Sensory Experiences Are Brutal In SOUND OF VIOLENCE

At a young age, Alexis witnessed the horrific murder of her family. Having been deaf prior to the event, the brutal attack triggered a reaction that restored her hearing. Now in her adult years, she’s surrounded herself in music, playing with various sound techniques. But when she begins to experience hearing loss once again, she’ll go to disturbing lengths to maintain her sense of sound.

Written and directed by Alex Noyer, Sound of Violence offers an interesting twist on the typical slasher flick. We follow closely from the perspective of Alexis (Jasmin Savoy Brown), as she commits heinous acts for both her art and sensory experience. It’s a creative concept as it explores Synesthesia, a blending of the senses, through a horror lens. I’m always a big fan of when the genre is used to interpret real world ideas, experiences and phenomenons—and this does just that.

Based on a short by Noyer, the concept is expanded in a fun yet terrifying way in this feature. There’s a great use of colorful visuals to inject a vibrancy to the narrative, that in a way counteracts the horrifying nature of the plot. He plays well with the audiences senses, not just with visuals but also with sound design. You’d expect it, for a film about sound, but it’s impressive nonetheless with how purposeful the execution is.

Another thing this film executes well are some creepy visual effects. I don’t think every horror film needs to fill itself with a ton of gore, but I certainly expect a bit from anything claiming to be a slasher. With that being said, Sound of Violence delivers. There were quite a few moments that had me truly squirming in my seat, as it really presents some wild methods from our slasher. So if you’re into that style, you’ll definitely be impressed by all the effects and gags.

Sound of Violence also stars Lili Simmons and marks the directorial debut for Noyer. Premiering at SXSW as part of the Midnighters section, the film is set to release in theaters and on demand on May 21st. Check the trailer out below!