The power of music to conjure up images in the mind is as fascinating as it is undeniable —arguably, it is the very aspect of music that keeps us intrigued. From the undulating cadences of Debussy’s “La Mer – 2. Jeux de Vagues” through the overwhelming wall-of-sound production on Ike & Tina Turner’s “River Deep – Mountain High”, to the galloping bass line of Iron Maiden’s “The Trooper”.

These imaginative qualities allow us to talk about music beyond mere terms of theory such as tone and form. Music, above all, makes us feel and experience things that are normally outside the scope of our ordinary lives.

With their debut album Meridian, Belgian progressive- / post-metal outfit HIPPOTRAKTOR explore these characteristics to the fullest, creating an expression of the Sublime – a greatness beyond all possibility of calculation, measurement, or imitation – that reaches beyond the mere conjuring of images into the realm of high art and philosophy.

Ever since the release of their acclaimed debut EP P’eau (2018), these Mechelen-based musicians have been honing their craft in songwriting and production, building a new home studio to record future material, while also expanding from a three-piece to a five-piece ensemble. By adding singer/percussionist Stefan De Graef (Psychonaut) and guitarist/singer Sander Rom (L’Itch) to their ranks, HIPPOTRAKTOR have become a more versatile outfit able to employ a broader palette of sounds, taking the band’s earlier instrumental prog metal sound to new heights.

Taking notes from the best moments in contemporary progressive and post metal, HIPPOTRAKTOR capture the awe-inspiring power of nature — from the delicacy of the first falling leaf  to the massive cosmic energy of the sun. By combining the big, catchy riffs and the rhythmical prowess of Gojira with the relentless but equally groove-loaded complexity of Meshuggah, Meridian delivers an overwhelming experience of sound, presenting the listener with sentiments that are recognisable, but with an intensity that seems larger-than-life.