Review by Sonny for Author & Punisher - Krüller (2022)

Krüller is the first release I have heard from Author & Punisher and so I have no idea of the project's development arc throughout it's existence up to that point, other than what I have gleaned from other reviewers, who all seem to agree that this is an artist who is always improving. Well, Krüller certainly seems like a very polished and well put-together album for a solo industrial artist - I must admit I was dreading some kind of avant-garde noisescape that would send my head into a spin, but this is nothing of the sort. Most of the songs are far more melodic than I would have expected with the industrial effects being used to add a layer of atmosphere that is very effectively handled in the main. I personally can't hear where the drone metal element the tagging suggests is to be found as the majority of the tracks, when stripped back, contain very little drone. I would suggest the majority of the tracks have their roots in darkwave and gothic or alternative metal with the use of the industrial toolbox adding a hardness and alienation to the sound that may give the impression of a more extreme form of metal than is actually present here. Whilst this approach is by and large successful, it sometimes falls short, particularly on Blacksmith where it sounds to me like two different tracks are playing separately, a Swallow the Sun-like gothic lament and a Prodigy-inspired industrial dance track, the two not gelling together at all and just coming off like a complete mess to me and, after a couple of playthroughs, it has me reaching for the skip button at this point. Luckily Blacksmith is followed by the title track that rounds off the album and this is my favourite of those on offer, feeling like a heartfelt cry from the soul with the industrialised pounding adding to the melancholy atmosphere.

One aspect I haven't seen much around the discussion of this album is exactly how good a vocalist Tristan Shone is. I found his singing to be quite affecting at times and it's generally melancholy tone acts as a perfect counterpoint to the almost ever-present industrial pounding, serving to emphasise the humanity of his voice which, I would suggest, is the true heart of the album. The inclusion of a cover of the fantastic Glorybox by Portishead strengthens this claim, I think, and reinforces the impression of humanity's small daily triumphs in the face of an industrialised hegemony.

Generally speaking, I found this to be an interesting and surprisingly emotional album. I think there is far more to it than the obvious "gimmick" and although it is not always completely successful to my ears, I am glad it exists and I can hear why it has gained so many advocates over the past few months, even if I may not be the most ardent of them. Author & Punisher is definitely an artist whose future releases I will look out for to see how his sound develops moving forward. Love the cover art, by the way - very 1970's sci-fi.