In the latest edition of “I can’t believe nobody grabbed this from the review list” it seems Swedish gothic metal clan Tribulation have fallen into my hands to cover. Not a problem really as I have liked what I have heard and even went as far as being impressed enough to buy their 2015 release ‘Children Of The Night.’ Last time they were personally encountered was when they supported Watain a few years ago leaving me to realise it was about time I listened to some new material and so here we are with studio album number six. A red themed album seeped in secrecy and expressing Giallo atmospheres but enthused with “fangs, blood, women, and Roman Empire-like decadence” is promised sounds like plenty to get the teeth into, so without further ado…

Morricone sounding pulses throw to the icy wastes of The Thing and opener ‘The Unrelenting Choir’ presents itself with some harmonic guitar lines as a bit of a teaser as to what to expect. Opening full weight with ‘Tainted Skies’ we get a bouncing beat and plenty of sinuous guitar work. Johannes Andersson veers between coarse rasps and clean croons. We were told there is more than normal of the latter on the album and they remind a bit of Fernando Ribeiro at times but also others later. Some cool flourishes of guitar soloing abound giving this a feel of bands such as The Devil’s Blood and also the slightly lighter side of Watain. The melodicism of ‘Saturn Coming Down’ is equally strong as it moves from stabbing chords to powerful chorus irresistibly worming its way into your head. ‘Hungry Waters’ gives a bit of a sultry sway to things, dark, calm and close to a ballad it’s a slow-burning act of gothic poeticism. Short, sharp and right to the point ‘Drink The Love Of God’ has a bit of a horror punk vibe reminiscent of everything from Danzig to The Damned. So far so varied and the album does a good job keeping you anticipating what is coming next.

Well, those Giallo tropes put on black gloves for ‘Murder In Red’ for eerie neon night stalking via synth lines and a croon that has a Phantasmagorical velvet Vanian sounding caress to it. The hit of the album in my mind is ‘Time_The Vivid One’ a jaunty ride with plenty of balls and groove about it. As for the growled vocals which predominate it’s another Swedish great that springs to mind and this time it’s Mikael Stanne. That all changes totally for ‘The Reaping Song’ though and it is Reaping not Weeping but if you listen to this one and not get some serious Nick Cave vibes from it you are at the wrong Birthday Party.

Perhaps as one of the more veteran listeners of the Gothic Rock spectrum I may have picked up some elder sources of the scene but that is great as proves Tribulation have an appeal to those who grew up on the music as well as those newer to it all. With the hooks, skeletal guitars and cinematic sound of last track ‘Poison Pages’ ushering me out it’s a cup to drink deeply from. The blood is rich and ‘Sub Rosa In Æternum’ is an album that really draws you into its dark, delicious folds.

(7.5/10 Pete Woods)

https://www.facebook.com/TribulationSweden

https://centurymedia.bandcamp.com/album/sub-rosa-in-ternum-24-bit-hd-audio