That’s certainly one way to handle life’s curveballs. Probably the healthiest way! But there’s always other options, aren’t there? Some will lead you down a self-destructive path to eventual oblivion or, maybe even worse – perpetual victimhood. Gross. No thank you. Other knee-jerk reactions might feel good, even cathartic in the moment, but do nothing to fill the gaps left behind by whatever’s been taken away. But then, there’s a really simple, if inelegant option: Take that lemon, tear it open, and bite down into it’s raw flesh – embrace the painful, bitter taste that comes with it, and use it to power you forward with a renewed sense of urgency and spite.

This little EP certainly does carry a certain sense of import and urgency, even for a band like Tribulation who, at this point, doesn’t really have anything to prove. It’s seemed that with every new release since the band shifted sonic gears on 2015’s The Children of the Night, comes a new cycle of near universal fanfare and critical acclaim. But now the band forges ahead without one of the biggest creative forces behind that span of records, after guitarist Jonathan Hultén left the band to pursue his own musical endeavors. To be clear, there doesn’t seem to be any love lost or ill feelings towards any parties involved here, so it may seem that my metaphor is left somewhat in shambles, but don’t be so sure. While the parting may have been amicable, the split did bring the band to the very brink of destruction – and yet they persevere, with the forced reshuffling of the deck seeming to have resulted in a reinvigorated commitment to all things gloom and doom, while maintaining a sound that is 100% Tribulation through and through.

Though the band did release an excellent “single” called “The Dhampir” since Hultén’s departure (I don’t understand why it’s not just called an EP since it’s broken up into 3 tracks but… I’ll just leave my old man complaining at the door), it was written by Hultén, so this really is the band’s first true foray into their new era. Of course, the band does have two things going in their favor: For one, guitarist and the other half of the band’s writing room Adam Zaars is still here, so not all of the band’s original creative juju is gone. And secondly, Hultén has been replaced by guitarist Joseph Throll, who you may recognize from a number of excellent Swedish acts including Corrupt, Black Trip/Vojd, and of course, Speed/Heavy Metal act Enforcer. Not too shabby when you can forge ahead with that kind of pedigree added to the lineup.

Even better, the band apparently was more than ready to put the added talent to good use, with Throll getting writing credit on the moody, very Doom and Heavy Metal-forward “Axis Mundi.” Zaars could have very easily taken full writing responsibilities, and instead embraced the new blood – with superb results. Where parts of Where the Gloom Becomes Sound at times carried an uncharacteristic, even-if-only-slight sense of hope or, at the very least, comfortable acceptance – Hamartia and indeed “Axis Mundi” are embracing the cold and bitter darkness as hard as ever. Even with some of the stronger heavy metal riffing at play here, there’s an ever-present sense of intentional discordance that keeps the mood very unsettling, like looking into the face of a sentient robot double of your wife – it may well be very beautiful, but there’s just a certain wrongness about it that makes your skin crawl, even if it is in the best way possible. The end result sounds as if the band got off a heavy listening binge of Ghost and Nite and immediately got to working on new material after, with those influences subconsciously seeping into what is still, at it’s heart, a Tribulation track. The song also gives us a really good look at how the new guitar duo works together, not just through the interplay between lead and rhythm work on the song’s really catchy chorus, but with some fantastic dueling solos on the track’s back-half that continue to show signs that all is well with the band moving forward – so go ahead and breathe easy.

The remaining tracks do nothing to derail this sense of relief, either. Opener “Hamartia” carries as classic a Tribulation Goth-drenched, Black-n-Roll sound as you’ll find anywhere in their catalog, with the band’s signature guitar tones and Johannes Andersson’s trademark barking, sneering vocals still leading the way. Again, the synergy being built between Zaars and Throll lies front-and-center, with perhaps even more emphasis put on the new pairing’s solos than we’re used to hearing with Tribulation. It’s as if the band is making a considered effort not to shy away from its own internal changes, and instead letting them shine – another example of the band embracing their new path head-on.  “Hemoclysm” showcases the band at their very darkest, really reaching in for their innermost witchy, warlock-y vibes for a dose of doom purpose-built for some wild occult sacrifice. I absolutely love the creepy, hollow vocal melodies floating around in the song’s background, creating a sense of some ancient, monastic spirit haunting a great hall – accentuated even greater by the occasional cascading pianos that feel positively otherworldly. It all comes together to conjure such a morose, foreboding atmosphere that can, and will send chills down your spine.

Rounding out the EP is a really great cover of Blue Öyster Cult‘s “Vengeance (The Pact)” that the band actually does a really nice job staying true to, while giving it a little extra flair that again gives it a very Ghost-like quality (in fairness, the song was already about halfway there to begin with). I think all EPs should finish with a cover or two, and this certainly fits the band pretty dang nicely, so bonus points all-around. So at the end of the day, Hamartia is an EP from a band that very much understood the assignment – not only have they reassured longtime fans that despite a major lineup change, Tribulation seems no worse for wear, but they’ve even shown us a few glimpses of the potential and growth the addition of Joseph Throll has provided for the band moving forward. It’s a new day for Tribulation, and despite the fact that it arrives with some truly menacing clouds and distant thunder in the skies – it’s a day worth celebrating. The train hasn’t been derailed in the slightest.

So, that brings us to their new album, Where the Gloom Becomes Sound. It’s been over 2 years since Down Below was released and despite it being in that previously mentioned top albums from that print publication, the choice may have had some merit. Its moody mix of gothic vibes and black metal rasps had some real staying power.

