Sweden's Tribulation combine classic thrash and Scandinavian death metal with elements of horror-themed psych-metal. The group issued two hard-hitting trad-death metal efforts before switching gears in 2015 with the progressive goth rock-leaning Children of the Night. They continued to explore the darker corners of occult-metal and hard rock on 2018 's Down Below, 2021's Where the Gloom Becomes Sound, and 2023's Hamartia EP.

Not to be confused with an earlier Swedish band that produced a few crossover thrash releases during the early '90s, Tribulation formed in 2005. They spent the next few years experimenting with various extreme styles before settling on a speedy brand of death metal embellished with horror-themed lyrics. Influenced by '80s legends such as Autopsy and Morbid Angel, vocalist/bassist Johannes Andersson, guitarists Jonathan Hultén and Adam Zaars, and subsequently acquired drummer Jakob Johansson tipped their hand with 2006's Putrid Rebirth EP (released through indie Blood Harvest), then toured regionally before getting to work on their eventual full-length debut, The Horror, released in early 2009 through Pulverised Records. A sophomore effort, The Formulas of Death, arrived in 2013, followed in 2015 by Children of the Night. The latter saw the band eschewing the death metal approach of prior outings for a more occult-driven, goth, psychedelic, and traditional heavy metal oeuvre. The similarly progressive and theatrical Down Below arrived in 2018, followed by the group's first concert LP, Alive & Dead at Sodra Teatern, in 2019. For their fifth studio album, 2021's Where the Gloom Becomes Sound, the band focused on themes of myths and magic. Longtime guitarist Jonathan Hultén left the fold to focus on a solo career, making way for Joseph Tholl, who made his studio debut on 2023's brooding and elemental Hamartia EP. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia & James Christopher Monger