Author & Punisher, the one-man noise project from Tristan Shone, has never been conventional. Shone's music consists entirely of noise made from machines and masks he's made himself digitally manipulated to be essentially whatever he's trying to achieve. Sure, there's some drum stuff in there, but by and large it's all music by machines that he's built.
Now Shone is working on a new record with Phil Anselmo! The record will be the first from Shone to be released on Anselmo's Housecore label and is due in 2015. Anselmo is also co-producing the album. Can we hope for a guest vocal spot? I'm definitely pulling for it, only because you know damn well it'll get weird after Shone adds his signature touch to it! The press release featured quotes from both musicians:
"I went into the writing process with a new setup of both old Drone Machines, newer Dub Machines and synth, as I have found combinations that work effectively together," explains Tristan Shone. "From day one of our session and throughout, Phil Anselmo and his longtime crew of Mike Thompson and Big Fella have nurtured the heaviness and dissonance in my songs and the machines with a very interesting focus on vocals. The experience at Housecore has been so positive because, yes, we are making a record, but we are together 24 hours a day and the welcome has made me feel relaxed so I can produce the art. This is the first time I have really worked with anyone on an AUTHOR & PUNISHER recording and to be fully engrossed in your songs for more than three weeks with Phil has really allowed us to find."
"Tristan Shone is a genius," said Anselmo. "I've seen him do his thing for a few years now and toured with him. We set up a recording session for early November 2014, and his crushing of most things common in music ensued. But lo and behold, I heard him SING. And it blew me away. What now separates him from other noise-type bands is his voice! It is an art to make excellent noise, and it's an art to be able to use one's voice to its full potential. The songs we're recording are noisy, dismal and beautiful — an excellent combination. To not maximize his talents would be a slight to Tristan's art. This is what we intend to do through his songs, and I'm proud to be a part of this alliance."
