Tribulation
Hailing from Sweden, Tribulation seems to be one of the most promising extreme Metal acts out there, and thanks to mighty Pulverised Records here we have the prove that things going better and better for this band now that their first album called "The Horror" has just been released! I decided to see what all is about with this first album, and Andy answered my questions!
Arcana Noctis: Hello! Your last album "The Horror" is finally out under the Pulverised Records banner and it seems that everything goes very well out there! Am I right?
Andy: Hello! Yes, it's been out for about 1 year now and it's been doing great I think. The promotion has been great and people have received it very well. So far one tour has come and gone, and now there is more to come.
Arcana Noctis: You started band's activity about 5 years ago being influenced by Morbid Angel/Autopsy to be exact! But I'll let you to tell us what the most important steps you did until today with Tribulation are.
Andy: We started out sort of evolving into playing the kind of music that we did from playing in different bands before this. And the part of evolving never ended. As you can tell from the earlier releases, the album doesn't sound the same. The most important step is by far releasing "The Horror", it showed people what we really had in us. You really can't come far without releasing an album; this theory has proven to be right.
Arcana Noctis: You started with a demo called "The Ascending Dead" recorded in 2005 for Zombie Ritual Tapes. Soon after that you recorded band's second material, a 7" EP called "Putrid Rebirth" for Blood Harvest Records! Tell us a few words about the 2 products I've mentioned above, and don't forget to mention what was your activity since now when you released the first full length!
Andy: The first demo contains the first fragments of what was and is to be. It is Thrash/Death Metal written by teenagers, no more, no less. I think we wrote most of the material when we were about 15. The EP that followed was a natural step in the evolution. It's a bit faster and a bit deadlier and I still really like a track like "Dread City Of Death". As for now, when the album is out, we've had one European tour as I mentioned. We played in 13 countries with Vital Remains and two other bands. Even though the tour seemed to be a failure to most people involved, it was indeed a victory for us. We have done some stray gigs as well, as will continue, and we've appeared in most major magazines as well. Next year we'll focus on writing and recording a new album, as well as playing live some more. We have a few plans in the making.
Arcana Noctis: Your new material was officially released by Pulverised Records and you decided to name it "The Horror"! Please introduce us this album by telling us all the technical details we should know about it and the story of each track.
Andy: There is no particular story behind each track; it is supposed to be listened to from beginning to end as one individual track with many varying parts. We wanted everything to fit with our idea of how to create an eerie and sinister atmosphere without losing the Rock'n'Roll of the core. Hence there are tracks that stand out as "hits", but that's only a bonus I guess. Things seem to have a way of their own. We didn't want to make another ordinary Death Metal release, and we did not want to make just another ordinary old school Death Metal release, which only gets swallowed in the mass of mediocrity. And as it seems, we succeeded. At least considering it is our first album.
Arcana Noctis: Many people said that this album seems to be a little bit to short, and many thought that if you took some songs from your previous records should make it more attractive. What is all about in your point of view?
Andy: The songs from the previous recordings have no place on "The Horror". They don't reach up to the standards of the songs on the album. If we had wanted the album to be longer, we would have made it longer. We could easily have done a couple of extra songs, but we decided not to simply because we we're satisfied. It's a punch in the face, an impact, a way to say "fuck off!" You won't get that with a longer album, at least we wouldn't. With that said I'm not saying that we'll continue this way on forthcoming recordings. Like I said, things seem to have ways of their own and you have to trust yourself and your instincts.
Arcana Noctis: Tell us a few things about the lyrical content that you imagined for "The Horror"; also about the cover artwork that seems to be a very interesting one in my point of view! Where did you find all the ideas that you used to create such an interesting lyrical content and an awesome layout?
Andy: The lyrics go hand in hand with the rest of the album. They had to be of a dark nature, and this dark nature was found in films and in art. We were still teenagers when we wrote the lyrics, but they still reflect the nature of the album and they fit. They are of the same kind as the layout is, dark and sinister. As well as the lyrics, the layout had to fit. That's why we decided to do it ourselves. We worked hard on it and it turned out the way we intended.
