Tribulation – Where The Gloom Becomes Sound

I think that in our time you can hardly find a relatively new band that experiments so much and changes its sound so much after each release. But now it seems that Tribulation may have settled on what they like best, since their fifth full-length continues the path that they took with “Down Below” of 2018.

This album marks a big change in their line-up, since guitarist Jonathan Hultén, one of the founding members, chose to part ways with them although he recorded his parts for this release. He was replaced by Joseph Tholl (ex-Enforcer), an old acquaintance of the band as he composed a song for “The Formulas Of Flesh” of 2013. The line-up also features the other two founding members Johannes Andersson (bass, vocals) and Adam Zaars (guitars) as well as drummer Oscar Leander (ex-Deathstars) who joined in 2017.

“Where The Gloom Becomes Sound” and I think the title perfectly describes the music of this particular work. Now, you can put Tribulation under the genre of gothic metal. Melancholic melodies with a dark, imposing atmosphere with Andersson’s vocals that remain in a “controlled” death/black style, without screaming like a lunatic, making the result even more gloomy.

Their prog influences find their way here too, but not to a great extent since most songs aim at being straight-forward in order to quickly win the listener and I think they do it easily. Of course, the classic heavy influences on the guitar themes are not missing, something that is an element of the band anyway. And some of them are quite impressive with these ingenious melodies.

In conclusion, the Swedes have managed through changes and experimentation to create their own and immediately recognizable sound. Each of their works has its own interest and the same applies to “Where The Gloom Becomes Sound”. It remains to be seen what paths they will take in the future and whether Hultén’s departure will affect that.