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Metal Epidemic Hippotraktor - Annihilist Album Reviews

Album Review: Hippotraktor - Annihilist - Released October 2nd via Pelagic Records - The Razor's Edge

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Hippotraktor · album · 2026 · 7 songs

Album Review: Hippotraktor - Annihilist - Released October 2nd via Pelagic Records - The Razor's Edge

Album Review: Hippotraktor - Annihilist - Released October 2nd via Pelagic Records - The Razor's Edge

In 2024, Belgian quintet Hippotraktor dropped Stasis, a monolithic blend of post-metal atmosphere, progressive ambition and groovy heft—somewhere between Psychonaut,1 The Ocean and Meshuggah—that quickly earned them recognition, even landing on year-end lists. Their knack for hitting the sweet spot where djent, post-metal and prog collide set a high bar and third album, Annihilist, now seeks to surpass it by refining the group’s identity, the mystery behind their name, and the ongoing narrative of their nameless protagonist from the prior two releases. This chapter finds him suspended between solitude and humanity, fully aware of this forced, cyclical reincarnation and locked in rebellion against the entity that condemns him to do it. Annihilist feels like wandering through a vast brutalist landscape. The album feels markedly colder and more distant, scraping with the coarseness of a pumice stone while reshaping the smoothness and refined textures of its predecessor into something denser and more immediate. Every track sits within a concise four-to-seven-minute range, never overstaying its welcome, and despite the shift in tone, the qualities that made Stasis so compelling remain firmly embedded in Hippotraktor’s DNA. One moment they drift through delicate passages that fall like raindrops against a windowpane; the next they erupt into towering walls of sound, unleashing seismic roars as crushing as collapsing concrete. “A Different Now,” “I Breathe. I Am” and “Builder of Eden” carry a primal, untamed energy, yet beneath the chaos lies a clear purpose. Their rhythmic backbone remains intact, with drummer Lander De Nyn’s Volastic beats and Jakob Fiszer’s weaving bass driving Annihilst forward, while Chiaran Verheyden and Kristof Du Jardin’s2 guitar work blends Meshuggahan chugs, subtle harmonies, and emotionally charged leads to advance Hippotraktor’s melodic knotwork even further. Annihilist by HIPPOTRAKTOR Hippotraktor’s ability to balance soaring melodicism with crushing heaviness remains Annihilist’s central throughline. They navigate the tension between chaos and cohesion with confidence and precision, as massive grooves, expressive vocal melodies, ritualistic percussion and explosive crescendos form the pillars of Annihilist’s foundation. Whether it’s the warm hooks and dynamic zenith of “I Breathe. I Am” or “Everything is Permissable,” the techy riffs of “Oblivion Walker,” the polyrhythmic pulse of “Courageous Apathy,” or the ancestral beat running through “Builder of Eden” and “A Different Now,” Hippotraktor excel at guiding listeners through complex terrain without ever losing direction. Verheyden and Du Jardin’s background harmonies in “Oblivion Walker” or “Courageous Apathy,” and their tastefully understated lead work in “Annihilist” and “A Different Now,” provide added depth, enriching the djent heft without overshadowing it, while De Nyn’s phenomenal drumming—funky hi-hat work (“Builder of Eden”), dancing rhythms (“Courageous Apathy”) and complex patterns—lend the record a distinct weight and identity that sets Hippotraktor apart from the countless Tool acolytes of the world. Unlike Stasis, vocalist Stefan De Graef and Kristof Du Jardin co-wrote the vocal arrangements on Annihilist, resulting in a dual approach that pushes Hippotraktor’s sound forward. Their soaring cleans and burly growls carry much of the album’s emotional weight,3 with tracks such as “I Breathe. I Am,” the title track, and “Everything is Permissable” delivering memorable hooks and sing-a-long melodies that immediately draw you in. Multi-layered harmonies (“A Different Now”), chants (“I Breathe. I Am”), and subtle baritone choral passages (“Courageous Apathy”) add further dramatic depth, and a guest appearance by Loïc Rossetti (ex-The Ocean) on “Builder of Eden” fits the track’s mood perfectly. The production highlights these nuances despite the album’s density. While heavily compressed and occasionally claustrophobic, it sounds far better than its DR 6 score suggests. On Annihilist, Hippotraktor chose to refine rather than reinvent, taking the qualities that made Stasis shine and compressing it into a mold of density and emotional weight. I initially worried the songwriting felt too episodic and would have benefited from a bit more breathing room. Likewise, I was concerned that the record’s identity was a bit too close to its predecessor. However, repeated listens erased those doubts as the record sank its hooks within my psyche. There are no real weak points here and Hippotraktor strikes a near-perfect balance between djent, progressive, and post-metal that I simply adore. Annihilist stands as one of the year’s strongest progressive metal releases and has guaranteed its presence come list season. --- Rating: Great DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3 Label: Pelagic Records Websites: hippotraktor.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/hippotraktorband Releases Worldwide: October 2nd, 2026 The post Hippotraktor – Annihilist Review appeared first on Angry Metal Guy.

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Belgian Post-Metal quintet Hippotraktor have today revealed their new single “Builder of Eden,” featuring Loic Rossetti, former vocalist of The Ocean. The single is taken from the band’s forthcoming a...

Mechelen, Belgium based Progressive Metal band Hippotraktor have unveiled official music video for second single, “Oblivion Walker” taken from their upcoming album, “Annihilist,” set for release on Oc...