Arcana Noctis: You decided to work with Necromorbus for the recording sessions of this album; and I would like to remind to our readers and band listeners that Necromorbus is very known for his cooperation with many important bands such as Watain, Averse Sefira, Funeral Mist or In Battle to name but a few! So how was the recording process in his company?
Andy: We recorded it in Hvergelmer Studios in Arvika, Tore of Necromorbus only did the mixing and mastering. He did a fantastic job and it turned out as we had expected. We'll continue our cooperation with him in the future.
Arcana Noctis: In my point of view this album have all the attributes to become a classic of the actual Death Metal scene. What do you think about this last creation from your long career?
Andy: As I see it as the first real creation of our newly begun career I can only hope that it becomes what you say. First releases have a way of leaving an impact on people. The thing that I don't hope is that people will do as they usually do and dismiss all upcoming releases just because they don't sound exactly like the first. I guess we'll find out. And as for myself, I am very satisfied with the result.
Arcana Noctis: What can you tell us about your collaboration with Pulverised Records? Are you happy with the final outcome, are you going to shoot a video clip to promote the album in some other ways as you do now?
Andy: Pulverised Records have been great to us, they gave us proper promotion. No video will be shot for any song on the album, no. If we we're to do a video one day it would require a bigger budget than that which we have today. It would have to reflect everything the music speaks, and would be a really hard task.
Arcana Noctis: If I'm not wrong some of you are still working with some other bands such as Enforcer, Guerilla or Stench! What's the news concerning all the bands I've mentioned before; and tell us if there are some others to be mentioned?
Andy: Enforcer is going stronger and stronger each day, and we're quite busy touring. Stench is also going strong, and has just released their first EP, and I can advise everyone to buy it.
Arcana Noctis: Now, let's get back to your actual band, Tribulation, and tell us what should we expect from you in the near future concerning band's live activity?
Andy: Like I said, we're going to play live more next year. Individual gigs are being booked and there might also be another tour.
Arcana Noctis: As a very important Death Metal musician, what would you say about the present Death Metal scene compared to the one from the 90s? Also, what's your point of view concerning all the comebacks we saw in the latest years, starting with Obituary, Atheist, Pestilence, Cynic, Carcass and to many others to be named here?
Andy: It's quite well I would have to say, there are a few bands that are really, really good nowadays such as Necrovation, Necros Christos, Drowned, Dead Congregation, Kaamos and Teitanblood. All these bands have managed to keep the right formulas and have created new stuff out of it. I don't care that much for the scene in the 90s at all, most of the bands were better in the 80s. The late 90s scene, if you can call it that, was better with bands like Repugnant. About the reunited bands I couldn't care less, at least those you listed here. The only band I enjoy seeing from the old ones is Morbid Angel, but they never stopped only to start again when it's "in".
Arcana Noctis: Do you think that the present situation of the extreme Metal scene brings benefits for the Death Metal in all its chapters? I mean thousands of bands, webzines, magazines etc., are to much more from a day to another!
Andy: There are different ways of viewing it. A thing like MySpace works perfect for a band like Tribulation, simply because we want to become bigger. We won't change our music in order to do it, and we won't adapt to what someone says would be good for us, we'll do what we feel and we know it's within the bounds of the true essence of this music of death, and it always will be. On the other hand there are bands that won't benefit from it simply because they don't want the publicity, something that I respect. I'm still there myself, only not with Tribulation. The downside is that a lot of crap bands get attention as well, and they get it easier now than before.
Arcana Noctis: What should we expect from the Swedish extreme Metal scene in particular? Are there interesting combos that we should know about?
