Hyppotraktor – Stasis

A few months back, I was minding my own business, which means critiquing papers others wrote because they weren’t up to par… right, you don’t need to know that. Either way, in the middle of that bloodbath, a friend sent me Meridian and I thought nothing of it after listening to the first track. But then I listened to the second and the third. Something had clicked. Hippotraktor (that name…) was different; it was as if The Ocean and Meshuggah had a hipster child. Hence, my expectations for Stasis were high, and that’s always a problem, or is it?

Stasis is to some degree a logical progression from its predecessor. It’s an album with layers and depth that will take you more than one listen to really enjoy. If I’m honest, I didn’t think much of my first round with Stasis, but as I kept pushing through, its details began to shine. It’s still Djent (you know: dun, dun, dun, dun dun!), but Hippotraktor has clearly decided to go the Post/Prog route here. There’s a strong emphasis on creating ethereal scenarios that sometimes get splattered with anger rather than the other way around. However, Stasis has many things in common with Meridian, especially its pace.

Hippotraktor albums start heavy and Djent-driven and slowly become Prog albums that could fit perfectly in Pelican or The Ocean‘s catalog. In this release, that contrast becomes more extreme, with the songwriting becoming deeper and deeper as the album continues. It does feel like you end up in this floating state of peace after many ups and downs. I’ve always found it fascinating how this band creates so much contrast and can punch you in the gut without almost any use of blast beats. This intentional limitation forces the band to create all sorts of tempo transitions that are nothing but refreshing. As a reviewer, you have no idea how many “average” blast beat sections I go through! My stomach demands mercy! Stasis gave me a bit of that thankfully.

There are some issues with this enigmatic release, of course. If anything, I would’ve liked to find more change from Meridian, even when the small changes here are all positive and the band is clearly going in the right direction. Then there’s the fact that Stasis is a deep listen and it won’t just click right away. You won’t hate it, but you might not love it unless you put the effort into it (like you should’ve in your last failed relationship!). It could happen that it just doesn’t work for you; its riffs aren’t face-melting, but they aren’t straightforward either. For once, use that big brain of yours for something more than scrolling through your debts.

Stasis is still so interesting and intricate that I can forgive its flaws. It shows a band that can sustain a level of quality and creativity that many others, especially in the Post-Metal world, would dream to have. So if you’re ready to enter a state of internal buoyancy that makes you reach peace through sporadic aggression, then your answer is here. Hippotraktor is probably the next big name in Post-Metal.

Label: Pelagic Records

Release Date: 7 June, 2024

Website: https://www.facebook.com/hippotraktorband/?locale=sv_SE

Country: Belgium

Score: hibernating all your life in peace, or 4.0/5.0 for the hipsters