Tribunal – In Penitence And Ruin
Review by: Blake Mossey
Review Score: 8
Tribunal is a doom metal band from Vancouver, blending gothic and classical influences with crushing riffs and haunting vocals with growling mixed in. Formed in 2020 by Soren Mourne and Etienne Flinn, their 2023 debut The Weight of Remembrance delivers sorrowful, atmospheric metal that nods to Candlemass and Dead Can Dance while forging a sound all their own. Which made it to my top albums of 2023 list.
If your idea of a good time includes weeping into your cloak while slow, mournful cello swells usher you into an abyss of sorrow—congratulations, Tribunal’s In Penitence and Ruin is the album you’ve been waiting for.
The Canadian doom ensemble returns with their second full-length, expanding from a duo to a full five-piece and, with it, broadening their sound into a more sophisticated and multifaceted vision of gothic doom. While their debut, The Weight of Remembrance, was a little heavier, In Penitence and Ruin takes that melancholic foundation and infuses it with a rich baroque flair and a more traditional doom influence.
The album opens with “Incarnadine”, which lures you in with elegant cello lines before dropping you into a morass of thunderous riffs and that signature Tribunal duality—Soren Mourne’s soaring, operatic cleans gracefully entwined with Etienne Flinn’s cavernous growls. The “beauty and the beast” dynamic isn’t just a gimmick here—it’s the lifeblood of Tribunal’s atmosphere, adding both elegance and gravitas to each track.
“A Wound Unhealing” and “Angel of Mercy” follow suit, each carefully walking a tightrope between bruising doom and ornate melodicism. There’s something satisfyingly hypnotic about the way Tribunal blend haunting keys, shimmering guitar lines, and cello interludes with their dual vocals—imagine Cradle of Filth lost in a catacomb with no candles and too many feelings.
Mid-album highlight “The Sword of the Slain” wastes no time establishing itself as one of the strongest offerings. Within seconds, you’re caught in its web of mournful riffs and rhythmic shifts, all delivered with a finesse that makes the misery almost… danceable? Okay, maybe not quite, but it’s got that memorable, toe-tapping gloom we doom heads secretly crave.
Tribunal wisely gives you a breather with “Ruin,” a 70-second cello piece that lets the tears dry just enough before plunging you back into the heavy with “The Penitent.” Here, Soren’s vocals take on a near-spoken quality, laying atop lush melodies and subtly shifting rhythms that show the band’s evolving sense of arrangement and dynamic control.
The latter half of the album holds just as much emotional weight, with “Armoured in Shadow” and “…And the Thorn-Choked Flowers Grow” continuing the trend of textured layering and tension between light and dark. The final track, “Between the Sea and Stars,” closes the record with an almost cinematic swell—cello, keys, and clean vocals building to an ethereal climax that leaves you somewhere between devastated and delighted.
Tribunal aren’t just here to wallow—they’re here to architect an experience. Each member’s contributions feel distinct and purposeful, from the mournful string arrangements to the crushing riffs and smart song structures. Rather than making any one member the focal point, the band shares the spotlight, weaving a tapestry of sorrow that’s as varied as it is immersive.
Bring tissues, and maybe a goblet of wine.
TRIBUNAL:
Soren Mourne – bass, cello, vocals
Etienne Flinn – guitar, vocals
Jessica Yang – guitar
Dallas Alice – keys
Julia Geaman – drums