Arcane Roots

Forming in 2006, the London power trio Arcane Roots originated when guitarist/vocalist Andrew Groves and drummer Daryl Atkins first connected during music technology studies at Reigate College in Surrey. Bassist Frank Tiramani soon joined, and the group captured numerous home demos that resulted in their independently issued 2008 debut EP Brave the Sea, recorded at the facility previously used by Reuben for its own first release. An untitled follow-up EP appeared in 2009, followed by the 2010 effort Left Fire, at which point Tiramani departed and Adam Burton took over on bass. Critical praise for the EPs and the band’s explosive live shows generated favorable comparisons to Biffy Clyro, Muse, and At the Drive-In, which in turn led to a management agreement. Arcane Roots delivered its largest performance yet at the 2012 Greenbelt Festival. That same year the group signed with PIAS, which reissued Left Fire and supported the 2013 release of the band’s first full-length album, Blood & Chemistry. The record reached number seven on the U.K. rock chart, while the band made its Download Festival debut and supported Muse and Biffy Clyro on tour. Daryl Atkins exited in 2015 and was replaced by Jack Wrench; the group also parted ways with PIAS and aligned with Easy Life to issue its fourth EP, Heaven & Earth. Arcane Roots devoted much of 2016 to recording its second album. Lead single “Curtains,” unveiled late that year, signaled a shift toward an electronica-infused aesthetic reminiscent of Radiohead’s Kid A period, softening the band’s customary intensity. Two additional singles preceded the mid-2017 arrival of Melancholia Hymns, again via Easy Life.