It doesn’t usually take me as long to figure out how I feel about an album as it did with Hippotraktor’s “Meridian.” That’s a good thing in itself, I guess - - the uncertainty means that there’s something interesting going on. I’m reminded of Tool Tesseract, My Diligence, a little bit of BTBAM, a little tiny bit of Fear Factory, and at times, Darkane, Opiate for the Masses, Lamb of God.

There are some wonderful clean-vox sections over low-tuned, busy riffage and complex drumming. Lovely chord progressions deliver in subtle ways for the active and passive listeners. The first song, “Manifest the Mountain,” jumps right out with this amazing sound. I’d have enjoyed a full album of this without reservations.
The bad. . . Too much raw-throated angst. Not so much cookie monster as cookie cutter (in the scream aspect - - the rest of the elements are distinctive). I guess a memo went out in the early parts of this century stating that you weren’t a legit Metal band without vein-popping screeches in the verses and choruses. Some bands employ these at-the-limits vocals well, others push too far past the limits. Hippotraktor sometimes step over the line, but they reel it in enough to keep me listening.
So, that said, if you view these kinds of extreme vocals as a bonus feature or a positive, then I highly recommend “Meridian.” If it isn’t clear, this reviewer prefers the moments that breathe. Hippotraktor also do a great job managing transitions between the states: fury and tranquility. It’s impressive. In spite of the bits that grated my ears, I kept coming back for repeat listens. That’s gotta count for something.
Highlights: “Juncture,” “Manifest the Mountain,” “Mover of Skies.”