- Country: Sweden
- Style: Gothic metal
- Label: Century Media
- Release date: 26 January 2018
Tribulation have been sliding away from death metal for years, and Down Below is where they finally land somewhere else entirely: a candlelit, theatrical, gothic rock-and-metal record that still bites. Johannes Andersson’s rasp is the last real link to their roots, and it works beautifully against guitars that sound more like vintage heavy metal than anything extreme.
“The Lament” opens with a lead melody straight out of a Hammer horror film, and “Nightbound” is even catchier, the twin guitars of Jonathan Hultén and Adam Zaars doing most of the singing. “Lady Death” is short, sharp and almost danceable. The second half gets more ambitious: “Lacrimosa” builds slowly and ominously, while “Here Be Dragons” is a long, winding closer that drifts a little before finding its feet. It’s less of a shock than their earlier change of direction, maybe, but the songwriting is tighter than ever.
Best tracks:
The Lament
Nightbound
Lady Death
Lacrimosa
Author’s rating: 8.1/10
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