ArcTanGent 2025 – Wednesday/Thursday Highlights
Words: Chris Taylor
Photos: Carl Battams / Joe Singh / Abbi Draper / Jez Pennington
As ArcTanGent's strongest year to date draws to a close, The Razor's Edge team picks out some of the highlights from the first two days.
Kalandra - Yohkai Stage - Wednesday
One of Arctangent’s most notable features is that most of the bands playing their early entry day are bands that played the fest the year prior. Among the other bands, Kalandra’s 2024 performance at Arctangent was one of the highlights of the weekend. As such it is no surprise that they have returned to the fest once more. Kicking off with the mournful I Am, the opening track from their latest album A Frame of Mind, Kalandra’s unique blend of soothing acoustic instruments, occasional sinister guitar riffs and Katrine’s beautiful vocals send the tent into a hypnotic trance.
There is a sense that the band are aware of their surroundings and opt to bring out their “heavier” material, you won’t find State of the World or Ghosts here, as tracks like Bardaginn and Are You Ready? both bring enough darkness to fit right into the fest, yet also remember to bring things right back down to their signature melancholy sound on Slow Motion and the always moving Borders. It is honestly far too short a set to really get engrossed in the world Kalandra invokes in their music, but by the end there aren’t many dry eyes in the crowd. Kalandra may not be the most bombastic band of the day, but they are certainly among the most assured and captivating ... aside from a certain headliner of course.
Wardruna - Arc Stage - Wednesday
It’s a day of firsts at this Arctangent. It’s the first time the festival has ever opened up the main stage on the early arrival day and it’s the first time nordic folk legends Wardruna have ever played Arctangent. The sense of awe is present before the band even take to the stage, with epic glowing tarps covering the back and side of the stage creating the perfect setting for the dark folk to follow. What follows is an hour and forty five minute spectacle full of some of the finest folk music possible. Wardruna’s debut appearance at Arctangent is an utter triumph.
Moving seamlessly between each album they bring both intense darkness with Hertan alongside pure serenity with Solringen every song is a new spectacle with many different sounds, instruments and all held together by masterful vocal work. The connection between the audience and the band feels almost symbiotic, with vocalist Einar taking the time towards the end to express his gratitude to the audience and every word feels utterly sincere. Closing things off just with Einar performing a lullaby to the crowd, Wardruna manages to set the bar impossibly high for the rest of the festival and considering the magnitude of the headliners to come that is a mighty victory indeed.
Maud the Moth - Bixler stage - Thursday
One of the more intriguing projects of the weekend, Maud the Moth is the solo project of Amaya Lopez-Carromero. Beginning the set by launching straight into the intense vocal layering of Canto De Enramada it’s both a haunting and captivating beginning to the show.
Throughout, Amaya and her two fellow musicians take the audience through her latest album The Distaff, a stunning display of experimental and dark post-rock. Despite Amaya’s smaller stature her vocal prowess carries much emotion and pain and is captivating throughout. Add to that the odd moment of standing atop the piano stool, it’s a striking and bold show. It’s certainly intense and not for every listener but Maud the Moth are here to make themselves heard and they did that most definitely.
Leprous - Arc Stage - Thursday
If there is one thing you can say about Leprous, it is that they sound big. Kicking off straight into Silently Walking Alone from their seminal album Melodies of Atonement the first time the band launch into that chorus the energy in the room goes nuclear and doesn’t let up for the entire set. Vocalist Einar leaps around the stage with no sign of fatigue and holds the crowd in the palm of his hand as every belted vocal hook is met with applause from the packed crowd.
It’s a far cry from the much more reserved performance witnessed when Leprous supported Devin Townsend back in 2022, as the entire band perform like they’ve found the energy they had been looking for the whole of their career. Leprous performance at ArcTanGent has the whiff of a band who are not just here to put on a great show, they are pitching themselves as a band that should be top billing. If they are not headlining in the next few years then something has gone seriously wrong.
Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Arc Stage - Thursday
How does one even talk about this? The avant-garde experimental rock group Godspeed You! Black Emperor are icons for this niche genre of music, and it’s one that fits in perfectly at Arctangent. With the house lights on the audience completely blacked out, and simple dim spotlights on each musician throughout the show it all looks as eerie as it sounds. The group performs their latest album No Title As Of 13th February 2024, in full. A masterpiece of experimental music that is positively awe inspiring to get to experience live.
The atmosphere in the audience is a somewhat uncomfortable one. No one can seem to figure out if the passages between the music should be met with applause or stunned silence but if the performance can create a sense of intimacy such as this at a raucous festival then that is true compositional mastery, and a feeling that everyone should experience at least once if not for the overarching and unique sense of dread.
You don’t listen to Godspeed, or watch Godspeed. It’s a cliche but you really do experience Godspeed You! Black Emperor. In all senses the show is visceral, utterly unique and there is truly nothing else like it.
Photo credits: Carl Battams / Joe Singh / Abbi Draper / Jez Pennington
