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This kind of thing isn't very hard to get wrong, what with the formula being about as simple as catchy, snarky riffs layered over with a biting bass, pounding drums, nails-on-a-chalkboard vocals and a production that accentuates the whole thing as the metal-spiked killing machine that it is, and Tribulation are one of those that manage to ace it easily. These young Swedish guys are clearly enthusiastic about what they're doing and they obviously know their roots - this debut album, titled The Horror takes influence from bands like Possessed, Kreator and early Death to create a maelstorm of bubbling, boiling, thrashing Death Metal that is hard to dislike if you like this kind of metal at all.

Sure, the songs are sort of samey, and sure, the album is pretty short, but who the fuck cares about that? Tribulation know their modus operandi here - bash out killer tracks of ass-kicking Death Metal for thirty minutes straight, rinse and repeat. See the doctor for further instructions - and they go after it like a pack of rabid wolves after a slab of meat. The album starts off with a misleading piano intro, but once "Crypt of Thanatophilia," with its raging riffery, kicks up, you'll be sold faster than a kid buying his first car. The band varies things up a little with slower passages in songs like "Curse of Resurrection" and "Beyond the Horror," and even applies some liberal horror-movie-esque synth passages here and there for extra effect. This album is just ace, and if I were you, I would definitely buy this. Even though I already have the promo.