Review: Hippotraktor ‘Annihilist’
Hippotraktor isn’t a name that instantly springs to mind when you think of the ever-expanding roster of bands on Pelagic Records. Nestled between the likes of The Ocean, EF, Mono and Spurv, to name but a few of the bigger acts, the list boasts some incredible smaller entities too, such as VLMV, pg.lost and Lost in Kyiv.
If you dare to delve deeper, you will be rewarded by some truly phenomenal acts, and one of those I am here to talk about today is Belgium’s Hippotraktor. Even the name is somewhat of a novelty, but therein lies a subtle uniqueness that should see them becoming an act whose moniker, once seen, will never be forgotten.
In researching for this review, I hopped online to check the Pelagic band roster and was surprised to find that over the course of the last few years I’ve actually seen nineteen of the acts listed as being part of their family. This means that by far this is the one label I have had the most interaction with in recent memory – mostly through visiting the Portals festivals over the last few years, but also off my own explorations.
That being said, I had never come across Hippotraktor until very recently, and now here we are, deep in the danger zone, so to speak. And today I will be giving you a concise overview of their latest album, Annihilist. It’s the unit’s third full release, and it comes with seven unapologetically visceral yet considered slices of sonic denseness, guaranteed to turn your brains to broth.
It shares a likeness in sound to several different entities, one of which is The Ocean, but this is so much more than a mere homage. It reflects a need to elevate itself beyond direct comparison to any other act. While those similarities are true in places, there are also multiple other factors at work. At times it has a sludgy dankness, while at others it definitely dips into the realms of post-rock and post-metal. There is also an intricate muso sensibility which nudges me towards the complexities of Tool – maybe it’s the long, textured, spoken-word instrumental passages, or perhaps just the overall vibe of several tracks, but it’s hard to pull away from that quality Tool purveys.
Either way, what it gives us is a real introduction to a group who are so much more than the sum of their parts. From the opening bars to the closing moments, what is evident here is a genuine understanding of layers and sonic texturing.
seven unapologetically visceral yet considered slices of sonic denseness, guaranteed to turn your brains to broth…
I Breathe, I Am sets the ball rolling. An initial calm sprawls out into a darker ambience before dropping back completely. Vibe-wise, it really reminds me of Khoma – a clean, moody vocal atop a pensive, pulsing crawl is quickly enveloped by a darker experience as it comes crashing down. This powerplay then becomes the back-and-forth between light and dark as it continues through, shifting into a blistering intensity more befitting a post-metal nightmare.
Courageous Apathy swiftly follows suit, drilling in with a brutal viciousness that does nothing but compact those feelings of destitute hopelessness. Punishing, throbbing percussion provides the foundation for a mixture of venomous vocals and guttural guitar work. The driving bass provides the density necessary to carry the piece, but it’s that feeling of bleakness throughout which pushes it all on.
By the time Builder Of Eden comes round, there’s a theme beginning to emerge within Hippotraktor‘s sound, and my god is it wonderful. Pure, unfiltered intensity makes it feel familiar, as if you’ve heard it a million times before, like an old friend. At the same time, it has a refreshing vibrancy to it all which keeps everything sharp and current.
And this is true of the rest of the album; each new track provides another opportunity to experience something unheard and yet comfortably intimate. Little unique flourishes across the work provide opportunities to be astounded in disbelief – whether it be the opening moments of Oblivion Walker, where the rambunctious guitar dances across the airwaves, or the considered, throbbing drive throughout the title track, Annihilist, which really reminds me of modern Katatonia. There’s no denying the sheer quality of the band. It’s heavy music for grown-ups and ticks all the boxes as it goes.
Everything Is Permissible encourages us to take flight with the quintet. It feels somewhat anthemic, and as it soars, so too does the euphoric emotional outpouring. It carries the listener and transports us to a different realm completely. A Different Now closes the album, and with it draws a line under any doubt as to just how awesome this band really is. It’s the final opportunity to impress the listener, and they manage to pull it off with the minimum of fuss. It feels somewhat overwhelming at times, and yet there’s never any doubt as to who’s controlling the narrative.
As 2026 is drawing to a close, there is one album that should be on everyone’s Santa list, and it’s this: Annihilist by Hippotraktor. Definitely a highlight of the year, this is going to be on some end-of-year lists without any doubt whatsoever.
Label: Pelagic Records
Band Links: Official | Facebook | Bandcamp | Spotify | Instagram
Scribed by: Lee Beamish
