Description

Balanced precisely between the sublime majesty of nature’s grandeur and the tumultuous chaos that is our own existence, Hippotraktor return with “Stasis”, the formidable sequel to their breathtaking 2021 debut full-length, “Meridian”. Refining their distinctive grasp of progressive, groove and post-metal further still, these progenies of the Belgian heavy music scene have crafted another set of soaring and searing anthems that dig ever deeper into their fascination with humanity and philosophy. Kaleidoscopic and grand, “Stasis” documents the turmoil of human nature through explosive riffs and treacherous grooves from a band of tight-knit musicians and close friends, confident in their collective abilities to push their artistry in exciting new directions. 

Originally a three-piece instrumental outfit consisting of Mechelen-based producer, songwriter and guitarist Chiaran Verheyden, bassist Jakob Fiszer and Lander De Nyn on drums, Hippotraktor finally found its stride with the permanent introduction of guitarist/vocalist Sander Rom (L’Itch) and percussionist/vocalist Stefan De Graef (Psychonaut) in 2021. The combination of Chiaran’s impressionistic songwriting ambitions and Stefan’s powerful, narrative-charged lyrics proved to be a golden combination on “Meridian”, which masterfully transformed the band’s disparate instrumental compositions into a singular, driving work of captivating sonic fiction. 

“Stasis” consists of seven compositions that were written with the full palette of five powerful musicians in mind. The result of this is a lavish, rich sound with dynamic complexities and a multilayered structure that is much greater than the sum of its parts. Operating at the intersection of Meshuggah’s relentless, polyrhythmic pounding and Gojira’s colossal atmospheric weight, Hippotraktor expand upon their already distinctive sound by introducing De Graef’s vocals and harmonies that bring with them an intriguing new dedication to musical storytelling.

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