HYPNO5E:
After the ambitious A Distant (Dark) Source (2018) and the subsequent artistic triumph of its live incarnation in 2021, French avant-garde metal outfit HYPNO5E reached a new creative peak with their sixth studio album, Sheol (2023). Expanding on the mythological and narrative cycle initiated by its predecessor, Sheol unfolded as both a prequel and a mirror, cementing the band’s singular vision of cinematic storytelling through sound. Since their inception in 2006, HYPNO5E have continuously refined a deeply immersive musical language—one that fuses progressive metal, post-hardcore intensity, and filmic composition into a genre-defying experience. From the raw chaos of Des Deux l’Une Est l’Autre (2007), through the hazy atmospheres of Acid Mist Tomorrow (2012), to the expansive mastery of Shores of the Abstract Line (2015) and the introspective soundtrack work Alba – Les Ombres Errantes, the band has built a body of work defined by evolution, coherence, and emotional depth. With Sheol, HYPNO5E achieved a rare balance between density and clarity, weaving together massive grooves, angular riffs, haunting string arrangements, and evocative spoken-word excerpts from literary voices such as César Vallejo, Jean Cocteau, and Anne Sexton. The arrival of drummer Pierre Rettien and bassist Charles Villanueva brought renewed energy and nuance, allowing the band to explore warmer tones and a broader dynamic spectrum, while maintaining the intensity and complexity that define their sound. Now, in 2026, HYPNO5E open a new chapter with their upcoming album, Trame Noire. While rooted in the conceptual and aesthetic continuity that has long defined the band, this new work pushes their cinematic approach even further—unfolding as a darker, more fragmented narrative, where memory, perception, and time collapse into one another. Expanding their sonic palette once again, Trame Noire ventures into more textural, immersive territories, blurring the boundaries between music and moving image. To accompany this release, the band returns to the stage with a new live production, bringing their uniquely visual and narrative-driven performances to audiences across Europe. Known for transforming concerts into fully immersive experiences, the band continues to bridge the gap between film and sound, inviting listeners not just to hear their music, but to inhabit it. With Trame Noire, HYPNO5E reaffirm their position as one of the most distinctive and forward-thinking voices in modern progressive music—crafting works that are as intellectually ambitious as they are emotionally resonant.
HIPPOTRAKTOR:
Hippotraktor's story really took off with Meridian (2021). Hailing from Mechelen, Belgium, the band struck the progressive metal scene like a meteorite, delivering a sound as monumental as it is relentless. Far from making empty promises, they rely on a wall of layered guitars and the complex polyrhythmic assaults of drummer Lander De Nyn, elevating technical precision to an international standard. Their ability to fuse massive riffs with a rhythmic finesse reminiscent of titans such as Gojira and Meshuggah makes them a unique and formidable force within the genre. With the release of their second album, Stasis, in June 2024 via Pelagic Records, Hippotraktor proved themselves to be an indispensable pillar of the scene. The album was unanimously hailed by international critics as a masterpiece of dynamism: a waking dream of crushing riffs, cathartic choruses, and a powerful vocal synergy between Stefan De Graef and Kristof Du Jardin. While its predecessor explored the natural world, Stasis delved into the heart of the frictions of the human condition. Never resting on its laurels, Hippotraktor has just emerged from the studio after recording its most ambitious work to date: Annihilist.
