Author & Punisher
After leaving a career as mechanical engineer in Boston to focus on art and sculpture, Tristan Shone, the creator and sole artist behind AUTHOR & PUNISHER , moved west to pursue his MFA in Southern California. In the metal and machine shops of University of California, San Diego, Shone forged a relationship with design, sound and fabrication that ultimately yielded AUTHOR & PUNISHER‘ s first music which mapped the journey away from traditional instrumentation towards custom made, precision machinery. Shone used his technical knowledge, along with his artistic background to create what Wired Magazine has hailed as his own “special brand of doom metal”, using these custom “Drone Machines”.
All aspects of the AUTHOR & PUNISHER sound begin with physical movement, limbs struggling in unison to coordinate a wall of electronic rhythm and oscillation, ultimately conditioned by an organic and loose quality absent of plastic perfection. AUTHOR & PUNISHER performances are a real amalgamation between man and mechanisms. They are direct, physical, heavy experiences that have amassed praise and intrigue from a wide array of audiences. Pitchfork styled him “immediate but mysterious,” Stereogum described his “chilling, unrecognizable form,” and NPR hails him as “a thrill [who] fires on all cylinders”.
Now in 2018, AUTHOR & PUNISHER delivers his sixth full-length recording and Relapse debut Beastland . A robotic experimentation in industrial metal, noise, doom and drone, AUTHOR & PUNISHER recalls Nine Inch Nails channeling Godflesh, traversing through dark, uncompromising, and often disturbing soundscapes with occasional detours into rich melodies and splinters of light. Armed with newly built “Drone Machines” and a new label, Beastland is AUTHOR & PUNISHER’s career-defining statement and a powerful listening experience that further blurs the line between man and machine.
Xasthur
Xasthur was formed in the US in December 1995 by Malefic. A few rehearsal tapes were made and members were kicked. In 1999, after more were kicked out, Malefic found a person called Mike. They did a split MCD with Orosius. Mike handled drums and vocals while Malefic took care of guitar and bass, but due to lack of funding and only 20 minutes of recording it was not worthy of being distributed. After that incident Mike left.
In 2001 Xasthur became a one-man project and "A Gate Through Bloodstained Mirrors" was then released through Makahru. The demo gained positive responses and was compared to old Graveland and Burzum. In 2002 the first album "Nocturnal Poisoning" was released through Blood Fire Death Records. It was followed by a split CD with Acid Enema.
In 2003 the 12" mLP "Suicide in Dark Serenity" was released along with the re-release of the split with Acid Enema and the album "The Funeral of Being".
On August 28th, 2009, Malefic announced that he would release albums on his own label called Disharmonic Variations, and Xasthur will never release anymore split releases. On September 30, Malefic announced that Marissa Nadler would provide backing vocals on the next album, "Portal of Sorrow."
On March 26, 2010, Malefic announced that "Portal of Sorrow" would be the final Xasthur release and that his next project would be outside the metal genre.
In 2015 Scott announced that the name Xasthur will be used for his new acoustic project. The new full-length "Subject To Change" was published in May 2016.
Line-up:
Malefic (Scott Conner) - drums, guitars (6 & 12 string), bass, piano, keyboards, music, lyrics, voice and misery
Former members:
Ritual (Mike Pardi) - drums, vocals (1999)
M.H. (Mark Hunter) - selected ambient nostalgia (keyboards) and ear deception (additional vocals) (2008-2009)
Marissa Nadler - backing vocals on Portal of Sorrow (2010)
Wear Your Wounds
Originally founded as a solo project of Converge founder Jacob Bannon. The live band has grown to include Mike McKenzie (Stomach Earth, The Red Chord, Unraveller), Adam McGrath (Cave In, Nomad Stones, 27, Zozobra), Sean Martin (Twitching Tongues, Hatebreed), and Chris Maggio (Sleigh Bells, Trap Them, Coliseum).