Andy: It's always been strong, and as it seems this way will continue. And that goes for more than the extreme side of it, there are a lot of other good Rock/Metal bands coming out of Sweden nowadays as well like In Solitude, Graveyard and Witchcraft. Older bands like Nifelheim are still going strong as well!
Arcana Noctis: Hello! Your last album "The Horror" is finally out under the Pulverised Records banner and it seems that everything goes very well out there! Am I right?
Andy: Hello! Yes, it's been out for about 1 year now and it's been doing great I think. The promotion has been great and people have received it very well. So far one tour has come and gone, and now there is more to come.
Arcana Noctis: You started band's activity about 5 years ago being influenced by Morbid Angel/Autopsy to be exact! But I'll let you to tell us what the most important steps you did until today with Tribulation are.
Andy: We started out sort of evolving into playing the kind of music that we did from playing in different bands before this. And the part of evolving never ended. As you can tell from the earlier releases, the album doesn't sound the same. The most important step is by far releasing "The Horror", it showed people what we really had in us. You really can't come far without releasing an album; this theory has proven to be right.
Arcana Noctis: You started with a demo called "The Ascending Dead" recorded in 2005 for Zombie Ritual Tapes. Soon after that you recorded band's second material, a 7" EP called "Putrid Rebirth" for Blood Harvest Records! Tell us a few words about the 2 products I've mentioned above, and don't forget to mention what was your activity since now when you released the first full length!
Andy: The first demo contains the first fragments of what was and is to be. It is Thrash/Death Metal written by teenagers, no more, no less. I think we wrote most of the material when we were about 15. The EP that followed was a natural step in the evolution. It's a bit faster and a bit deadlier and I still really like a track like "Dread City Of Death". As for now, when the album is out, we've had one European tour as I mentioned. We played in 13 countries with Vital Remains and two other bands. Even though the tour seemed to be a failure to most people involved, it was indeed a victory for us. We have done some stray gigs as well, as will continue, and we've appeared in most major magazines as well. Next year we'll focus on writing and recording a new album, as well as playing live some more. We have a few plans in the making.
Arcana Noctis: Your new material was officially released by Pulverised Records and you decided to name it "The Horror"! Please introduce us this album by telling us all the technical details we should know about it and the story of each track.
Andy: There is no particular story behind each track; it is supposed to be listened to from beginning to end as one individual track with many varying parts. We wanted everything to fit with our idea of how to create an eerie and sinister atmosphere without losing the Rock'n'Roll of the core. Hence there are tracks that stand out as "hits", but that's only a bonus I guess. Things seem to have a way of their own. We didn't want to make another ordinary Death Metal release, and we did not want to make just another ordinary old school Death Metal release, which only gets swallowed in the mass of mediocrity. And as it seems, we succeeded. At least considering it is our first album.
Arcana Noctis: Many people said that this album seems to be a little bit to short, and many thought that if you took some songs from your previous records should make it more attractive. What is all about in your point of view?
Andy: The songs from the previous recordings have no place on "The Horror". They don't reach up to the standards of the songs on the album. If we had wanted the album to be longer, we would have made it longer. We could easily have done a couple of extra songs, but we decided not to simply because we we're satisfied. It's a punch in the face, an impact, a way to say "fuck off!" You won't get that with a longer album, at least we wouldn't. With that said I'm not saying that we'll continue this way on forthcoming recordings. Like I said, things seem to have ways of their own and you have to trust yourself and your instincts.
Arcana Noctis: Tell us a few things about the lyrical content that you imagined for "The Horror"; also about the cover artwork that seems to be a very interesting one in my point of view! Where did you find all the ideas that you used to create such an interesting lyrical content and an awesome layout?
Andy: The lyrics go hand in hand with the rest of the album. They had to be of a dark nature, and this dark nature was found in films and in art. We were still teenagers when we wrote the lyrics, but they still reflect the nature of the album and they fit. They are of the same kind as the layout is, dark and sinister. As well as the lyrics, the layout had to fit. That's why we decided to do it ourselves. We worked hard on it and it turned out the way we intended.
