Tribulation confirm new LP, ‘Where the Gloom Becomes Sound’ + European tour

Swedish gothic metallers Tribulation have announced their new album, ‘Where the Gloom Becomes Sound,’ which is set for release via Metal Blade Records (in North America) and Century Media Records (worldwide excluding North America) in January 2021. The impending effort marks the band’s fifth studio full-length record and follows their 2018 LP, ‘Down Below.’

Here’s more info from this morning’s announcement:

Where the Gloom Becomes Sound was engineered and produced throughout the last months with Jamie Elton at Studio Ryssviken in Stockholm, Sweden, mixed and additionally produced by Tom Dalgety (Ghost, Opeth, Killing Joke, Pixies, etc.) at Psalm Studios, UK and mastered by Magnus Lindberg at Redmount Studios in Stockholm, Sweden. The album’s elegant cover artwork features a statue by Fernand Khnopff from the 19th century and can be seen above.

The band commented:

‘Down, further down, Where the Gloom Becomes Sound…’, Anna-Varney Cantodea once sang in a previous millenium, in a different world. And further down than ‘Down Below’ we went with this one. The album is a sombre one, filled with ghastly shadows and elemental magic – a mythological bestiarium vocabulum ranging from the desert sands to the midnight sun, from our murky prehistorical past to our potentially luminous futures. Figuratively, literally and musically. We worked together with producer Jamie Elton to create something wild and imaginative, something that would take the listener on a nightly adventure along with Fernand Khnopff’s enigmatic sibyl on the cover and with all the gods and goddesses, nymphs and demons that we conjured up during the recording. As an icing on an already frosted cake we had the help of Tom Dalgety for the finishing touches.

Pre-order info for ‘Where the Gloom Becomes Sound’ is forthcoming. Stay tuned.

In addition, Tribulation have announced a 2021 European trek with Bolzer and Molassess. Regarding the outing, the band said:

Now at summer’s end in the near endless year of trials and tribulations that is 2020, after a touring hiatus and a new album in the so called, bag, we are very happy to announce that we are yet again about to trek across the ancient body of Europa – over her flesh and through her veins – the land where the sun ever sets. And as fortunate as we sometimes are, we will have both Bolzer and Molassess aiding us in spreading the gloom in each of the 20 cities we are visiting. At this point, we all need a little taste of Saturnalia, and as so, we encourage you all to join us in taking a step into the time before time, in illo tempore, and a step out of the profane everyday existence. Be open and let us possess you, at least for a night!

Bolzer added:

Being presented with an opportunity to travel and perform again, furthermore in the esteemed company of our friends Tribulation and Molassess, leaves us feeling nothing shy of honoured and indeed privileged. Should the fates show themselves to be merciful, attendees can expect the emotive opening of Pandora’s box…

Molassess stated:

Although times are anything but certain, the prospect of illuminating Europe with two strong allies in Tribulation and Bolzer stirs our hearts and charges us to move forward. Let’s hope our paths will be cleared, and we can move beyond our first ever performance alongside this pack.

Here are those dates:

Jan. 29 – Copenhagen (Denmark) – Pumpehuset
Jan. 30 – Hamburg (Germany) – Uebel & Gefährlich
Jan. 31 – Utrecht (The Netherlands) – De Helling
Feb. 2 – Vosselaar (Belgium) – Biebob
Feb. 3 – London (UK) – The Dome
Feb. 4 – Paris (France) – Petit Bain
Feb. 5 – Milan (Italy) – Slaughter Club
Feb. 6 – Bern (Switzerland) – Dachstock
Feb. 7 – Essen (Germany) – Turock
Feb. 9 – Heidelberg (Germany) – Halle 2
Feb. 10 – Munich (Germany) – Technikum
Feb. 11 – Krakow (Poland) – Kwadrat
Feb. 12 – Prague (Czech Republic) – Nova Chmelnice
Feb. 13 – Vienna (Austria) – Szene
Feb. 14 – Budapest (Hungary) – A38
Feb. 16 – Berlin (Germany) – Columbia Theater
Feb. 17 – Malmö (Sweden) – Babel
Feb. 18 – Oslo (Norway) – Parkteatret
Feb. 19 – Gothenburg (Sweden) – Valand
Feb. 20 – Stockholm (Sweden) – Slaktkyrkan

Also, Tribulation have the following 2021 shows lined-up:

June 20 – Dessel (Belgium) – Graspop Metal Meeting
June 15-17 – Gävle (Sweden) – Gefle Metal Festival
Aug. 3-7 – Bergen (Norway) – Beyond The Gates Festival
Sept. 12 – Stockholm (Sweden) – Macken Festival

Tribulation are:
Johannes Andersson – Bass/Vocals
Jonathan Hultén – Guitars
Adam Zaars – Guitars
Oscar Leander – Drums

Artist photo by Ester Segarra