Sometimes in metal, as in life, appearances are deceiving. For example, I’m an invisible Metalhead – you’d never guess I belong to this illustrious community. So when Tribunal‘s Penitence and Ruin promo arrived from 20 Buck Spin, I assumed we had another reliable but predictable old-school Death Metal album on our hands. You know, the typical 3.0/5.0 or maybe slightly better. Oh, but I was surprised to find out this isn’t just a Doom Metal band – it’s a Symphonic Doom Metal band (I can already imagine some of you salivating over that). So, let’s see if this formula works.
Alright, if I had to describe In Penitence and Ruin quickly, I’d say it’s what happens when you mix Draconian with Skepticism. You get the dynamic Goth/Doom writing that makes you feel held and cherished by this world, paired with orchestral work that reminds you how empty every life quest truly is. It might sound contradictory, but it never drags? And it maintains a consistent undercurrent of aggression. It’s not soul-crushingly depressing, but not overly corny either. It even has flashes of Anareta‘s Fear Not (an album you must check out).
I usually steer clear of symphonic elements in Metal, but this time, I’ll admit they’re used inventively. Every instrument complements the others – no gimmicks. The mysterious, almost spooky atmosphere Tribunal crafted keeps pulling me back. Balancing sadness and fun isn’t easy, but In Penitence nails it. Plus, how many albums feature church bells that actually fit with everything else? That’s the real merit here: not just dumping synths and strings on us, but deploying them with taste and vision.
In spite of all the good stuff, In Penitence still follows many of the rules of doom and symphonic, which isn’t necessarily bad, but takes me out of immersion here and there. The album’s pace can also be challenging for some, but not for my usual reasons. It’s not as if it drags, more like the album just sticks to this “trotting” that combined with a loud production, can take a toll on your attention. That’s nothing too terrible, right? Right, and don’t expect relentless violence like 20 Buck Spin has us all used to already.
I can already see how half our readers and the Pegah/Vicky lobby are going to love this thing and push it into some highlights later this year. I’m, as usual, skeptical until the end and will have to see what else Doom has to offer this year, but Tribunal was an enjoyable surprise that despite arriving on a sunny day, brought all the remaining winter bleakness with it. Umm… is that good or bad?
Label: 20 Buck Spin
Release date: April 18, 2025
Website: https://tribunaldoom.bandcamp.com
Country: Canada
Score: Penance! Or 3.7/5.0
Metal Eclipse Reviews 