The direction Tribulation heads on Sub Rosa In Æternum (Century Media Records) has been a long time coming. You can’t call a band goth without them eventually turning to the dark side. The Swedes started as a Death Metal band that flirted with the shadowy atmosphere, but never bore the Sisters of Mercy Halloween trappings they were credited with. Until this album. The sung vocals that open the first song solidify this; this may be the final step over this threshold for them. Johannes Andersson has sung on their previous albums in smaller doses, but this album finds him committed to it. Continue reading
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EP REVIEW: Tribulation – Hamartia
Descending consecutive steps of the shadowy nooks and crannies of the psyche, like Werner Herzog revealing more abject layers of vampiric horror, Sweden’s Tribulation have never been a one-trick (bat) pony. They are the rare band with sophisticated songwriting smarts, an ominous and seductive allure, and the self-awareness to not tip their hand too far into unintentional macabre cheese camp while still straddling the gulf between Hammer homage, the deep subconscious mind, rock n’ roll, and death.