Author & Punisher Women & Children 01. Women & Children 02. In Remorse 03. Melee 04. Tame As A Lion 05. Fearce 06. Miles From Home 07. Pain Myself [06/11/13] [Seventh Rule] The marriage of metal and electronic music is not a new concept, and often ends up with shoddy or campy results. Industrial metal is one such genre born from this union and even still, results may vary; Bands like Godflesh and Jesu are regarded quite favorably as innovators whereas the likes of Marilyn Manson and Static-X get mixed reception. Recent developments within the genre have lead to wild avant-garde experimentation, where Norway’s SHINING and Californian one-man band Author & Punisher are met with repeated acclaim for their furtherance of industrial music in their own right. The latter act, Author & Punisher, is a relatively little-known project from mechanical engineer and sculptor Tristan Shone that broke out last year in some ways with his sophomore album Ursus Americanus, which ended up on many critics’ year-end lists of favorites because of its unusual exhibition; Shone makes all of his instruments himself and rigs them in a way that allows him to perform his complex doom and drone inspired compositions entirely by himself. This makes for some highly unique music and performance art that is currently unrivaled in the genre. Only a year after Ursus Americanus wowed privileged listeners, Shone’s third record Women & Children explores Author & Punisher’s dark and twisted sound further and adds some much needed heart into this band of machines. Despite the short wait between releases, Women & Children is the next logical step in the Author & Punisher evolution. The sonic palette established by Shone is still omnipresent; after a soundscape of crickets and buzzing flies, the opening title track kicks in with downtempo grooving drum machines passed down from Godflesh and massive droning synths churn together in a hypnotic fashion while Shone chants distorted syllables through the track’s dynamic rise and fall. Shone is no stranger to writing heavy and oppressive music, and shows with immediacy that he still loves the feeling of overdriven bass. However, what makes Women & Children so different from his previous records is its moodiness and diversity. When compared to Ursus Americanus , Women & Children seemingly dials back the machines and instead focuses more on Shone’s range of emotion. For instance, on the album’s second track In Remorse, we hear glimpses of Shone’s clean singing voice, which was previously a bit of a rarity. Later, ‘Tame as a Lion’ almost catches listeners off guard, as we hear Shone at his most vulnerable as he sings quite melodically along to piano in verse-chorus structure, though his voice with his is distant and somewhat shrouded in distortion. The piano and Shone’s singing voice even make a reprisal in the album’s chilling closer ‘Pain Myself.’ While no mere piano ballads, these seemingly out of character tracks show a whole new breadth of character and marks a new direction for Author & Punisher to explore. Following this trend, Women & Children is much more stripped down in terms of electronics, and the album is largely more atmospheric and pensive than the in-your-face aggression of Ursus Americanus . Previously, it was more often than not that distorted synths would drone longer and louder as well as rhythmically attack in a dubstep sort of fashion as the main event, as in the new track ‘ Fearce ‘. Now, Shone is seemingly more mindful of his songwriting on Women & Children, with tracks like ‘ Melee ‘ and ‘ Miles From Home’ taking time between spastic vitriol for moments of sober atmosphere and dynamic ebb and flow. As such, Women & Children feels more real and human on some level, as if the tyrannical machines of past had suddenly became sentient and empathetic. This isn’t to say that his previous work was somehow immature or lacking of emotion, but Shone has transcended what was once thought possible for Author & Punisher’s sound and created a brilliant album with some newfound variance and depth. It’s good to see Author & Punisher material pushing forward into newly emotive territory, even if it does make for more accessible songwriting. Despite this appreciation for atmosphere and melody, Women & Children is still a remarkably bleak and sinister record that explores the depressive and psychedelic in entirely new ways. Author & Punisher – Women & Children gets… 4/5 – JR
Posts Tagged ‘marilyn manson’
Author & Punisher – Women & Children
May 19th, 2013 
Metalkult 
Posted in News 
Tags: a-year-after, album, author, furtherance, marilyn manson, miles-from, punisher, shone, voice, women 
No Comments »Mind Pulp-Mind Pulp
