Sunday, March 05, 2006

Sewer Election - Torpa Freak-In

Artist: Sewer Election
Release: Torpa Freak-In
Label: Harsh Noise
Year: 2006
Format: CD
Tracks: 10
TRT: 59:20

A harsh noise release. Ten tracks of face drowning noise plunge you into his world of Torpa. Tracks range from 35 seconds up to 16 minutes and there is an order to them with Preludes and Freak-ins and Freak-outs. There’s a lot of noise in this release but at times the tracks begin or cool of into a field recording or soft clicks and metal scratches. Throughout each of the longer tracks there’s the clashing and bashing of harsh distorted noise, but the tracks carry something within the ear busting scare. At times loops of electronic rips can be heard for minutes at a time. Computerized vocals it seems in "Bloated Culture" and lots of harsh rips from the master toggle play with pedals and switches.

I hate saying this but this release reminds me a lot of Merzbow’s "Hybrid Noisebloom". The sounds push in different directions and last 0.5 seconds each all-the-while you have a loop thrown in the background, very effective. Another note on this release in there seems to be two styles in one on this disc. 1) The harsh noise and 2) the metal clashes that sound as if they are recorded "live". You don’t get any warning either, they just appear and it works so well. Noise is about random sounds, in my opinion, and this release does it perfectly. Like a tide slashing over your body as you regain muscular function after a Torpa Freak-out seizure.

The artwork is simple and is the format that Harsh Noise uses for each release. Blue covers with a one-page insert that contains a website or two and a picture. I like simplicity in art and I like to see originality too, but I buy a release more for the sound anyway. The artwork is done professionally but having a format for each release can take away from the artist input for their release. Torpa Freak-In is a harsh noise masterpiece and I bought it from a recommendation, you do the same now.