Look how they massacred my boy…. There’s a fine line in a band’s evolution where it can bring new soundscapes that enhances the music or it can go over the edge and dilute their strengths. The latter is unfortunately the result of Tribulation’s newest opus Sub Rosa In Æternum. 

Now on their sixth full-length, the gothic/death metal sound seesaws towards a mish-mash of poisoned influences that range from electronic rock, drum machines, post-punk, Nick Cave worship, ‘70s psychedelia wrapped in this gothic rock ribbon. Going for this stark change is commendable and doing something different and daring should be credited, however the Swedes have tilted too far in another direction where it barely resembles who they are/were.

First noticeable difference is the use of clean vocals by Johannes Andersson, acting as sort of ghoulish narrator in intro “The Unrelenting Choir” in his baritone delivery – it’s crossed with his vaunted growls and while it takes getting used to; it works within the context of the songwriting. The duality of his vocals shine on the proper, sterling opener “Tainted Skies” and the dancing notes in punkish “Saturn Coming Down” (which went over well live). 

3-minute “Drink The Love Of God” is a short punky burst carried by cleans and dramatic guitar solos and a tear runs down my cheek when track six plays as “Time & The Vivid Ore” remembers the Tribulation of yore with growls and hard-hitting guitars with ascending notes and memorable chorus.

Where this album falls flat on its face is the electro, synth, classic horror influenced “Murder In Red”, a gothic, drab ballad in “Hungry Waters”, and the last two tracks – “Reaping Song” and “Poison Pages”. The former is a dismal, piano dripped ode to a lost love and “Poison Pages” rocks along, but fails to get off the ground, ending Sub Rosa with a disappointing whimper.

The biggest problem is Tribulation sounding like others rather than sounding like themselves. It’s a far cry when they were pushing the boundaries of black/death metal in the ambitious The Formulas Of Death or the fantastic merging of gothic, vampiric bite and black/death in The Children Of The Night. Sub Rosa In Æternum is a hollow horror with vapid intensity and experiments that are devoid of the band’s spirit.