March 2nd, 2013 Metalkult Self-Release/Independent 2013 A little while back I was commenting on how there are just too many new Ohio rock and metal bands to for me to stay up to date on all of them. That was when I was struggling to come up with words for The Unclean’s latest release. I’m not having that problem with the five-piece band Mind Pulp. If anything it is just that without another Ohio band (Black Valor who I have reviewed in the past as well) chances are I might not have heard of these guys. That just goes to show you that in any given area there will always be a new band left to be discovered. You just might have to either look harder or, in the case of Mind Pulp, just get lucky. Originally hailing from New Philadelphia, Ohio (yeah, I didn’t know there was a metal scene there either folks) it looks as if they’re calling Canton home these days. Even though it is the birthplace of Marilyn Manson I’m not going to hold that against these guys! Granted, Canton would seem to be more of a fit for the band anyway as their sound and style, which is reportedly influenced by the likes of Korn, Static X,? Machine Head and Mudvayne, has a real urban grit to it. Mind Pulp was formed back in 2011 and, from the very start, the band’s main focus was “to create a style of music that could be embraced by everyone no matter what their taste in music was”. I’m not sure that’s going to work so well for Mind Pulp unless your average listener’s personal tastes includes the word “heavy”. More then anything that is what Mind Pulp has going for them on this 9-track release. It should be noted that while there are 9 tracks here it’s just 30 minutes in length. So it does run more like an EP. It’s not like Mind Pulp doesn’t make the most of that short time though. “El Diablo”, “Tell Me Why” and “Blood Clot” (all three of which you can be heard on the band’s Reverbnation page) offer solid metal in the vein of both Korn and Machine Head. Their Reverbnation page also features a sweet cover of Prong’s “Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck” so I’d wager that some of Prong’s heaviness has rubbed off on Mind Pulp. Of course there’s also some of Pantera’s heaviness to be found in Matt Pettit’s bass playing so you can kind of see where I’m going when I mention that Mind Pulp as that bottom-end crunch factor in their sound. As for the other four musicians there are no slouches among this bunch. Doug Wright and Nick Bonner easily handle the guitars and, on a track like the relentless “Relapse”, the solos speak volumes about the talent level of Mind Pulp.Vocalist Chad Heck and drummer Brent Mathiasas round things out and both do a pretty smashing job with things through and through. The only (minor) complaint to be found of this self-titled release is that when Chad Heck sings clean (I’m assuming he sings both clean and rough vocals) it doesn’t have quite the impact of the much more “metal” vocals. And Mind Pulp is very much a metal band as a cut like “Evil Intentions” will attest to. Sometimes when one guy tries to handle both ends of the vocal spectrum it doesn’t work so well. Vocalist Chad Heck has the rough vocals nailed down, but his clean singing could use a little tweaking. I do have to wonder though if it’s just the mix of this release that’s out of whack? Maybe he comes across better in concert? That could very well be the case as Mind Pulp has one of those sounds that must be killer to hear live. Have you ever listened to an album like that and thought to yourself? “I bet this band is heavier then hell and loud as f**k live!”? Considering how well things chug along on this disc I’m willing to wager that the real fun would be found in seeing Mind Pulp live and in living color. While checking out Mind Pulp’s Facebook page I noticed that it has pictures from their past gigs (and some “interesting” ones at that) so it looks as if a live setting might just be as good as, if not better, then this studio-release. Of course, judging by some of those live pictures posted on their Facebook page, it’s also got to be some kind of unique experience seeing them live and Lord knows I wouldn’t mind some of those “experiences” right about now!? Back to the disc we must go and, in addition to the numerous bands mentioned above, I picked up on both Dope and White Zombie so the influences are quite varied. This release would be the perfect pick me up for those who like alternative and nu metal, but straight-ahead metal heads will be able to enjoy this one as well. Should you find yourself in need of something HEAVY (and that falls within the bounds of “metal”) be sure to give Mind Pulp a chance. You might just find yourself with another fave new band! https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mind-pulp/219592814733432 http://www.reverbnation.com/mindpulp
Posted in News Tags: a-live-setting-, a-metal-band-, a-real-urban, a-track-like, brent-mathiasas, case, facebook, marilyn manson, philadelphia, release, reverbnation, Sound, vocalist-chad No Comments »2013 Grammy Award Winners
