For those of you keeping score, Author & Punisher is the brainchild of Tristan Shone, who combines his background and interest in mechanical engineering, post-modern sculpture and industrial doom into a holistic and custom-made presentation of sight and sound.
The early days of Einstürzende Neubauten hanging on the shoulder of the autobahn and Godflesh’s merciless cold-warmth colliding straight into the abrasive side of Kevin Martin’s (God/The Bug) work/personality gives an idea from where Tristan’s sixth album is emerging.
However, the Phil Anselmo-produced Melk En Honing is much more than random noises, beats and screaming as Bastard Noise-like harsh tone and the textures of classic WaxTrax releases (i.e. Pigface, Pailhead, early Ministry and NIN) are basted together in heart-wrenchers like Shame and the epic, vocal-driven Future Man, despite the overall unforgiving nature. The consistent snail’s pace of these eight songs does dampen the album’s dynamic reach, but doesn’t prevent Melk En Honing from being a haunting, cinematic take on post-apocalyptic art.
