Hal Hutchinson — Wreckage Installations & Metalworks

UK noise artist Hal Hutchinson is known for his "Factory of Metal Sound" technique. Layers of dense, heavy metal on metal fill his recordings, and vary from thick metal soundscapes to uncompromising noisestravaganzas. Hal's latest, Wreckage Installations & Metalworks, comes to us from Crucial Blast as part of their Crucial Blaze series. This run of limited (400), hand numbered, DVD-size cases come with full sleeve art, liner notes from Hal, and a set of six B&W photography prints. The special packaging and art that holds Wreckage Installations & Metalworks plays a nice visual complement to the wonderful aural art contained within.

Simply described, Wreckage Installations & Metalworks is the sound of incestuous metal on metal industrial chaos. While a fun, quick description of what's in store here, it really sells the record short. The first three installations on this record are long, well orchestrated (Arthur Fiedler is rolling in his grave!), well paced pieces of factories coming to life. Metallic colossi waking from long periods of dormancy stretch, transform, and eventually take shape as the embodiment of the industrial age. It's not all soft mornings and sunshine, though, as installations 2 and 3 add lower tumbling layers and slices of screech and ferrous ferocity. The well contained chaos delivers a sense of unease while showcasing the beauty of scrap and boom. Installations 4-7 push the listener through some intense noise for the industrial maven. Though noisy, this is industrial at is most pure: the sound of writhing scrap metal, chains, and collision. Much like bird calls, wind rustling, and waterfalls would dominate a tropical rainforest soundscape, Hal's crushing metalwork calls up the aural output of a modern, industrial city bustling with production. Although most wouldn't find this soothing, the more cities and factories sprawl forth, it's not far off from becoming the norm.

Wreckage Installations & Metalworks showcases Hal Hutchinson's talent for layering metallic chaos and making it not only very listenable, but very enjoyable. Heavy and oppressive at times and near minimal and contemplative at others, this album runs the gamut of sound and thickness. Considering that this could be the sound of our future world, I'd suggest checking it out now while it's enjoyable and optional.