Arcane Roots Reunite and Release First New Music in 8 Years

Photo: Miguel Santana Da Silva

After a eight-year hiatus, UK progressive rock outfit Arcane Roots have returned with their first new single since 2018, “A Wave, Across The Sea”. Clocking in at six minutes, the track is a sprawling, dynamic journey that demonstrates the full range of the band’s musical ambition as they contrast beautifully haunting melodies with with soaring instrumentals and crushing heaviness.

The single comes via the band’s new home, Big Scary Monsters (BSM), which is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2026. For Arcane Roots, working with BSM is a full-circle moment – the label is one the band once desperately hoped to sign with in their early days.

Arcane Roots’ hiatus in 2018 saw the members go their separate ways – some moved abroad, others started families, and some stepped away from music entirely. But the sense that a reunion would happen when the time was right never faded. Now, the band returns as a five-piece, welcoming back founding drummer Daryl Atkins and Icelandic composer Bjarni Biering.

Speaking on the reunion, guitarist and vocalist Andrew Groves said: “When we disbanded the band in 2018, it was always with the understanding that we could return one day under better circumstances. Founding drummer Daryl Atkins & myself had long been looking for a way to continue creating together, after him needing to leave Arcane Roots in 2015. Our busy work schedules had other plans however and it wasn’t until a chance meeting with Icelandic composer Bjarni Biering, after relocating to Iceland in 2019, that we struck upon the unlikely songwriting partnership that we have today. Within a short time we felt we had something to share and began to set the stage to see if this could become the supergroup we’d all dreamed of. We’re still exploring that to this day, that excitement & challenge commands absolutely everything we do and it feels completely limitless right now.”

Fans can also look forward to Arcane Roots’ live return, with appearances confirmed at 2000trees Festival and ArcTanGent Festival 2026. At 2000trees, they’ll headline the Axiom stage on Friday 10th July, followed by a stripped-back set on the Forest stage the next day. Warm-up shows will be announced in advance – sign up to the band’s mailing list or Discord for first access.

On the importance of these festival shows, Groves adds: “If you were going to ask me where I would want to present such a pivotal event in our lives, 2000 Trees & ATG would be the immediate retort. They have always served as both a source of raucous celebration and loving home-away-from-home for us. We’ve always given our all to make Arcane Roots the very best it could be and now this rebirth feels like we’ve only just scratched the surface. There is nowhere more fitting for us to share our new findings with.”

Arcane Roots Live 2026:

• July 8th – 11th – 2000trees Festival (two sets)

• August 19th – 22nd – ArcTanGent Festival