Tribulation should not be a mystery to anyone anymore. Since its inception in 2004, the Swedish quartet has constantly undergone through a bunch of stylistic changes that have confused (and perhaps divided) many of its listeners. What some might call sell out or mainstream-ising (sic!), I call development and Tribulation is one of the few bands I cannot be angry with. I absolutely love the way they evolved from album to album and I hold each of its releases very close to my heart.
But enough rambling, let’s get down to business. Three years after the excellent “Where the Gloom Becomes Sound” LP the Swedish band emerged from the darkness with a new line-up and a brand new record, “Svb Rosa In Aeternvm“, released on the 1st of November via Century Media. This 6th album is the band’s most daring record to date, showcasing a serious shift towards other music styles or influences, something that was maybe hinted in their past releases, but never fully experienced until now.
Even before the album came out the band uploaded several videos on YouTube featuring songs from the upcoming release, and one could instantly notice the drastic change in Johannes‘s vocals. The clean, deep goth part is more present, while the growls are rarely used. Is that a bad thing? No at all, if you ask me. The new vocal style (supported and enhanced by Joseph‘s confident backing vocal lines) fits the band really well, it reminds me a little bit of Fernando Ribeiro‘s vocals from Moonspell‘s later period.
The clean singing, together with the music, evokes a strong 80’s post punk urban feeling mixed with some B horror movies soundtrack (“Murder in Red” and its midi drums and synth is the best example). The 9 songs (10 if you buy the ltd digibook or LP edition) are the perfect soundtrack for a cold, foggy autumn night, when your mind roams free and the music takes you on a very interesting journey. While listening to this record I “see” with my mind’s eye neon bright lights reflecting on the wet sidewalks or I “walk” into some damp, dark alleys where the children of the night dwell in the shadows.
Even though today’s Tribulation is different than the one from “The Formulas of Death” era, their “occult”, dark essence is still there, hidden in between the layers and the lyrics. And I love that! Do not get fooled by the vocals, they sound as good as the harsh tones used before. In fact, tracks like “Tainted Skies“, “Saturn Coming Down” or “Time and the Vivid Ore” are links to the past as Johannes uses his growls at their best. I truly feel that the structure of the songs has allowed him to use his voice in ways he never used it before, in a liberating and limitless way, beyond the borders of a certain genre.
One of the greatest achievements of “Svb Rosa” is how the band created the perfect balance between the slow, bass driven post punk tempo (“Tainted Skies“, “Hungry Waters“) and the fast, riffing metal songs (“Drink the Love of God“, “Vivid Ore” or even “Poison Pages“), while maintaining their already established trademark. The guitars weep melancholic sounds and solos, but they also create aggressive riffs, which betray the still untamed death/black metal origins of the early beginnings. Joseph and Adam complement each other perfectly, as their guitar play falls perfectly in place with the choruses and creates waves of unrelenting Melancholia from start to finish.
One of my favorite tracks from this record is “Reaping Song“, with a strong Nick Cave vibe (“The Weeping Song“), which I put on the same level with Watain‘s “They Rode On“. A melancholic, ballad-like song whose lyrics talk about Death and the final journey we all take at some point or another in our lives. This song has a hypnotic rhythm, enhanced by the gentle piano parts and the heart piercing guitar solo which erupts at 2’30”. This is quite a new territory for Tribulation (it was written by Joseph Toll so that explains it), but it turned out to be an outstanding piece of poetry and one of the most beautiful songs of the album.
“It was just that golden time of the year
I knew I heard your voice
You requested me to follow
That way we all must go”
In order to fully grasp the whole essence of “Svb Rosa in Aeternvm” you must also pay attention to the lyrics while listening to the album. When it comes to the lyrical part, Tribulation have always wrote meaningful and interesting lyrics. I have always considered their lyrics as good as those written by Watain and I’ve always read them while playing their albums. Themes like religion, philosophy, Death, occult have always found a place in Tribulation‘s songs and this time they make no exception. “Poison Pages“, for example, is inspired by the classic medieval novel “The Name of the Rose” and its gruesome mystery which is not revealed until the end of the book.
To draw a line, this album is one of the most captivating records in the whole Tribulation discography and even if it sounds different than their older albums, it still has the same essence and charming darkness attached to it. I love it as much as I love “The Formulas of Death“, for example, and I am eager to see where their curiosity will lead them next. With “Sub Rosa” they have opened a new path, will they walk on the same one for the next release?
“Never to find a way back”…
TRIBVLATION – SVB ROSA IN AETERNVM TRACK LIST:
1. The Unrelenting Choir
2. Tainted Skies
3. Saturn Coming Down
4. Hungry Waters
5. Drink the Love of God
6. Murder in Red
7. Time and the Vivid Ore
8. Reaping Song
9. Poison Pages
(10. I Takt Med Otiden)
TRIBVLATION LINE VP:
Johannes Andersson – vocals / bass
Adam Zaars – guitars
Joseph Toll – guitars
Oscar Leander – drums
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