The new Author & Punisher full-length, Krüller, is due Feb. 11 on Relapse and if 2022 ended today, it’d be my album of the year. Of course, 2022 doesn’t end today, but still. I had a review up for about 45 minutes this morning that was too early, but yeah, without delving into spoilers I guess, it’s a powerful record and the second single from it, “Maiden Star,” helps to show the uptick in melody that’s a big part of why.

Tristan Shone, the founding spearhead of the project, noted in the album’s announcement that he was looking to enact some kind of clarity in sound, which, given that the record was written over the course of post-pandemic 2020 doesn’t seem out of line as far as impulses go. “Maiden Star” is about as outwardly melodic as Krüller gets, and features a guest appearance from Marilia Maschion on backing vocals, who also happens to be Shone‘s wife.

“Maiden Star” follows and builds on the breadth of the first single “Drone Carrying Dread,” and I think you can hear some direct interaction between the two tracks in the use of dreamy, higher-floating synth notes as well. Here, those seem to willfully clash with hard-landing beats — also an Author & Punisher staple — that also draw from other material on the record. Or so I said in the review anyhow. I’ll post that in a couple weeks. Not looking to make trouble in the meantime.

Enjoy this, though. The album is something special.

Author & Punisher, “Maiden Star”

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.”

Krüller pre-orders are available now (https://orcd.co/authorandpunisher-kruller) with the 52-minute collection available on a selection of limited-edition vinyl variants that tie into the color palette of the album artwork, CD, cassette and digitally.

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

Author & Punisher, Krüller (2022)

Author & Punisher, “Drone Carrying Dread” official video

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Tags: Author and Punisher, Author and Punisher Krüller, California, Krüller, Relapse Records, San Diego

This entry was posted on Friday, January 14th, 2022 at 11:18 am and is filed under Bootleg Theater. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.