### Author And Punisher: Drone machines

#### 18/05/11 || Infernal Dominion

Geniuses are not born everyday. They are born under (un)divine arrangements and carry a planned mission of changing the mundane visions of this world. This man, Tristan Shone is one person who falls nothing short from being an astute genius. Now you may ask that what is so uncanny about him. Well, he definitely does look like a human being with two hands, two legs, two eyes but not just one brain! You would seriously think that after hearing his profoundly surreal project, suitably titled as – Author and Punisher. The sounds emanating from this seemingly abstract entity are alienistic (sic) and unbelievably heavy!

Stylistically, Author and Punisher’s ‘‘Drone Machines’‘ is an experimental industrial/doom/dub/drone/sludge album but these sounds aren’t created using any real bass, guitars or drums! Yes, there are no traditional instruments employed here AT ALL! Mr. Shone has given birth to a few avant-garde ‘‘machines’‘ to create the sounds of unfathomable misery and disgust. He sweetly calls his babies as ‘‘Drone Machines’‘ which is an apt title in my eyes. Now one would imagine that from where the hell on earth can someone think of such a bizarre concept! I was driven nuts, until I found out that Tristan is an esteemed ‘mechanical engineer’ who also happens to have an undying love for low end doom metal and industrial music. Apparently, these two parallels were nastily amalgamated by him to conceive an abhorrent progeny, which was absolutely transcendental in the literal sense.

The sounds here are generated by his creations such as the ‘‘Headgear’‘, which was created to provide an output to his lifelong habit of creating beat-boxing melodies and rhythms. Tristan has created an eight microphone device which allows him to trigger eight simultaneous sounds as well as output eight different channels of his voice into the computer/mixer. Now even before you proceed to shut your already awe struck mouth , read about his next invention – ‘‘The Linear Actuator’‘. It’s actually an open source drum trigger which is been used by him to generate the drum sound. Its controlled by a handle which is hit on two ends of this machine to generate the beats. An absolutely mighty invention!

Next up is the ‘‘Rotary Encoder’‘ which is a pitch controlling machine. It looks like a big disc which is manually operated by Tristan to control the pitch of two notes. His arsenal also boasts of more such eerie instruments like ‘‘Throttles’‘ – A dual pitch controller, ‘‘Bellows’‘ – A beat-box sampler/controller, ‘‘Rails’‘ – A manual rhythm controller, intended to be the sequencer or metronome of the performances, ‘‘Big Knobs’‘ and the ‘‘Rack and Pinion’‘. Read his official website to get a profound insight about these machines and their technicalities.

Phew! Sounds like a set up for a Sci-Fi flick isn’t it? This is the primal reason why I referred this project as alien-istic in my above paragraphs. But more significantly, it’s highly noteworthy of Mr. Shone to execute these phantasmagoric instruments of doom to cultivate a horrendous collection of deranged sounds which were only known to be created by traditional instruments earlier. He has taken suitable influences from the bombastic sounds of Swans and Godflesh and has juxtaposed them with a menacingly heavy droning tonality to unleash an absolutely nightmarish sound. His vocal variation boasts of hardcore shouts, to maniacal howls to subtle low end growls which work wonders in enhancing the vile atmosphere of ‘‘Drone Machines’‘. The production on the album is exactly how it should be. Heavy and muddy as fuck!

These sonic torments are plainly disgusting and sick! I just can’t think of any other words for describing my listening experience at all. Such is the magnitude of its disgust that he music totally sucks in all energy and hope from within. All that is left is a psychic craving to get butchered repeatedly by the ghoulish charm of this album. Ultimately, I would simply quote that Tristan has achieved a mark for himself which only a few could imagine in their wretched lives. This gifted person has done something which can never be appealing in front of a puritanic audience albeit, there are a few souls who are going to be touched with his work of sonic and mechanical brilliance. If you fall amongst the latter, then please do yourself a favor by hearing his music right away!

This is a rare example of metallic machines creating metal music (not always metchul though) so you need to open up your rusted brains at least once and drown within the splendorous sounds-capes of Drone Machines.

- Information
- Released: 2010
- Label: Heart and Crossbone Records
- Website: www.tristanshone.com
- Band
- Tristan Shone : vocals and programming

- Tracklist
- 01. Sand, Wind And Carcass
- 02. Burrow Below
- 03. Doppler
- 04. Beginning Of End
- 05. Skies O’er
- 06. NTG Part 1 – Time
- 07. NTG Part 2 – Pressure
- 08. Lust For Scales
- 09. Blue Flame
- 10. Throttle And Hymn
- 11. Final Hours