Psychonaut embellishes its universe.
Still signed to Pelagic Records, the Belgian trio composed of Stefan de Graef (guitar/vocals, Hippotraktor), Thomas Michiels (bass/vocals) and Harm Peters (drums) unveils its third album, World Maker, in 2025.
The band starts off gently with World Maker, the eponymous track with a hypnotic melody that eventually welcomes vocals and slowly draws us into its soothing landscape, which imperceptibly intensifies before a calmer finale, only to explode with the arrival of Endless Currents. Groove and technicality combine to captivate us in turn, before letting the haziest sounds captivate our minds while providing more intense waves of sound, like the scream that comes out of nowhere, opening the door to abrasive violence before You Are the Sky… takes its place and brings its own intriguing touch. The track is easily one of the most contrasting on the album, taking us into the rough edges of its canvas with unexpected moments of tranquility, but also transcendent harmonics that suddenly fade away to make way for … Everything Else is Just the Weather, which fits in perfectly and revives the sound with minimalist guitar and keyboards in the background. This suite takes on a more post-rock feel with a slow progression that we naturally follow until we reach And You Came with Searing Light, which quickly becomes more energetic, almost playful, and then finally furious. The two voices overlap and respond to each other, letting the rhythm roll behind them, leading us to Origins and its initial quietness, first inhabited by percussion, then choirs, and finally a rhythm section to which the guitar adds its complex and raspy leads. The sound finally explodes, letting blasts and frenzied riffs rush us into All in Time, which proves to be quite dark from its very first notes, and the long-awaited blazes appear soon enough to confirm this devastating approach. Heaviness returns on Stargazer, a heady track with soaring guitar, but one that is once again torn between soft passages with enchanting clear vocals and raw but controlled power with visceral screams, taking advantage of its length to make the most of both atmospheres. There is another gentle interlude with All Was Quiet and its soothing melodies, which also includes a few words before giving way to Endless Erosion, where the progression is also very natural but rather fast, accentuating the power of the saturation that colors the sound of this last composition, while allowing for a central break to catch your breath before a furious finale.
The band still wanted to leave us with one last surprise, Belgian musician Ghesso‘s remix of their track Origins, which this time takes a rather Electro turn that may be almost disconcerting for some.
With more than ten years of career under their belt, it’s safe to say that Psychonaut knows where it’s going, whether in terms of calm or violence! World Maker is an extremely rich and complex album to approach, but one that will undoubtedly delight its fans.
85/100