Author & Punisher
Author & Punisher | |
|---|---|
 Author & Punisher live at Roadburn Festival 2017 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | Tristan Shone October 18, 1977 |
| Origin | San Diego, California, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 2004–present |
| Website | authorandpunisher |
Author & Punisher is a one-man band from San Diego, formed in January 2004 by American mechanical engineer and artist Tristan Shone. Shone performs in a style based on industrial metal and drone music, using self-made devices he calls "Drone Machines" and "Dub Machines".[2][3] Shone was inspired to build his own instruments to achieve the sound he wanted that conventional instruments could not accomplish, and also due to the difficulty in finding band members.[4]
The name is a reference to a religious t-shirt that Shone wore in college. Shone said it was a way to poke fun at a bible verse that refers to Jesus as "author and finisher" (Hebrews 12:2).[5]
Shone has released nine albums as Author & Punisher, with Melk en Honing (2015)[6] and Pressure Mine (2017) released through Phil Anselmo's record label Housecore Records. Beastland (2018) was released on Relapse Records, which is Shone's current label. It was followed by Krüller (2022)[7] which featured several guest musicians. For live dates after Krüller, Shone added guitarist Doug Sabolick making the first gigs he performed live with another musician as Author & Punisher. The most recent album is Nocturnal Birding (2025), which was released on October 3, 2025.[8]
Discography
Studio albums
| Year | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | The Painted Army | A&P Recordings |
| 2010 | Drone Machines | Heart & Crossbone |
| 2012 | Ursus Americanus | Seventh Rule Recordings |
| 2013 | Women & Children | Seventh Rule Recordings |
| 2015 | Melk en Honing | Housecore Records |
| 2018 | Beastland | Relapse Records |
| 2022 | Krüller | Relapse Records |
| 2025 | Nocturnal Birding | Relapse Records |
EPs
| Year | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Warcry | A&P Recordings |
| 2017 | Pressure Mine | Housecore Records |
Live albums
| Year | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Live B.C. 2020 | Self-released |
Notes
References
- ↑ "The Top 10 Arty Metal Bands". LA Weekly. April 11, 2017.
- ↑ "This One-Man Metal Band Makes Music Using Mechanized Masks". wired.com. Wired. February 25, 2014. Archived from the original on April 6, 2014. Retrieved February 17, 2015.
- ↑ Tristan Shone (2010). "HEADGEAR MIDI CONTROL - Make your own octo-microphone USB/MIDI controller". Make. Retrieved February 17, 2015.
- ↑ Noisey (April 11, 2018). "The One-Man Industrial Doom Metal Band". YouTube. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
- ↑ Senior, Nicholas (July 23, 2015). "Interview: Tristan Shone Discusses Author & Punisher". New Noise Magazine. Archived from the original on January 19, 2025. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
Author & Punisher came from a religious t-shirt I had in college. I went to Catholic high school for hockey, not religion, so I was always poking fun at it, while at the same time, absorbing as much as possible. I think Author & Punisher is a word for God and power with a tongue in the cheek.
- ↑ "Author & Punisher is 'The Art of Noise'; Realized on 'Melk En Honing'". June 22, 2015.
- ↑ "AUTHOR & PUNISHER to Release New Album 'Krüller' in February". lambgoat.com. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
- ↑ "AUTHOR & PUNISHER - Official Website". authorandpunisher.com. Retrieved November 14, 2025.
External links
- Official site
- Author & Punisher discography at Discogs