February 11th, 2013 Metalkult Kevork Djansezian / Jason Merrit, Getty Images On Sunday night (Feb. 10) at the 2013 Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, the big winners in the rock categories were the Black Keys and Halestorm . The Black Keys took home trophies for Best Rock Performance and Best Rock Song for their hit ‘Lonely Boy,’ which they also performed during the ceremony, while also winning the award for Best Rock Album (‘El Camino’). Additionally, frontman Dan Auerbach won Producer of the Year. The Black Keys were also nominated for Record of the Year and Album of the Year, but lost out in those categories to Gotye and Mumford & Sons, respectively. Halestorm, meanwhile, beat out a slew of veteran acts to earn the Best Hard Rock / Metal Performance for their No. 1 active rock hit ‘Love Bites (So Do I).’ During their backstage Q&A in the press room, frontwoman Lzzy Hale said, “It’s an incredible genre to be a part of because rock isn’t always the most popular genre. Sometimes we’re underground, but we all work really hard on the road. We all look out for one another.” Also among the winners was Nine Inch Nails mastermind Trent Reznor , who shared the award for Best Score Soundtrack with Atticus Ross. Reznor didn’t attend the event, but Tweeted, “Why thanks, y’all.” Below is a list of all the winners in rock categories at the 55th Grammy Awards: 2013 Grammy Awards Rock Categories – Winners in Blue Best Hard Rock / Metal Performance Anthrax, ‘I’m Alive Iron Maiden, ‘Blood Brothers’ Halestorm, ‘Love Bites (So Do I)’ Lamb of God, ‘Ghost Walking’ Marilyn Manson, ‘No Reflection’ Megadeth, ‘Who’s Life Is It Anyways?’ Album of the Year The Black Keys, ‘El Camino’ Fun., ‘Some Nights’ Mumford & Sons, ‘Babel’ Frank Ocean, ‘Channel Orange’ Jack White, ‘Blunderbuss’ Best Rock Performance Alabama Shakes, ‘Hold On’ The Black Keys, ‘Lonely Boy’ Coldplay, ‘Charlie Brown’ Mumford & Sons, ‘I Will Wait’ Bruce Springsteen, ‘We Take Care of Our Own’ Best Rock Song Jack White, ‘Freedom at 21′ Mumford & Sons, ‘I Will Wait’ The Black Keys, ‘Lonely Boy’ Muse, ‘Madness’ Bruce Springsteen, ‘We Take Care of Our Own’ Best Rock Album The Black Keys, ‘El Camino’ Coldplay, ‘Mylo Xyloto’ Muse, ‘The 2nd Law’ Bruce Springsteen, ‘Wrecking Ball’ Jack White, ‘Blunderbuss’ Producer of the Year Dan Auerbach (The Black Keys, Dr. John, Hacienda) Jeff Bhasker (fun.) Diplo (Usher, Major Lazer, Snoop Lion, Marina and the Diamonds, Santigold, No Doubt, Wale, Justin Bieber, Alex Clare) Markus Dravs (Mumford & Sons, Coldplay) Salaam Remi (Anthony Hamilton, Amy Winehouse, Alicia Keys & Nicki Minaj, Miguel, Nas, Melanie Fiona, Usher) Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, ‘The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo John Williams, ‘The Adventures of Tintin’ Ludovic Bource, ‘The Artist’ Hans Zimmer, ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ Howard Shore, ‘Hugo’ Austin Wintory, ‘Journey’ Full List of 55th Annual Grammy Winners [button href=”http://loudwire.com/category/grammys/” title=”Full 2013 Grammys Coverage” align=”center”]
Posted in News Tags: alicia-keys, auerbach, austin-wintory, award, black, channel-orange, grammy-awards-, grammys, halestorm, MAIDEN, marilyn manson, white, winehouse, winners, year No Comments »Daily Reload: Stone Sour, Marilyn Manson + More
February 9th, 2013 Metalkult Roadrunner – Stone Sour have unleashed the first new music off ‘House of Gold & Bones, Part 2′ with the lyric video for ‘Do Me a Favor.’ [ Loudwire ] – Marilyn Manson ‘s stage collapse was the result of the flu and there’s some rather unsettling footage that’s surfaced from the show. [ Loudwire ] – Being a rock star has its privileges. Just check out our list of the hottest rock star girlfriends for proof. [ Loudwire ] – Bullet for My Valentine showcase the choruses from their ‘Temper Temper’ album in our exclusive video preview. [ Loudwire ] – Airbourne are back with a new record and an interesting partnership with the Six Flags theme park. [ Loudwire ] – Kiss ‘ Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley will collaborate on the band’s new memoir. [ Ultimate Classic Rock ] – Paul McCartney was mistaken for a street busker in New Orleans. [ Ultimate Classic Rock ] – With the Grammy Awards on Sunday (Feb. 10), Diffuser.fm looks back at five of the most bizarre Grammy moments. [ Diffuser.fm ] – School of Seven Bells guitarist Benjamin Curtis has been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. [ Diffuser.fm ]
Marilyn Manson Stage Collapse Due to Flu
