That’s right! The metal legend, Phil Anselmo, is hands-on with Housecore Records’ artist Author & Punishment and the recording of their debut album with the label. The album has yet to be named, but the band (a one-man outfit consisting of Tristan Shone) and Phil are currently in Nodferatu’s Lair in North Shore, Louisiana, laying down the tracks.
What’s this Author & Punisher about? Well, Shone builds and manipulates machinery to create doom music in an entirely new manner. A recent Wired Magazine feature, citing the lack of live instruments said, “What you’ll find instead is lots and lots of actual metal — a hefty helping of aluminum, steel, and copper, to be precise.” Shone started working on what would become Author & Punisher as part of his master’s thesis, dubbing his “instruments” the Drone Machines. NPR said of Author & Punisher’s live performance, “It’s a thrill to watch this musical cyborg at work, as he literally fires on all cylinders and pulls levers like an executioner.”
Shone commented on the recording process:
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. From day one of our session and throughout, Phil Anselmo and his long-time 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 A&P recording and to be fully engrossed in your songs for more than three weeks with Phil has really allowed us to find.
Anselmo also commented:
Tristan Shone is a genius. 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.
Author & Punisher tour dates:
Dec. 3 San Diego, CA The Casbah
Dec. 4 San Francisco, CA DNA
Dec. 5 San Luis Obispo, CA Lee Golde
Dec. 6 Sacramento, CA Press Club
Dec. 8 Eugene, OR Wow Hall
Dec. 9 Portland, OR Tonic
Dec. 10 Seattle, WA Highline
Dec. 11 Vancouver, BC Hindenburg
Dec. 12 Bellingham, WA Shakedown
Dec. 13 Boise, ID Crazy Horse
Rock Hard \m/