However, I must say that if you heard Down Below, you’ve basically heard Where the Gloom Becomes Sound. You already know they’re not really a black or death metal band anymore, but they more reside in the post-rock realm with black metal rasps.

That’s not to say they don’t do what they do very well. Take the opener, “In Remembrance” for example. It’s a good opener, although it’s nearly 7 minutes long and doesn’t really go anywhere. It’s mid-paced with some stellar guitar work and a repetitive refrain. However, it takes a little less than 3 minutes to get to that refrain.

The next track, “Hour of the Wolf” has a little more bounce in its step. It begins with a hummable, almost clean guitar melody and a nice “UGH.” Despite the fact that it is one of the released singles from the album, there’s not much of a hook of which to speak.

“Leviathans” is the third track on the album and has also had a video made for it. Much like a man who ate a whole lot of cheese, Centory Media is really pushing this release. Unfortunately, this track is not about how many copies they own of the Mastodon album Leviathan. It also doesn’t stand out.

Moving on and getting near the end of the record, track 9, which is called “Funeral Pyre,” begins with a far more distorted riff than much else you’ll encounter on this album. The lead work here also seems to be a bit more inspired than the rest of the tracks.

However, the closer, “The Wilderness,” has the best lead guitar work on the album with two extended solo breaks. It’s also the second-longest track. They bookended the album with the two longest tracks. That’s usually not a smart move, but also not uncommon.

The truth is that this album is fine. It’s nothing different than what these guys have done their last few times. It’s not going to change your mind about them, regardless of which side of the fence you stand. What’s holding this band back is the monotony of the vocals. Throughout the runtime, there’s no variance. With an album nearly 50 minutes, that’s an issue. I will conclude by saying I still find enjoyment in the album, but I doubt I will come back to it much this year. I’m still waiting for these guys to finally release that album of the year material.

And I’ll be god damned, Children of the Night is actually really good. Like one of the best albums of the year good.

With death metal far far in their mirror, Tribulation’s sound is hard to pin point; It’s a darkly sensual, swaying form of gothic, melancholic, progressive melodic doom/death metal/dark wave/rock. But its catchy as hell too. And while I’m having a hard time describing it, but if it were a wine, I’d be detecting subtle hues of Opeth, latter Sentenced, tones of The Doors, Goblin, Celtic Frost, Sisters of Mercy, HIM and even Ghost BC. 

With an album  title culled from Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and album art  from Louis Feuillade’s Les Vampires, the album (and bands attire) isn’t just visually vampyric, the darkly sensual riffs and the album’s entire auras is one of opulent romanticism laced with a dangerous, toxic, sense of hypnotic eroticism. It’s like a death metal sound track to The Vampire Lestat and Interview with a Vampire. But don’t get me wrong this isn’t wimpy or overly theatrical pap, there’s riffs,  serpentine, mesmerizing riffs that bury and burrow with an addictive, coppery taste.

From opener “Strange Gateways Beckon” with its haunting cello and piano and its smartly heralding opening riff, you, like vampyric lore are  being invited in, and you cant look away. The gruff vocals of Johannes Andersson keep things in the sort of death metal genre, so clean vocal nit pickers like me are satiated, but his vocals really do take a back seat to the music as 70s keyboards swirl around crunchy but smoky, restrained riffs, a throbbing bass and sensual atmospheres and moods.

Other than the opener, other standouts include the wonderfully haunting sway of instrumental “Själaflykt”, the deft 70s groove and twang of personal favorite “Holy Libations” , the languid, decadent haze of “Strains of Horror”, the erotic roll and tumble of “Winds” and the doomy lope of “Music from the Other”. The album closer “Laudanum Dreams” is another good one, ending the album on a surprisingly urgent note. In fact, only penultimate track “One Hundred years” was the only track that didn’t really hold my attention.

I had serious reservations about this album and this band, but for once it appears the hype has been a monumental success and Tribulation appear to be one of the rare acts to completely transform their prior safe, predictable sound into something special.

Tribulation, have been around since 2001 and despite this debut album have numerous demos and an EP under their belt. Though, hardly contributing anything new, The Horror pays homage to many colonizers of death metal and delivers a top-notch display of fierce, nasty, thrashing death metal, with attitude lost by many in the modern metal world. Backed with horror themes and Enforcer guitarist Adam Zaars, Tribulation blow doors wide open with power, catchy riffs, and savory duel guitars that will make Slayer, Morbid Angel, Carcass and any Stockholm fans weak in the knees.

“Crypt of Thanatophilia,” starts things of and picks up speed three times within the first half of the song. Thrash power chords and blasts fill this record with piercing urgency that dwells heavily in the black metal realm making this occult cobbler taste ever so sweet.

The groove is firmly in place within Tribulation’s sound and at times carries an Entombed quality. Clocking in at just over a half hour this bad mother holds enough tastefully written riffs to school many of today’s greenhorns. “Curse of Resurrection,” Slams with Egyptian style soloing and one could draw another comparison to Melechesh. The solos run rampant throughout and are important to the catchiness of this record.

J. Andersson handles vocal and bass duties and remits a raspy, gut gurgle of the tongue similar to Naglfar, Jeff Walker, and Necrophobic. Mixed and mastered by Tore Stjerna of Necromorbus Studios (Watain and In Battle) the down right rotten aroma this CD gives off is all too perfect.

With this type of an album you know what you’re going to get. For a debut, The Horror is bloodthirsty nod to the old school that reeks of quality musicianship. If you want your face devoured by the crypt keeper then look no further. Tribulation is fun stuff.