Author & Punisher - Nocturnal Birding (2025)

Author & Punisher is twenty years now, and, after its most ambient (and excellent) album Krüller in 2022, is now back with what is its most grim and aggro album in a long time : Nocturnal Birding. Is the collaboration with guitarist Doug Sabolick the reason? Could be... There are also nice featurings, with Kuntari for the very interesting Titanis and its percussions, Megan Oztrosits of Couch Slut on Mute Swan, and Fange on Black Storm Petrel. Depending on their mood and tastes, I think many people would pick either Krüller or Nocturnal Birding as their favourite A & P albums (I choose both!). Many thanks to A & P for its great contribution in keeping industrial metal strong and interesting!

 

The BC page.

 

Author & Punisher - Krüller (2022)

On this new album called Krüller, one man industrial metal band Author & Punisher (Tristan Shone writing the songs, crafting the machines, playing it and singing), is focusing on his more atmospheric side, with an album that sounds more like a soundtrack (would do totally fine for a dystopian road movie!) than a collection of songs, except two tracks that are a bit different from the rest of the album : the Portishead cover "Glory Box" (not bad, but maybe a separate release would have been better for this one) and "Blacksmith" with its breakcore elements from co-producer of the album Jason Begin (Vytear). I'd say "Melk En Honing" remain my favourite A & P album, but Krüller is a nice and interesting addition to its tremendous discography.

The BC page.

 

My 13 favourites releases in 2018

After my list for favourite releases in grindcore (HERE) and in death matal (THERE), this is my list for my favourite releases for all other styles. Some you will find also in other lists, some others probably not.
I give it in alphabetical order, click the name of the album to go to my review.

Abjection ritual - Soul of Ruin, Body of Filth

Anguish - Anguish

Author and Punisher - Beastland

B.Abuse - Memories of Better Days are Gone

Christian Kjellvander - Wild Hxmans

Dylan Carlson - Conquistador

H880 - God Is Dead

Hank von Hell - Egomania

La Muerte - La Muerte

Oltretomba - L'Ouverture des fosses

Sammal - Suuliekki

Turbonegro - Rock' n' roll Machine

Uniform - The Long Walk

Author & Punisher - Beastland (2018)

Beastland, the sixth album from Author & Punisher (the first on Relapse) sounds quite similar to Melk En Honing, with also those melodies shining through the industrial sound. Is that a problem? not really because Tritan Shone is really good at doing this and it results in another great album. But still I expected more change, maybe a subtle addition of some new elements and I feel slightly disappointed it's not really there. But maybe next album will be more surprising, and for the moment I'm happy to have this new excellent album for A & P to enjoy.

The BC page.

Author & Punisher - Melk En Honing (2015)

What is always mentioned about Author & Punisher (or Tristan Shone) is the fact that the music is made largely with machines of its own creation, but that should not shadow that the music is really good. Of course it is literally industrial and noise music, but also we could say it's doom, because of the heaviness and slow pace (not because of sabbathian riffs, Author & Punisher is all about noise, not riffs). It could reminds NIN (when NIN was really good), especially for the ability to melt melodies into a brutal and bleak industrial metal music. Melk En Honing, released last year on Housecore Records, see the return to the use  of instruments, but the machines and the modified voice largely dominates. This is its sixth album, and as usual a bit different than the others while keeping the level of excellency high. On this one I'd say the focus shifted slightly from noise experimentation to songwriting which is more diverse and complex.

The Bandcamp page.