Two of Bangladesh’s most celebrated rock bands, Arthohin and Artcell, are set to usher in a new chapter in their musical journeys when they return to the stage with revamped line-ups at the upcoming Overload Festival.
The concert, organised by Live Wave Entertainment, will be held on 10 July at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in Dhaka. Eight leading rock and metal bands are scheduled to perform, including Arthohin, Artcell, Black, Cryptic Fate, Nemesis, Powersurge, Level Five and RockSalt.
While the festival promises an evening of high-energy performances, much of the anticipation surrounds Arthohin and Artcell, both of which will appear before a home audience with new members for the first time.
For Arthohin, the event represents not only the unveiling of its refreshed line-up but also a return to the Bangladeshi stage after a lengthy absence. On 5 March, the band announced the departure of drummer Mark Don and guitarist Ehtesham Ali Moin before introducing three new members later the same day.
Among the additions is Shishir Ahmed, a familiar face for long-time fans. After spending nearly two decades with the band before leaving in 2023, he has returned to Arthohin and will once again perform on guitar and keyboards.
The line-up has also been strengthened by the inclusion of Adnan Atik, who will play guitar and keyboards, while Sheikh M. Riaz of the band Mechanics will join as a guest drummer.
The concert will also mark Arthohin’s first live performance in Bangladesh in approximately 16 months. The band has remained largely inactive on the local concert circuit because of health issues affecting its founder and frontman, Saidus Salehin Khaled Sumon. Its most recent performances were held in the United States in November and December last year. The Overload Festival will therefore provide Bangladeshi fans with their first opportunity in well over a year to watch the band perform live on home soil.
Artcell is also entering a new era. The 10 July concert will mark the first live appearance of Bakhtiar Hossain as the band’s lead vocalist.
The decision follows founding member and longtime frontman George Lincoln D’Costa’s announcement that he is taking an indefinite break from performing for personal reasons. Lincoln revealed the news in a video message shared on the band’s official Facebook page on Wednesday night.
In the same announcement, Artcell introduced Bakhtiar Hossain, the former vocalist of Bay of Bengal, as its touring vocalist. The move was made to ensure the band could continue its live performances while Lincoln remains away from the stage.
Artcell has also been relatively inactive over the past year. The band’s last concert took place in Australia in November, while Lincoln has been living in Canada for some time. According to the band, appointing a touring vocalist was a collective decision aimed at ensuring that its live performances continue without interruption.
The Overload Festival brings together some of the biggest names in Bangladesh’s rock and metal scene, making it one of the year’s most anticipated music events. Alongside the headline returns of Arthohin and Artcell, audiences will also enjoy performances by veteran acts Black, Cryptic Fate, Nemesis, Powersurge, Level Five and RockSalt, highlighting the depth and diversity of the country’s contemporary rock music.
For fans, the festival represents far more than a single concert. It marks the beginning of fresh chapters for two iconic bands that have played a defining role in shaping Bangladesh’s modern rock movement over the past two decades. Arthohin returns with renewed energy after an extended hiatus, while Artcell embarks on a new phase with a different voice leading its live performances.
How audiences respond to these refreshed line-ups will be one of the major talking points of the festival. Both bands will be hoping the concert not only rekindles memories of their celebrated past but also signals a confident new future as they continue their evolution in Bangladesh’s vibrant rock music scene.