Tribulation

The Horror

Pulverized Records 2009

The Stockholm sound has always been magic for me in regards to death metal.  There was something so morbid and sinister about those down-tuned guitars and buzzsaw riffs.  Many bands these days are striving to recreate that sound and aura.  And a few are even succeeding.  This group includes Swedes, Tribulation.  On the surface immediate comparisons can be made to Dismember and Entombed, but for me the album that The Horror is most reminiscent of is Necrophobic's Nocturnal Silence.  Tribulation evokes a speedy, almost thrashy style which churns into a frothy feeding frenzy of rotten gore.  Like a bullet, straight out of the gate, Crypt of Thanatophilia shatters bone and tears muscles with traditional Stockholm riffs united with an undercurrent of Dark Angel thrash.  Curse of Resurrection slays with a similarity to Dismember at their most frantic while melodic leads soar over the top of the riffs.  Beyond the Horror mutilates Necrophobic-esque choppy riffs against a back drop of meaty hooks ala Entombed.  Beautiful and eerie clean guitar and pounding kettle drums at the song's core haunt the listener with rabid dreams only to kick in a classic, heavy as hell, down-tuned chord as The Vampyre begins.  Initially slow in pace with a lethargic melody, Seduced By The Smell of Rotten Flesh quickly shatters that illusion by mercilessly plowing forward utilizing a putrid guitar attack.  The production is thick and meaty, though perfectly married to down-tuned mayhem just like the early Sunlight studio sound.  With the Horror, Tribulation are creating a bridge between the present and early 90s Stockholm scene Swedish death.  If you were ever skinned alive by the traditional Stockholm style and long for the magic of those early days then Tribulation will reawaken the murderous animated corpse within you.