Author & Punisher
After leaving a career as mechanical engineer in Boston to focus on art and sculpture, Tristan Shone, the creator and sole artist behind AUTHOR & PUNISHER , moved west to pursue his MFA in Southern California. In the metal and machine shops of University of California, San Diego, Shone forged a relationship with design, sound and fabrication that ultimately yielded AUTHOR & PUNISHER‘ s first music which mapped the journey away from traditional instrumentation towards custom made, precision machinery. Shone used his technical knowledge, along with his artistic background to create what Wired Magazine has hailed as his own “special brand of doom metal”, using these custom “Drone Machines”.
All aspects of the AUTHOR & PUNISHER sound begin with physical movement, limbs struggling in unison to coordinate a wall of electronic rhythm and oscillation, ultimately conditioned by an organic and loose quality absent of plastic perfection. AUTHOR & PUNISHER performances are a real amalgamation between man and mechanisms. They are direct, physical, heavy experiences that have amassed praise and intrigue from a wide array of audiences. Pitchfork styled him “immediate but mysterious,” Stereogum described his “chilling, unrecognizable form,” and NPR hails him as “a thrill [who] fires on all cylinders”.
Now in 2018, AUTHOR & PUNISHER delivers his sixth full-length recording and Relapse debut Beastland . A robotic experimentation in industrial metal, noise, doom and drone, AUTHOR & PUNISHER recalls Nine Inch Nails channeling Godflesh, traversing through dark, uncompromising, and often disturbing soundscapes with occasional detours into rich melodies and splinters of light. Armed with newly built “Drone Machines” and a new label, Beastland is AUTHOR & PUNISHER’s career-defining statement and a powerful listening experience that further blurs the line between man and machine.
Xasthur
Xasthur was formed in the US in December 1995 by Malefic. A few rehearsal tapes were made and members were kicked. In 1999, after more were kicked out, Malefic found a person called Mike. They did a split MCD with Orosius. Mike handled drums and vocals while Malefic took care of guitar and bass, but due to lack of funding and only 20 minutes of recording it was not worthy of being distributed. After that incident Mike left.
In 2001 Xasthur became a one-man project and "A Gate Through Bloodstained Mirrors" was then released through Makahru. The demo gained positive responses and was compared to old Graveland and Burzum. In 2002 the first album "Nocturnal Poisoning" was released through Blood Fire Death Records. It was followed by a split CD with Acid Enema.
In 2003 the 12" mLP "Suicide in Dark Serenity" was released along with the re-release of the split with Acid Enema and the album "The Funeral of Being".
On August 28th, 2009, Malefic announced that he would release albums on his own label called Disharmonic Variations, and Xasthur will never release anymore split releases. On September 30, Malefic announced that Marissa Nadler would provide backing vocals on the next album, "Portal of Sorrow."
On March 26, 2010, Malefic announced that "Portal of Sorrow" would be the final Xasthur release and that his next project would be outside the metal genre.
In 2015 Scott announced that the name Xasthur will be used for his new acoustic project. The new full-length "Subject To Change" was published in May 2016.
Line-up:
Malefic (Scott Conner) - drums, guitars (6 & 12 string), bass, piano, keyboards, music, lyrics, voice and misery
Former members:
Ritual (Mike Pardi) - drums, vocals (1999)
M.H. (Mark Hunter) - selected ambient nostalgia (keyboards) and ear deception (additional vocals) (2008-2009)
Marissa Nadler - backing vocals on Portal of Sorrow (2010)
Wear Your Wounds
Originally founded as a solo project of Converge founder Jacob Bannon. The live band has grown to include Mike McKenzie (Stomach Earth, The Red Chord, Unraveller), Adam McGrath (Cave In, Nomad Stones, 27, Zozobra), Sean Martin (Twitching Tongues, Hatebreed), and Chris Maggio (Sleigh Bells, Trap Them, Coliseum).
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