Arcana Noctis: You decided to work with Necromorbus for the recording sessions of this album; and I would like to remind to our readers and band listeners that Necromorbus is very known for his cooperation with many important bands such as Watain, Averse Sefira, Funeral Mist or In Battle to name but a few! So how was the recording process in his company?
Andy: We recorded it in Hvergelmer Studios in Arvika, Tore of Necromorbus only did the mixing and mastering. He did a fantastic job and it turned out as we had expected. We'll continue our cooperation with him in the future.
Arcana Noctis: In my point of view this album have all the attributes to become a classic of the actual Death Metal scene. What do you think about this last creation from your long career?
Andy: As I see it as the first real creation of our newly begun career I can only hope that it becomes what you say. First releases have a way of leaving an impact on people. The thing that I don't hope is that people will do as they usually do and dismiss all upcoming releases just because they don't sound exactly like the first. I guess we'll find out. And as for myself, I am very satisfied with the result.
Arcana Noctis: What can you tell us about your collaboration with Pulverised Records? Are you happy with the final outcome, are you going to shoot a video clip to promote the album in some other ways as you do now?
Andy: Pulverised Records have been great to us, they gave us proper promotion. No video will be shot for any song on the album, no. If we we're to do a video one day it would require a bigger budget than that which we have today. It would have to reflect everything the music speaks, and would be a really hard task.
Arcana Noctis: If I'm not wrong some of you are still working with some other bands such as Enforcer, Guerilla or Stench! What's the news concerning all the bands I've mentioned before; and tell us if there are some others to be mentioned?
Andy: Enforcer is going stronger and stronger each day, and we're quite busy touring. Stench is also going strong, and has just released their first EP, and I can advise everyone to buy it.
Arcana Noctis: Now, let's get back to your actual band, Tribulation, and tell us what should we expect from you in the near future concerning band's live activity?
Andy: Like I said, we're going to play live more next year. Individual gigs are being booked and there might also be another tour.
Arcana Noctis: As a very important Death Metal musician, what would you say about the present Death Metal scene compared to the one from the 90s? Also, what's your point of view concerning all the comebacks we saw in the latest years, starting with Obituary, Atheist, Pestilence, Cynic, Carcass and to many others to be named here?
Andy: It's quite well I would have to say, there are a few bands that are really, really good nowadays such as Necrovation, Necros Christos, Drowned, Dead Congregation, Kaamos and Teitanblood. All these bands have managed to keep the right formulas and have created new stuff out of it. I don't care that much for the scene in the 90s at all, most of the bands were better in the 80s. The late 90s scene, if you can call it that, was better with bands like Repugnant. About the reunited bands I couldn't care less, at least those you listed here. The only band I enjoy seeing from the old ones is Morbid Angel, but they never stopped only to start again when it's "in".
Arcana Noctis: Do you think that the present situation of the extreme Metal scene brings benefits for the Death Metal in all its chapters? I mean thousands of bands, webzines, magazines etc., are to much more from a day to another!
Andy: There are different ways of viewing it. A thing like MySpace works perfect for a band like Tribulation, simply because we want to become bigger. We won't change our music in order to do it, and we won't adapt to what someone says would be good for us, we'll do what we feel and we know it's within the bounds of the true essence of this music of death, and it always will be. On the other hand there are bands that won't benefit from it simply because they don't want the publicity, something that I respect. I'm still there myself, only not with Tribulation. The downside is that a lot of crap bands get attention as well, and they get it easier now than before.
Arcana Noctis: What should we expect from the Swedish extreme Metal scene in particular? Are there interesting combos that we should know about?
Andy: It's always been strong, and as it seems this way will continue. And that goes for more than the extreme side of it, there are a lot of other good Rock/Metal bands coming out of Sweden nowadays as well like In Solitude, Graveyard and Witchcraft. Older bands like Nifelheim are still going strong as well!