Review: Arcane Roots, The Fleece

Arcane Roots are a band of two halves. There is a beautiful tenderness to much of their music that’s touchingly personal, but these moments are combined with a razor-edged math-rock aggression and screaming vocals. This intense contrast puts Arcane Roots in a space of their own in the UK music scene – they write gorgeous songs which could top any chart, but their angular heaviness keeps them outside of the mainstream. While they’ve toured with Biffy Clyro and have played to huge crowds at Reading and Leeds, Arcane Roots are still very much a DIY band with their own unique sound.

As the show begins they take to the stage in a wash of sound, filling The Fleece with gently rising synthetic overtones. This slowly resolves into the opening bars of Before Me, the opening track from their latest album Melancholia Hymns. Arcane Roots are a band totally committed to the aesthetic of their stage show, and their full-on lighting suite is almost another instrument – flickering strobes punctuate the darkness while a stirring backlight pulses in time with the kick drum.

While the slow, beautiful unfolding of Before Me captivates on record, it’s hard to feel completely absorbed when standing amidst a crowd of punters – it doesn’t help that the Fleece’s sound isn’t on point, with a quiet guitar, silent drum vocals and a mushy bass. What’s needed is a big punch from the band, but as they begin Matter, another slowly escalating new track, it doesn’t look like we’re going to get it. Slow from 2013’s Blood & Chemistry follows next, it’s anthemic chorus bringing the crowd to life, and a brilliant re-imagined ending to the song seeing Andrew Groves switch to keys. Sacred Shapes is the only other Blood & Chemistry song on the menu tonight, with Rouen the other “old-school” song of the evening.

Much of Arcane Roots’ latest album consists of slow, elegant synth-based songs that reflect a new direction for the band. There’s still heaviness aplenty, but the jagged edges and bright colours of Blood & Chemistry have been replaced with a more subtle aesthetic. In a live environment it’s tough to fully convey the nuances of each song, and as a result the more electronica-leaning songs struggle to make an impact. However, when they land, they really land; Curtains is truly stunning, a genuinely moving performance of a beautiful piece.

It’s tough not to applaud Arcane Roots’ decision to lean heavily on their new album. They’re taking a risk with a new direction and they’re justifiably proud of what they’ve created. That said, it feels like the band could have easily dropped one or two of their newer tunes in favour of some of their excellent older songs; You Are, Belief and Resolve are old staples of their live set that aren’t on tonight’s setlist. Tonight’s show was a good evening with great moments, but this band has the potential to put together something truly amazing.