February 8th, 2013 Metalkult Mary Ouellette, SheWillShootYou.com As reported earlier, Marilyn Manson collapsed and vomited onstage near the end of his set in Saskatoon, Canada, last night (Feb. 6). Now, comes word that Manson was suffering from the flu, according to TMZ . Apparently, the shock rocker was not feeling well all day, but still wanted to go on with the show. As seen in a YouTube clip, Manson collapsed in the middle of performing the set-closer ‘The Beautiful People.’ TMZ reports that Manson vomited onstage several times before taking a knee and eventually falling backward onto the stage, at which time members of his road crew came out to carry him backstage. Manson chose not to go a hospital, instead opting to rest up in his hotel room. He and his band are scheduled to perform next tomorrow night in Calgary. As of now, the show is still a go. Marilyn Manson’s North American tour with the Butcher Babies is scheduled through a Feb. 23 gig in Las Vegas. See the full list of dates here . See video of Manson collapsing onstage below: Marilyn Manson Collapses and Vomits Onstage [Contains Graphic Imagery] [button href=”http://loudwire.com/marilyn-manson-collapses-onstage-in-canada/” title=”Initial Report: Marilyn Manson Collapses Onstage in Canada” align=”center”]
Posted in News Tags: a-knee-and, backward-onto, butcher-babies-, from-the-flu, hotel, initial-report, marilyn manson, news, show No Comments »Daily Reload: Marilyn Manson, Tool + More
February 7th, 2013 Metalkult Liz Ramanand, Loudwire – Marilyn Manson collapsed onstage in Canada on Wednesday night and had to be carried off by his road crew. [ Loudwire ] – Tool ‘s Danny Carey reveals the group may still try to get new music out this year and that he was the injured band member in a recent Vespa accident. [ Loudwire ] – Metallica will play the National Anthem and throw out the first pitch at a San Francisco Giants’ home game in May. [ Loudwire ] – Queens of the Stone Age have added Elton John to their stellar guest list for their next album. [ Loudwire ] – Buckcherry ‘s Josh Todd discusses the ‘Confessions’ album, the seven deadly sins and the group’s upcoming film in our exclusive interview: [ Loudwire ] – Jack White has already started working on 20 tracks for his next solo album. [ Diffuser.fm ] – TheFW shows us what several Grammy nominated record covers should really say. [ TheFW ] – Led Zeppelin ‘s Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones discuss their difficulties finding a singer. [ Ultimate Classic Rock ] – Forty years ago, Iggy Pop and the Stooges released their ‘Raw Power’ album. [ Ultimate Classic Rock ]
Posted in News Tags: danny-carey, elton-john, exclusive, group, jimmy-page, Manson, marilyn manson, power, started-working, stone, tool, white No Comments »Hard Rock / Metal Performance Grammy Award – Readers Poll
February 6th, 2013 Metalkult Ethan Miller, Getty Images / Mary Ouellette, SheWillShootYou.com (4) / Liz Ramanand, Loudwire The 55th Annual Grammy Awards will take place this Sunday (Feb. 10) in Los Angeles and we’ll soon have a new winner in the Best Hard Rock / Metal Performance category. It’s safe to say that over the years there have been a few head-scratchers when the nominees were announced, but since combining the two categories in 2012, the selection committee has done a pretty solid job in choosing the nominees. This year may just be the strongest group of competitors yet. So, before “music’s biggest night,” we ask you — the Loudwire readers — to tell us who you think should win the Best Hard Rock / Metal Performance category Sunday night. There are six nominees, beginning alphabetically with Anthrax and their single ‘I’m Alive.’ The band has three prior Best Metal Performance Grammy nominations — the last coming in 1995 for a live version of ‘Bring the Noise’ with special guests Public Enemy — but they’ve yet to win a Grammy. Next up is Halestorm , a first-time nominee that may have enjoyed the most commercial success of any of the nominated tracks with ‘Love Bites (So Do I).’ And there’s also Iron Maiden , the 2011 Best Metal Performance Grammy winner for ‘El Dorado’ and a three-time nominee. This year they’ve been nominated for the live version of ‘Blood Brothers.’ Lamb of God earned a nod for ‘Ghost Walking’ this year, which marks the fourth time they’ve been nominated. However, the band has yet to hear “And the Grammy goes to…” at any of the previous ceremonies. Marilyn Manson rebounded in 2012 and his ‘No Reflection’ singer earned a Grammy nomination, marking his third ever nod with no wins as of yet. And finally, there’s Megadeth , who might as well be the Susan Lucci of the Best Hard Rock / Metal Performance category. They earned their eleventh nod for the song ‘Whose Life (Is It Anyways?),’ but still have yet to win their first Grammy. So there you have it — six great Grammy nominees for Best Hard Rock / Metal Performance. While you may have an inkling which one will win, we’re asking you to vote for which of these six tracks should win the Grammy in our poll below: Sorry, you need to have javascript running to see this poll. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/best-korn-album-readers-poll/” title=”Previous Readers Poll: Best Korn Album” align=”center”]
Posted in News Tags: a-new-winner, a-pretty-solid, band, blood brothers, bring-the-noise, grammy, grammy-nominees, live, loudwire, MAIDEN, marilyn manson, nominations, readers-poll-, sunday, walking No Comments »
