Artist: Author & Punisher
Album: Krüller (2022)
Label: Relapse Records
Genre: Industrial Metal / Darksynth
Tristan Shone is the one-man bandleader and mastermind behind the industrial darksynth project Author & Punisher. Shone performs his music using a unique collection of hand-built electronic synthesizers and sound machines and has been doing so in earnest for the better part of the last decade.
With 2018’s ‘Beastland,’ Shone found a new audience by shifting to the roster of Relapse Records, a label better known for forward-thinking death metal than doom electronics. With his mind-blowing new album ‘Krüller’, Shone has achieved a clarity and purpose of sound previously unheard in his other work. Of particular note are collaborators Justin Chancellor and Danny Carey, better known as the rhythm section of alternative metal stalwarts Tool, who show up sporadically to fill in some of the low end of Shone’s electronics.
The music reveals shades of late 90’s industrial acts like Nine Inch Nails, Ministry, and Type O Negative, especially in the aggressive vocals and lush layers of metallic distortion, yet ‘Krüller’ remains an absolutely singular listening experience. Shone’s songwriting chops are on display here as well – no longer content with half-finished sound collages or drones, Shone instead focuses on a more streamlined compositional style that benefits the flow of the album as a whole.
This one’s definitely one of the stronger releases of 2022 so far and a easy recommendation for fans of industrial music, alternative metal, or darkwave electronic music.
Thomas Jacob Jr is a Producer, Composer, Singer-Songwriter, Music Educator and Digital Artist currently based in Arizona – Bringing us rare and interesting selections from his extensive Vinyl collection! For more content follow his vinyl-dedicated Instagram account
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