In every genre of music, there are true artists that push boundaries and stand out from the crowd. In the industrial metal world, Tristan Shone’s Author & Punisher is doing just that. His latest release, Beastland (Relapse), is a continuation of the evolution of what industrial metal can be. Tristan is a mechanical engineer who built his own instruments that have expanded and evolved over the course of his discography as has the material he has written. This fact alone puts Author & Punisher really in a genre of its own.

‘Nihil Strength’ is the second track of the album and best shows what Author & Punisher is all about. Percussive beats are the lifeblood of the song while the ambiance kicks in later on to add further depth. ‘The Speaker is Systematically Broken’ is one of the tracks on Beastland where Tristan writes a great repeating riff with a catchy chorus and clean vocals. The bridge of the track also has a great doom feel to it with an eerie synth harmony that is sure to give you goosebumps. ‘Nazarene’ is another instant classic on first listen and might be one of my favorite tracks written so far in the whole discography. Another great doom and gloom track that feels cold and ominous yet is beautiful. The hooks in the chorus are sure to stay in your head throughout the day as well.

Hard to say if there are any weak tracks on Beastland, which feels like an odyssey that is only thirty-six minutes long. The project known simply as Author & Punisher continues to grow, evolve, and spread like a gorgeous disease. After years of watching Tristan continuously build new pieces of equipment while crafting beautiful, yet melancholy music, I feel this may be his best yet. That is, until my suggestion of a Full of Hell / Author & Punisher collaboration album finally happens.

8.5/10

TIM LEDIN