Author & Punisher unveil a second track from the outfit’s highly-anticipated new album, Krüller (Feb. 11, Relapse Records), with today’s release of the drone-drenched love song, “Maiden Star.” Tristan Shone offers insight into the track and its place on the album: “’Maiden Star’ continues the trudge of escape and survival from ‘Drone Carrying Dread,’ but with a focus on the vital interpersonal conflicts and triumphs that exist in times of war and peace. This track, my personal favorite from the balance of the heavy and the melodic, is deeply personal and painful at the same time. The first note both lifts me up and beats the shit out of me.”

Shone began work on Krüller after returning from his opening slot with Tool across the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand, before being cut short due to the March 2020 lockdowns. “Melody has been and is still a part of my sound,” says Shone. “I’ve always bathed them in a lot of reverb, delay, and distortion, though. This time around, I was bothered by the wall of distortion I had created. I wanted a little more clarity. I wanted to refine the sound. I wanted to step back from my own show and analyze it a bit. I had all these competing distortions that I wanted to streamline. I like contrast and wanted the vocals to be immediately noticeable. There’s something about mixing punishing drones and rumble with a mellow thing on top that I really like on Krüller.” Shone’s digitized snarls rightfully had their place on earlier tracks like “Doppler,” “Terrorbird,” and “Nihil Strength,” but contrasting mellow vocals atop Author & Punisher’s unparalleled heft made dynamic sense. Indeed, with Shone’s singing on songs like “Drone Carrying Dread,” “Maiden Star,” and the exceptional translation of Portishead hit “Glory Box,” Author & Punisher have projected an air of uncertainty around the steely, often slow-motion grind.

Part of the Krüller revamp included refining the machines that have become synonymous with Author & Punisher. As a result, Shone is also launching a bespoke audio gear company called Drone Machines to coincide with the release of Krüller. The gear company launch follows nearly two decades of Author & Punisher honing in on his craft – meticulously inventing, machining, experimenting, and creating custom musical instruments for his incredible live performances and recordings.

Author & Punisher has announced two rounds of 2022 European tour dates with a pair of North American performances slated for March.

Headlining dates:

February 7 Tallin, Estonia Sveta Bar

February 8 Riga, Latvia Melna Piektdiena

February 9 Vilnius, Lithuania XI 20

February 13 Antwerp, Belgium Kavka

February 14 Brighton, UK Patterns

February 15 London, UK The Underworld

February 16 Leeds, UK Brudenell Social Club

February 17 Glasgow, UK Stereo

February 18 Newcastle, UK Cluny

February 19 Birmingham, UK Castle and Falcon

February 20 Bristol, UK Fleece

February 21 Manchester, UK Deaf Institute

March 6 Los Angeles, CA Resident

March 10 Oakland, CA Elbo Room Jack London

w/Perturbator and Health:

October 6 Lille, France Aeronef

October 7 Paris, France L’Olympia

October 12 Bordeaux, France Krakatoa

October 13 Toulouse, France Bikini

October 14 Madrid, Spain La Riviera

October 15 Barcelona, Spain Razzmatazz 2

October 16 Nantes, France Stereolux

October 18 Lyon, France Le Transbordeur

October 19 Strasbourg, France La Laiterie

Oxtober 20 Lausanne, Switzerland Les Docks

October 21 Munich, Germany Freheiz

October 22 Vienna, Austria Arena

October 23 Budapest, Hungary Akvarium Nagyhall

October 25 Prague, Czech Republic Lucerna Music

October 26 Wroclaw, Poland Zaklete Rewiry

October 27 Warsaw, Poland Progresja

October 28 Berlin, Germany Heimathafen

October 29 Goteborg, Sweden Tradgar N

October 30 Stockholm, Sweden Berns

November 1 Helsinki, Finland Tavastia

November 3 Oslo, Norway Vulkan Arena

November 4 Copenhagen, Denmark Pumpehuset

November 5 Hamburg, Germany Uebel & Gefahrlich

November 6 Utrecht, Netherlands Tivoli

November 8 Cologne, Germany Kantine

November 9 Esch-Sur-Alzette, Luxermbourg Rockhall

November 10 Brussels, Belgium Ancienne Belgique