Tribulation - The Horror (2009)

   Even though there's no lack of old school references in Swedish death metal, Tribulation's debut is still somehow extraodrinary compared to the most common tendencies.
   If we think about the classics of the local scene, because of their typical sound and primitively rude impression it's easy to distinguish them. Tribulation's "The Horror" is still old school to the core, but not traditionally old school. This direction to throw back to '80s references showed up first at bands like Witchery, Pagainzer or Mordant, and exactly in death metal Death Breath involved similarly '80s referring tharshing influences. It's not a shockingly new thing, especially in the main scene, but not so usual in the local scene. The album is very intense therefore, and shows very enjoyable variety of fast thrashing and catchy melodies embedded into death metal. So the direction is kind of new, the concept is old school, and the sound is high quality. Beacause of that, unlike at most bands with similar ambitions, nobody would think that "The Horror" is some kind on unrevealed and long time forgotten relic of the '80s. But the modern interpretation of a heavy, but still catchy feeling of an era that was long time missing from the main scene. Excellent and very stunning for a debut.