidly growing band Ian, full of exciting riffs and more galore – and legendary doom icons Witchsorrow. I’m particularly excited about Scorpion Milk – their record Slime of the Times being one of last year’s best releases. Thursday’s higher-up billing of Chelsea Wolfe, Igorr and Alcest is already set to entertain fans no matter the genre they’re into – the acoustics of Wolfe supplemented by the blastbeats of Igorrr.
Friday is Arcane Roots day, but also shoegaze outfit Nothing, Mass of the Fermenting Dregs, whose rise since appearing in Arctangent’s covid year and cancelling a year later is massive, and The Sad Season make a return as practically a welcome house band at this point. Heck, Conjurer, Napalm Death – it’s all very stacked.
And that’s before you get to the Saturday. Of course – the 10th anniversary of Mariner performed by Cult of Luna and Julie Christmas will be the real treat, but you also have the UK exclusive of Heilung-esque EIVØR, sure to wet the appetite nicely of fans whose main takeaway of last year was how good Wardruna were. Breakout Pupil Slicer fresh out of an exciting record Fleshwork and a sold-out Underworld show last year look set to knock you out – and the legendary Jamie Lenman playing on such a small stage will no doubt catch a lot of eyeballs. Master Boot Record’s enigmatic records will make sure clashes are an absolute nightmare – as will Forlorn, who continue to make the Somerset haven a paganistic getaway of expressionist art that has to be seen live to be witnessed in their best form.
Be sure to buy a ticket because you know they’re on course for a sellout year. If you want a run down of the acts announced – 2 Promoters 1 Pod has a terrific breakdown on the latest episode. g
Full list of all acts announced today, 29th January:
Arcane Roots / Maruja / Nordic Giants / Zu / Scorpion Milk / Mass of the Fermenting Dregs / Nothing / SOM /EIVØR / Jamie Lenman / Master Boot Record / Pupil Slicer / Papangu / God Alone (Live Silent Disco Set) / Believe In Nothing / Benthos / Bruise Blood (Live Silent Disco Set) / Floating / IAN / ISKANDR / L.O.E. / Matador / Pil & Bue / Sleemo / Terminals / Witchsorrow / Civil Service / moksha / Night Swimming / Ringlets / The Sad Season / Señor Pink / Wildernesses / WORN OUT / You Win Again Gravity / ZAHN / Forlorn / Gösta Berling’s Saga / Hang Linton / itoldyouiwouldeatyou / Leeched / lowheaven / NYOS / PLEB / PREYRS / Ronker
Tickets Available Here: https://arctangent.co.uk/tickets
Words by Miles Milton Jefferies
