With the release of The Children Of The Night in April 2015, Sweden’s Tribulation have made a massive impact on the worldwide metal scene. After excessive touring in North America and Europe Tribulation took a well-deserved break not only to recover from the intense album campaign, but also to focus on what lies ahead: A change of drummer and a new album.

Tribulation recently published the following statement about the departure of drummer Jakob Ljungberg, who had been with the group since the album The Formulas Of Death: “As the summer in the year of their lord 2017 draws near and the world in the north is again fully starting to wake from its slumber we, on the other hand, are forced to face an inevitable end in the departure of our drummer Jakob Ljungberg who has decided to leave the band. We have spent the last five years together through pain to heaven, in chaos to bliss! It’s been such a strange, wonderful, tiring and inspiring time and we would like to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for making this time the most important in the history of the band. We surely couldn’t have done it without you. We were like brothers even before the time of Tribulation and we certainly will be in the time after! Make sure to check out Jakob’s unique and most excellent band Second Sun where he sings and plays guitar!”

Jakob Ljungberg also commented as follows: “It is with a heavy heart that I leave Tribulation. These last years have been among the best in my life, but they wore me out and now I have to continue life on different paths. Thanks to everyone involved - you made this journey spectacular, thanks to everyone that came up and said hi - it meant the world to me, thanks to everyone who believed in me - you made me believe in myself. Jonathan, Adam and Johannes: I love you. "The end of nights we tried to die - this is the end”.”

But as every end is also a new beginning, Tribulation have already secured a new drummer in Oscar Leander and have further good news to spread: “After this period of silence, renewal and contemplation the time has now come to give you the new Tribulation! We have now fully immersed ourselves in the making of a new album that will be recorded at summer's end. We are very pleased to announce that Oscar Leander (previously in Deathstars) is our new drummer. He will make his first appearance with us on Muskelrock now on Thursday, June 1st! Are you ready? We are!”

Stay alert for Tribulation’s new studio album, which is planned to be released in early 2018.

Live dates:

June
1 - Alvesta, Sweden - Muskelrock Festival
16 - Dessel, Belgium - Graspop Metal Meeting

July
7 - Idrætsvej, Denmark - Metal Magic Festival

August
25 - Siegen, Germany - Jomsviking Open Air

September
28 - Hultsfred, Sweden - Mörkaste Småland Festzival

October
7 - Hoogeveen, The Netherlands - Graveland Festival

* Please note that Tribulation’s previously announced appearance at Germany’s Bang Your Head festival has unfortunately been cancelled for 2017.

Tribulation lineup (from left to right in the above photo):

Adam Zaars - guitars
Johannes Andersson - vocals, bass
Oscar Leander - drums
Jonathan Hultén - guitars

(Photo - Ove Wiksten)