Hippotraktor

Hippotraktor, a progressive metal band from Mechelen in Belgium, bring their heavy, rhythmically complex music to The Black Heart in London. The band has released two albums and has a third in preparation.

Hippotraktor are a progressive metal band from Mechelen, Belgium. Their 2021 release Meridian brought them wider attention, and their second album, Stasis, came out in June 2024 on Pelagic Records. Their sound rests on layered guitars and the intricate, polyrhythmic drumming of Lander De Nyn, with riffs that are weighty yet rhythmically nimble, a approach often compared with Gojira and Meshuggah. Stasis features the vocals of Stefan De Graef and Sander De Rom.

Their reputation has grown on stage as well as on record. The band has played at Graspop Metal Meeting, Alcatraz and Rock Herk in Belgium, and at ArcTanGent in the United Kingdom, Motocultor in France and Dynamo in the Netherlands. For later live performances, Kristof Du Jardin has taken on guitar and vocal duties. A new album, Annihilist, recorded with the current line-up, is due for release on Pelagic Records.

The Black Heart is a London venue that hosts concerts and shows. The evening will appeal to listeners who follow progressive and heavy metal, and to those interested in the band's recent recordings.