ArcTanGent has never been the kind of festival where you can simply turn up, tick off the biggest names on the bill and call it a day. Of course, there are plenty of huge bands like Primus, Cult of Luna, and Chelsea Wolfe to see, but some of the best discoveries are often hiding further down the lineup. That’s where ATG really comes into its own. The smaller stages are packed with bands who might not have the biggest names on the poster yet, but could very easily end up being the acts you spend the rest of your weekend talking about.
With this year’s festival just around the corner now, we’ve been digging through the lineup to pick out five underground bands we reckon are more than worth your time.
So if you’re feeling adventurous make sure you find time for these five….
HAAL — Thursday, 12:45pm, Bixler Stage
Bristol’s HAAL pull together post-rock, metal, electronics, noise and industrial textures to create something that feels absolutely enormous, even when they’re at their most restrained. Their songs have a habit of building slowly before suddenly becoming completely overwhelming, with dense guitars, electronics and vocals piling on top of each other until the whole thing becomes an all consuming wall of sound. We’ve seen these guys before and they certainly never disappoint. There must be something in the water in Bristol because the talent coming out of that city is frankly ridiculous, and HAAL are no exception. They’re the perfect fit for ArcTanGent.
If you’ve never seen them before, make a point of getting into the Bixler Stage for 12:45pm on Thursday. You definitely won’t regret it.
BUCKET — Thursday, 2:30pm, PX3 Stage
We’ve been intrigued by Dublin trio Bucket since we first came across their EP Muck in 2025 and were delighted to see their name on the ATG announcements as they bring their mix of Noise rock and hardcore to ATG for the first time. The band come with a reputation for being “the loudest band in Ireland” and we can’t wait to see what they have to offer live when they hit the PX3 stage next week. If you like bands like Chat Pile, Metz or Gilla Band then this will be right up your street.
WORN OUT – Friday, 11am, PX3 Stage
Corks hardest working hardcore band Worn Out have built their reputation the old-fashioned way by getting out there, playing as many shows as possible and playing every single one of them like their lives depend on it. As a result, they’ve become one of the most exciting names in Ireland’s underground heavy scene. They’ve spent the last few years putting serious time into the UK circuit and have been steadily building momentum along the way and now it feels like things are reaching a tipping point as they make their ArcTanGent debut. So, if you need a kick in the face to start your festival properly, you won’t want to miss this. It’s an early start, but if their previous shows are anything to go by, Worn Out aren’t going to care whether you’re fully awake or not.
Grab yourself a coffee or start your day with something stronger and prepare for chaos.
NO VIOLET – Friday, 12:45pm, Yohkai Stage
Another band making their ATG debut are No Violet who have been quietly making a name for themselves in Bristol and will be showcasing material from their self titled album which was released in 2025.Their particular combination of 90s-style grunge, noise rock and alt-rock is perfectly suited to the more unpredictable side of the ATG lineup. There are familiar ingredients here, but No Violet don’t sound like a band simply trying to recreate another era. Their sound is raw, immediate and packed with an almost nervous energy while Ellie Godwin’s massive vocals are always a delight to witness at live perfomances.
Fun Fact – Guitarist Toby Stewart holds the record for the most ATG perfomances over the years with all his different bands (Memory of elephants, Skin Failure and Every Hell)
KULK – Friday, 5:55pm, PX3 Stage
KULK weren’t originally on the ArcTanGent bill, but following the replacement of MUR, the Suffolk two-piece have landed themselves a spot and they’re a very welcome addition. The duo make an absolutely enormous amount of noise. We’re talking sludge-heavy, doom-laden racket that sounds like it should require an entire backline of musicians rather than just two people. Their sound is oppressive and, at times, downright primal. Expect Massive riffs and thunderous drums as KULK prove that you don’t necessarily need a huge number of people on stage to make a huge amount of noise.