HIPPOTRAKTOR - Stasis

HIPPOTRAKTOR

Album: Stasis

Genre: Modern Progressive / Extreme Metal

Release Date: June 7th, 2024

Country: Belgium

Label: Pelagic Records

Band-Links: BANDCAMP / INSTAGRAM / FACEBOOK

When you’re up for rhythm-driven Extreme Metal, June 7th, 2024 clearly got you covered with an excellent triple of releases by The Omnific, Dysrhythmia, and HIPPOTRAKTOR. Let’s take a closer look and listen at the Belgian representatives, who already impressed with their marvelous debut in 2021 and high-energetic live shows I was lucky to attend, and now share their second piece: “Stasis”.

The album's narrative follows a nameless protagonist who is confronted with other humans for the first time when entering a new world, and acquaints himself with their customs and ethics, discovering generosity and empathy, but also greed, jealousy and hatred. Told in retrospection, we experience his struggle with good and evil, and his fight against the stasis of living a selfish, amoral life.

Musically speaking, the band grew from an instrumental trio to a five-piece powerhouse since the release of their debut, what clearly left a mark on their sound. The evolution they made on all levels is absolutely impressive and can be felt throughout the whole album. By melting the beauty of Haken-esque harmonies with the mind blowing, brutal dissonance kind of Hypno5e, bringing all together with a wonderful creativity and lots of emotion in their performance, they build up their own, intense soundscapes, and a musical flow that’s anything else but stasis. Highly recommended ffo complex, yet atmospheric Extreme Metal!

Written by Katha