When Sweden’s Tribulation premiered their new single Lady Death in late 2017, it left me expecting a bland, streamlined follow-up album to 2015’s excellent The Children Of The Night. I shouldn’t have worried. Their follow-up Down Below is definitely streamlined but, far from being bland, it hones their horror metal to perfection: simplifying their music and making it more accessible without sacrificing depth. No mean feat.
There are a lot of comparisons to be drawn with other Swedish bands. The melodic horror and direct, memorable riffing is akin to Ghost but tracks like Nightbound and Cities From The Underworld use layers of sinister instrumentation and harmony to add a thick, nocturnal atmosphere of gothic horror. Johannes Andersson maintains his ghoulish, gargled vocals style too. A crucial move that stops things getting too slick, giving the album a gritty, filth that brings to mind In Solitude’s superb Sister. And on the centrepiece track Subterranea the band conjure the kind of evil magick that wouldn’t sound out of place on a Watain album.
I can’t blame anyone for trying to pick out a single but this is best experienced in its entirety. Tribulation juggles variety and consistency, accessibility and obscurity with accomplished ease. It’s a major statement from a band that has come a staggeringly long way in just four albums and Down Below will cast a long, haunting shadow over the metal scene of 2018.
HEAVY METAL OVERLOAD 
Is this a Dr Dave kind of band?
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Definitely. Don’t know if he’ll like them but they’ll be on his radar for sure. They were more death metal in the past…
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I’ll post this in the Sausagefest group and ask him!
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I tried to get the special deluxe digibook but it was sold out everywhere! Instead, I went with the old-fashioned CD.
5 out of 5? Bold statement. Will it end it up your ‘end of year’ list?
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I was reluctant to give it 5 but… I can’t think of any faults! So fuck it.
I’d be very surprised if this isn’t Top 5 at the end of year. But it will have been an amazing year if it’s not so I won’t mind. I’d have given the last album 4 or 4.5 and I think this is better overall.
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I liked that, it was easier on the ears than I’d feared it might be.
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Some people might struggle with the vocals but it’s all pretty catchy stuff.
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Gosh, I can’t wait to see it swinging up the hit parade then.
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I really like this sentence – “Tribulation juggles variety and consistency, accessibility and obscurity with accomplished ease.”
And that’s not an easy balancing act, kudos to these lads!
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Excellent review. I just discovered Tribulation and have been considering reviewing Down Below. Now, I think I will!
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You definitely should. Their last album The Children of the Night was brilliant too.
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You used the word ‘horror’ three times in this post! This bodes well. Another band I need to check out – especially with such high praise from our HMO!
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I think you’d really like this one.
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Noted! I’ll see what the tunes of you has to offer…
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