Tribulation, Early Moods, Final Gasp, Unreqvited

A sadomasochist must’ve booked Tribulation’s North American razing: 21 gigs between May 1 and 25. Austin’s midpoint performance at least comes with a day off to get here from Phoenix. All the better, because a decade-plus of live sieges from the Swedish metallics – including a driving thunderstorm outside at Barracuda – needs prep for another local sundering. Sixth full-length in 21 years, Sub Rosa In Aeternum continues the “Melancholia” melodiousness begun on 2015’s The Children of the Night and peaking three years later on Down Below. Now, the Stockholm quartet goes full-on goth and naturally so, from Bauhaus batman Peter Murphy to Type O Negative martyr Peter Steele. Strap IN. – Raoul Hernandez