When Stefan De Graef started writing what would become “World Maker,” things around him were shifting fast. His son was about to be born, and for the first time, his world wasn’t circling the abstract or the cosmic. It was about something much closer. That sense of turning inward defines the new record from Psychonaut— the Belgian trio known for stretching post-metal into something spiritual, cinematic, and alive.
“World Maker,” out via Pelagic Records on October 24, 2025, follows 2022’s “Violate Consensus Reality” — a record that already cemented the band’s reputation for building massive, philosophical soundscapes. This time, though, the weight feels different. The same intensity and scale are still there, but the motivation has shifted from questioning existence to simply preserving love. De Graef has said the songs came from a place of wanting to leave something behind for his unborn son, “a legacy of love in case something were ever to happen.”
That clarity cuts through from the very beginning. The opening, title track sets the tone with reverberating Rhodes organ and an undercurrent of warmth unusual for a band so often associated with existential heaviness. Tracks like “Everything Else Is Just The Weather” drift through free-jazz guitar patterns and otherworldly textures, while “Origins” folds in tabla and the ethereal voice of Dutch multi-instrumentalist Anthe Huybrechts, giving the song a heartbeat that feels both human and cosmic.
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The band — De Graef, bassist/vocalist Thomas Michiels, and drummer Harm Peters — recorded and produced the album themselves with longtime collaborator Chiaran Verheyden (Hippotraktor). That DIY closeness shows in the record’s balance between precision and emotion. The riffs still hit like tectonic plates, but the aggression coexists with moments of almost delicate openness.
“Endless Currents,” the lead single, hits first with jagged, staccato guitar tapping before softening into a melodic call to “embrace the flow and follow joy.” The last line — “Lead the way. / Soar. / Everlong.” — reads like both a goodbye and a benediction. Then comes “Stargazer,” named after De Graef’s son’s birth position, a song that moves between folk-laced optimism and massive, sprawling breakdowns. It’s one of the record’s most forward-reaching moments, asking quietly what comes next after joy and loss collide.
But it’s “And You Came With Searing Light” that captures the album’s center. It was the first track written for “World Maker” and originally set to open it, but the band decided to place it deeper in the record — a small but telling shift. “Discover the world with wide eyes,” the line repeats, as euphoria folds into fury. The band that once mapped the metaphysics of existence now sounds grounded, still heavy but more direct.
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Behind the music, real life was breaking open. Just after De Graef’s son was born, both his and Michiels’ fathers were diagnosed with advanced cancers. Joy and grief lived side by side, shaping the album’s stripped-down honesty. “World Maker” stopped looking outward at cosmic questions and instead began dealing with what was right in front of them — family, loss, resilience.
Even the artwork kept it close to home. Designed by Sam Coussens of Pothamus, another Belgian heavy act, the visuals carry the same spirit of community that’s surrounded Psychonaut since their early days. It’s a record built not on abstraction, but on people, connection, and the things that hold when everything else moves.
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Where earlier albums felt like journeys across universes, “World Maker” feels like standing still for a moment and realizing that’s enough. It’s a father singing to his son and a son saying goodbye to his father — an album about what remains when the noise fades, written by a band still stretching what post-metal can mean.
Psychonaut will take “World Maker” on the road this fall, with shows set for 30 October in Berlin, 5 November in Amsterdam, 7 November in Paris, 8 November in London, and a sold-out hometown date on 16 November in Brussels.
See the full list of their top influential albums for below!
Words by Stefan De Graef
1. Pink Floyd – Wish You Were Here
The absolute peak of immersive music. Conceptually and compositionally perfect in every way. I vividly remember listening to the album from start to finish for the first time and hearing Shine On You Crazy Diamond come back at the end. This was the first time I had ever heard a reprise like that and it blew my mind. This album showed me how beautiful music can be, as well as how it can turn a tragic feeling into a form of joyous melancholy. It was one of my dad’s favourite albums as well, and I can’t listen to it ever again without hearing him whistle along in my head. This album always brings part of him back to life again.
2. Porcupine Tree – Fear of a Blank Planet
I discovered this album when I was in higher education and it felt like the perfect blend of heavy music and sonic beauty. Just like with Tool albums, I had no idea what the lyrics were supposed to mean, but I knew there was a lot to uncover. Digging into this concept and getting to know the band’s discography was an incredible journey. Steven Wilson and Gavin Harrison are two of my favourite musicians of all time. The central track ‘Anesthetize’ is an intense 17-minute journey that I can never get enough of. It’s the song you never want to end. This record is absolutely perfect from start to finish and also has one of the best productions I’ve ever heard.
3. Tool – Lateralus
When I first heard the opening track ‘The Grudge’ at the age of 18, I had no idea what I was hearing. The rhythms didn’t make any sense, the vocals were weird as hell, the drums sounded off but somehow it radiated an energy that completely drew me in. I must have listened to the opening track 20 times before I even listened to the rest of the album because I was obsessed with understanding this song. I dove into the Tool rabbit hole and never looked back. This is one of the most impressive albums ever written to me. Both a musical and conceptual masterpiece. Since then, Tool has been one our biggest inspirations, especially when coming up with rhythmic ideas. Their follow-up album ’10,000 Days’ is equally as influential, with the title track standing out the most to me in terms of lyrical and vocal power. Psychonaut simply wouldn’t exist without Tool, that’s for sure.
