Hippotraktor

Hippotraktor came together in Mechelen, Belgium, and announced themselves with Meridian (2021): a debut built on a wall of layered guitars and the polyrhythmic drumming of Lander De Nyn, heavy enough to invite the Gojira and Meshuggah comparisons but already carving out its own corner of progressive metal. Stasis followed in June 2024 on Pelagic Records and turned heads well beyond the band's home scene. Crushing riffs, cathartic choruses, and the twin-vocal interplay between Stefan De Graef and Sander De Rom gave the record a dynamic range the debut had only hinted at. Kristof Du Jardin has since stepped in on guitar and vocals for live shows, sharpening the band's already formidable stage presence. Their third album, Annihilist, arrives October 2, 2026 on Pelagic Records — the first studio record with the current lineup and, by some distance, their most ambitious work to date. Hippotraktor's reputation has been built as much on stage as in the studio. They've played Graspop Metal Meeting, Alcatraz and Rock Herk at home, and pushed further out to ArcTanGent (UK), Motocultor (FR), and Dynamo (NL). A spot at ESNS/Eurosonic confirmed what the underground had already worked out: this is a band moving quickly, and worth catching while the rooms are still this size.