We were down to two crack commando writers by the time sunday rolls around for the final day of Radar, as a combination of illness and work lays low some of our team, but they were hard at it as the first bands set up on the the stages…
DJ is there as opening up the main stage on sunday we have Ihlo, a band who preach about positivity. There’s a busy crowd in early most of who are at least shuffling side to side by the end of the set, if not actually dancing or pitting along. They are quite reminiscent of Leprous, though generally of their heavier end. Prog metal with a groove and vocals that soar above with melody. With only 30 minutes for their set, they stick to newer material, apologising just before the end for not touching the first album but announcing a forthcoming tour with Haken as a time they’ll get it back in. It’s a great opening set that sets the bar high for those to follow.
Jase heads to Stage 2, as next up is Benthos, a band that I’ve absolutely fallen in love with over the past couple of years. Chaotic, atmospheric, intense, but easily able to weave in beautiful serene moments, these really hit the spot for me. They aren’t fucking about with their opening salvo of mathy noise either, right for the throat. The clash of bizarre melodies that diverge in pitch all the while bouncing through bizarre rhythmic sections is what really draws me to them. Haunting and oddly beautiful at times, these Italians’ approach to complex music that manages to still be an earworm is incredible to experience live. Benthos are another fine example of a band that manages to play so tight that it’s mind-blowing to see them do it in person. If you ever get the chance to see them, you really shouldn’t let that moment pass you by.
A brief break to chat to Andy from IHLO about their changes over the past year and how they’re finding it before heading back into the main stage for Einar Solberg’s solo set.
Next up for DJ are Germany’s Elwood Stray and the pits are out early for their set. Musically they sound pretty good but the vocals are buried too much into the mix to fully make them out all the time, which is a pity. They clearly take a fair amount of influence from the likes of fellow German outfit Electric Callboy as they sit somewhere between progressive metalcore and post hardcore, mixing the two well. The vocal mix improves a little during the set but it’s still difficult to make out properly, as both the general sound is a bit lower than Ihlo before them, while any time the bass goes lower, the entire room, including my seat, physically vibrates. It’s a good set that goes down well with the crowd, but the sound issues do slightly detract from the performance.
Expectations are high before Einar Solberg. Once again, Solberg smashes the set out of the park. In a similar vein to Leprous, he mixes heavy with feather light delicacy with such ease. The sound is perfect and the use of live strings further enhances both the delicacy and heaviness in equal measure. Solberg is an amazing showman, something which ripples through his performance here at the festival, with the lights used to full effect through the smoky haze of the fog machine. The set absolutely whizzes by, completely entrancing everyone and staking a major claim for artist of the weekend against some stiff opposition.
Dali takes Jase back to the second stage for a dose of techy noise, seeing these back on the active track recently is massively appreciated so of course I’m gonna get my fix. These lads came out of the djent era and didn’t really see the need to change course much, sure as hell glad they didn’t either! The subtlety level of Dali is absolutely zero, if you’re looking for intricate melodies and the like you will not find them with Dali. It’s time for pits, riffs, screaming and uh, apparently lots of “Woo” while bouncing around. Sadly needs must when it comes to eating so I’ve had to break it off a bit early as I’ve no time otherwise for eating so now has to be the time! I’m sure I’ll see Dali again before long.
Voyager step on to stage 1, with DJ on the balcony to watch, and wow, they take the baton that Solberg passed on and run with it. The light tech is really on it again as the music blares out and the band absolutely rip through their set. They are all bundles of energy on the stage, with no one staying still any longer than they need to, be that bouncing, rocking out or whatever. Mixing tranquility with heavy riffs, they switch between and fuse the two at times to form an ebb and flow like an ever inrushing tide. Vocalist Danny Estrin discusses his ongoing battle with cancer and how it affected him but even that can’t dampen the mood of such an uplifting set. A superb performance, worthy of a headline slot.
The Pineapple Thief are the third of four headline worthy bands in a row and our penultimate band of the main stage at this year’s festival. While there is less energy than our previous bands, it’s entirely expected given the focus with TPT is always 9n the sound and quality of the music and not a fancy stage show. The music is just as captivating and there is genuine appreciation between songs from the busy crowd. There’s a slight issue upstairs as a young couple think it’s appropriate to go into a disabled seating area and stand at the front, blocking views of multiple people and it’s left to other customers to call them out to move, as security seems oblivious despite being in close proximity.
That aside, it’s a relaxed set, full of vocal harmonies and gorgeous soundscapes. An hour isn’t long enough, absolutely flying by in the blink of an eye, but it’s a mouth watering aperitif for our festival closer. A fantastic set, only slightly marred by an entitled idiot in the crowd.
Headline time and Animals As Leaders are hardly without a little get up and go of their own. Abasi and cos are almost 15 years into their instrumental prog metal journey professionally and their talent shows exactly why. The crowd are absolutely buzzing from the start, bouncing along with an occasional pit and just a generally great atmosphere all around. Highly intricate melodies and fantastic musicianship abound, while the light show is an absolute treat, reminding me almost of a heavy metal Hawkwind in their winding approach to song writing.
There are a couple of small acknowledgements of the crowd from Abasi when changing guitars but it’s mainly separate entities, even if a lot of love is flowing towards the stage. An hour and 20 minutes again feel like such a short space of time, so enveloped we all get in the performance and it’s a pity there simply isn’t enough time available to give the bands more.
It’s been such a fantastic on the main stage with almost every band being worthy of the headline slot in their own right. While it’s a pity health has prevented me catching any of the second stage, the first has been more than worth the trip.
Jase chimed in with his own thoughts…
You want heavy and technical to cover everything off? Yep, that’s what we’re doing. The stage remains dark, no apparent movement until it suddenly lights up with all three members in place and nobody seemingly had any idea! The stage backdrop uses three circles and some of the most bizarre looking lighting I’ve ever seen in the middle of them carving out a seemingly woven web (hah.) of light. Digging way back into their earlier material, “Tempting Time” is a welcome throwback that shifts me to very much paying attention. I’m caught between being mesmerised by the lighting production and the fact that they’ve got the thump technique down to such an insane art form. Yet more old stuff, “An Infinite Regression”, and I feel like I’ve been thrown back into the first time I ever got to see these guys live!
Oddly enough seeing a pirouette pit open up in the middle of the crowd is not, in fact, the first time I’ve seen this happen but seeing it lit up in strong neon blue lightning put a bit of a spin on it. “Physical Education” goes down a storm as always, the moshpit action remaining ever fierce. Not totally surprising that it gets followed up with “The Woven Web” either, it’s been a favourite 1-2 punch of these guys for a pretty long time now. Even for me I’m in total awe of the amount of energy people still have left in the tank for rowing pits, circle pits, crowd surfing and general shenanigans! As we hit the final song of the evening, they come back of course to finish with their biggest song and constant crowd pleaser, “CAFO”, now featuring a circle pit so big and fast that it’s kicking wind out at all angles!
This sees off RADAR festival 2026 and what an incredible year it’s been again that always feels like it’s over before I got going despite how bloody exhausted I am. Until next time RADAR, god knows how I’m doing to deal with Mick Gordon playing the bloody DOOM soundtrack, ooof.