4. Steak Number Eight – All Is Chaos
This Belgian band (now renamed Stake) is my favourite band in the country. They started out at a ridiculously young age and very quickly started playing big stages. I remember seeing them for the first time when they were like 17 years old and it’s still one of the most intense live shows I’ve ever seen. Their mystical sound and dark atmosphere was what drew me into heavier post-metal bands like Amenra, Isis, Neurosis etc. They taught me that it’s not always necessary to play 10 notes per second and that 1 note can be more powerful if it’s played in the right way and at the right time. Stake and Amenra are the only bands that have actually made me tear up during a live show. They are an indescribable force and Brent Vanneste has a voice that pierces your spine in the best way possible.
5. The Ocean – Heliocentric
I’ve just written an entire praise of this album for a different platform, but I just can’t not include this one. The Ocean are one of my favourite bands of all time and their singer Loic Rosetti inspired me to become the frontman I am today. Discovering Heliocentric and its conceptual counterpart Anthropocentric was an incredible ride. The lyrics were haunting and very intelligently written and the riffs and rhythms were exactly my cup of tea. Just like with Tool and Porcupine Tree, I was fascinated by the concepts behind their albums and felt inspired to write in a similar way. Songs like ‘Firmament, ‘Catharsis of a Heretic’ or ‘Epiphany’ are perfectly designed to listen to with your full attention and they draw you in until the last second. We were signed by The Ocean’s label ‘Pelagic Records’ in 2020 and we’ve even toured with them in the Summer of 2022, which was a surreal full circle moment. The band is now getting ready to reset with a completely new line-up and I’m excited to find out which direction they are going to follow. I cannot recommend this band enough.
6. Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues
Musically, this album is probably the odd one out, but it has an amazing beauty to it that I’ve never felt with any other album. I discovered Fleet Foxes when I was experimenting with psychedelics a long time ago and somehow, it felt like it was written exactly for that purpose. I discovered them live at a festival with a friend and it felt like the stage and crowd were just radiating love in a way I can’t put into words. I was fascinated by their beautiful harmonies and they’ve been very influential for us in terms of vocals. Listening back to this album always brings me back to those days and it’s a great reminder of the beautiful world we live in.
7. Led Zeppelin – Led Zeppelin I
It’s impossible to not have Zeppelin in this list. I became familiar with them when I had just started playing guitar at the age of 15. I asked my dad if he knew any cool riffs I could play, and he introduced me to songs like ‘Heartbreaker, ‘No Quarter,’ ‘Dazed and Confused’ etc. I could have added any Zeppelin album here, but I’ll go with the first one since it has the most nostalgic value for me. Listening to this music always takes me back to being an adolescent and playing a really shitty cheap guitar in front of the mirror, visualising myself being part of a band. Watching their live videos for the first time on DVD and discovering that they improvise a lot and sometimes extend their songs massively was also mind-blowing. I had no idea this was even an option. Led Zeppelin is my all-time favourite band and I doubt I would sound anything like I do now without Jimmy Page’s riffs and solos.
8. Amenra – Mass IV
Seeing Amenra was for the first time was a game changer. I didn’t really feel their music when listening to studio albums, but I completely got it when I saw them live. There was a haunting silence in the room with no-one even clapping after songs to stay in the vibe. I didn’t know what was going on, but I loved it. They showed me what the power of repetition is and how important dynamics are in a song. Songs like ‘Razoreater’ and ‘Aorte…’ are a musical punch in the gut. Taking into account all the pain that went into writing these songs and now being able to resonate with the pain of losing a loved one, makes this band something more than I can explain. In my opinion, they are the most impressive live band in the country.
9. Cloudkicker – The Discovery
This band came out of nowhere for me, but I felt like I had been missing out when I finally discovered them. The first Cloudkicker song I ever heard was ‘Dysphoria’ and the energy ticked all of my boxes. I remember showing it to friends and everyone having the same feeling: where has this band been all my life? This band is a one-man project by Ben Sharp, a man who loves writing music but doesn’t really like touring and playing live. He just writes albums and puts them online, and every single one of them is amazing. They vary greatly in terms of sound, but The Discovery is the album that hits the hardest for me. Instrumental music that is larger than life and that focusses on the power of repetition and extensive layering.
10. Snarky Puppy – We Like It Here
On the surface, it would be hard to find similarities between Snarky Puppy and Psychonaut, but I can’t tell you how much I’ve learned from listening to their music. I discovered them fairly late in 2019 but it was one of the biggest musical discoveries of my life. I was blown away by every single song I heard and they made me interested in learning more about music theory because I wanted to know how the hell they could write magical compositions like this. I had never heard chords and modulations like this. There was a period between our first two albums when I was writing very weird over-the-top stuff, trying to incorporate some of these influences into our sound. It didn’t sound good, but eventually it made me come up with more interesting harmonies and rhythms which developed more on later songs. This band is the perfect balance between easy-listening groovy music and jazz fusion and I’ve learned so much from them.
