By Jase Walker
Here it is, the final day, there’s still so much left to go but I’m determined to make the most of it.
Kicking off the day with Thumpermonkey, some good old fashioned prog, along similar lines to Haken. It’s still quite early so there’s a middling crowd here, so I decided to grab myself a little spot off to the side for a lay down while I listen along. There’s something very grand about Thumpermonkey’s delivery, it usually feels like it’s deliberately being restrained in a weird way. They’re sounding fantastic however, even the bass is nice and clear so you can feel it as well as pick up the intricacies also. Lovely way to kick things off today!
Next today for me is the mighty Ithaca! After catching these at Deaf Institute the other week, I was very keen on seeing these again albeit with a much more condensed set. The moment they kick off their presence is immediately felt with their thunderous riffs and screams draws in more people from outside to fill the tent up. Considering the length of the set they’re obviously having to barrel through their big bangers to get the most out of it, essentially bashing out the first half of ‘They Fear Us’. And just like last time, Ithaca are putting on a belter of a show,and seeing Djamila do her thing is a real sight to behold, fantastic frontwoman with terrifying pipes.
With a slight delay, Heriot are finally good to go and I’m happily notching my 5th time seeing them this year. The moment the introduction track starts, Julian (drums) changes his expression to a much more intense grimace, it’s time! A pit has already opened up behind me and I’m completely lost in the cacophonous noise assault from Heriot, absolute filth! I’m not actually sure what I’m feeling more throughout this set, the thunderous drums or the constant stamping of feet from the ever growing moshpit directly behind me!
Like a lot of the bands this weekend, the sound mixing is spot on and Heriot comes across as colossal. Everyone in the band is going nuts on stage and I can see, hear, and feel that being reciprocated by the crowd. Whatever was left of my hangover today has most certainly been scared off now, Cheers Heriot, see you again soon!
Next up is a brief bit for The Hirsch Effekt before I need to go off for some other press bits, sadly I can’t stay for the whole set but I’m going to get my fill in now! The first thing that stands out to me is how relentless that double bass pedal work is and the fact that it’s so tightly in time, some incredible endurance! Evidently it’s not just the drummer that the rhythmic prowess extends to, the whole band engage in multiple time signature changes and stop/start type playing all the while kicking out complex licks. Sadly I couldn’t stay for the whole set but the intensity of that was just unreal, definitely one to keep an eye out for in future!
After a pretty long and well needed rest, it’s time for Mass Of The Fermenting Dregs which despite the somewhat icky name, are actually some pretty fun math rock. Sadly it seems they’re running late due to some sound issues but they get stuck right into it with a pretty bloody loud smattering of noise! While they’re really loud, each part of the band is actually pretty easy to isolate when listening intently, It’s actually pretty impressive what they’ve done on the live mix. The tone for both the guitar and the bass is fantastic too, they’re complementary of each other which allows the guitar to go off and do some mad bits while the bass carries on the main melody.
They also mention that this is their first ever show in the ÜK and that’s partially why I love ATG so much, it really tries to get all sorts of acts from around the world. Also something needs to be said for their fantastic vocal work, they’ve got an interesting approach as not every song actually has any words, save for maybe melody layering.
An incredibly energetic show on the whole, I really enjoyed it and hopefully they’ll be back again for a tour soon!
Next up is Wheel, one of the riffiest prog metal bands around right now. Oddly enough they were one of the last acts I got to see before 2020 properly got started and they’ve dropped a new album since. They’ve properly stuffed their tent out too, fantastic seeing such a turnout for Wheel! “Vultures” is pretty early on in the set but probably for a good reason, short set and long songs makes things a bit difficult to get out the good bits. The newer songs from ‘Resident Human’ sound fantastic though! The bass guitar is really strong which helps drive their rugged, rhythmic style especially during the extended atmospheric parts where the guitars focus more on layering and arpeggios. I’m admittedly half listening to enjoy but also half trying to pick apart what they’re actually doing because the subtle technicalities of their playing is fascinating!
It’s time for the penultimate band of the weekend for me, Leprous. It’s no secret I absolutely love Leprous so it’s time to find a good spot and get what’s left of my voice together to shoot it to bits singing along to Einar. Suppose I’ll blow my voice out singing to ‘Below’, that soaring chorus gives me goosebumps! As part of the set they also play the song that they collaborated with fans to create and it’s definitely a bit of an odd one with Einar using some vocal melodies that seem almost out of character for Leprous. I feel like the sets barely started when Einar says that we’re almost at the end, I guess really enjoying a set makes time fly past a bit!
Finally, Opeth to close out ATG with, the prog-death giants themselves, although admittedly the newer material is a bit of a departure from death metal. With a two hour set, I’m hoping we get a real broad smattering of Opeth’s back catalogue! Only a few songs in and we’re going back in time to the more death metal days and Mikael’s signature growls are battering my ears, that’s got me invested! It’s been quite a long time since I’ve seen these last and I’m about to get enough Opeth to make up for that! Admittedly I’m not quite as engaged with the newer, more jazz inspired songs so they miss the mark for me a bit. I really just want big meaty riffs and lots of screaming so I’m hoping for a bit more of that as we move through the set, there’s still so much more to go!
A bit further in we’re getting at least some ‘Blackwater Park’ action in the form of ‘The Drapery Falls’, back in with its massive riffs and Mikael’s signature growls, this is more like it for me at least! So far the whole set has been a fantastic display of the length and breadth of Opeth’s tenure. We’ve had the more jazzy newer stuff interspersed with some bits from Damnation as well as the older, heavier stuff. Whatever sort of fan you are of Opeth, there’ll have been something in here you would have loved. The set comes to the end a bit suddenly and it seems we are not in fact getting a two hour set and no ‘Blackwater Park’, which is actually a pretty big disappointment to me really! On the whole it was fantastic but I feel that ending has bummed me out a bit. I’ll take it though.
ATG 2022 has been bloody fantastic, I’ve had an immense time here so same time next year?
- ArcTanGent returns to Fernhill Farm over the weekend of 16 – 20 August 2023. You can get your tickets HERE.
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