Sound of Violence (2021): When Music Becomes Murder, A Brutal Symphony of Horror
Alex Noyer’s Sound of Violence (2021) starring Jasmin Savoy Brown is an experimental horror film about a synesthetic music teacher turned serial killer. This brutal symphony combines art-house sensibilities with unrelenting gore, creating a unique horror experience that explores trauma, creativity, and the dark side of artistic obsession. Perfect for fans of extreme horror and psychological thrillers.
Described by Silver Screen Riot as “a mash-up between Tusk and Guitar Hero,” Alex Noyer’s Sound of Violence delivers exactly what that bizarre comparison promises. This isn’t your typical slasher film; it’s an experimental horror symphony that dares to ask: What if music literally drove someone to murder?
A Traumatic Overture Sets the Stage
The film opens with ten-year-old Alexis witnessing something no child should see: her PTSD-afflicted father returning from war to brutally murder her family with a meat tenderizer. The cinematography during this sequence utilizes stark lighting contrasts and tight framing to create an almost suffocating atmosphere of domestic terror. What makes this scene particularly unsettling isn’t just the violence, it’s young Alexis’s reaction. She’s smiling. Laughing. Finding genuine joy in the carnage.
“If the police aren’t complaining, you’re not playing loud enough.”
Flash forward to adult Alexis (Jasmin Savoy Brown), now a music teacher who’s developed synesthesia, she can hear again, and more importantly, she experiences sound as vivid visual phenomena. This neurological condition becomes her artistic obsession and her murderous motivation. When Alexis hears violence, she doesn’t just hear sound; she witnesses an alternate reality of pure sensory bliss.
Jasmin Savoy Brown Delivers a Powerhouse Performance
Brown, known for her work in 2022’s Scream, transforms completely for this role. Her portrayal of Alexis is a masterclass in controlled psychopathy; she’s articulate, soft-spoken, and genuinely likeable in her day-to-day interactions. The cognitive dissonance between her gentle demeanor and her experimental torture sessions creates an unnerving tension that carries the entire film.
The performance becomes particularly compelling during Alexis’s “recording sessions.” Brown’s facial expressions shift from concentrated focus to pure euphoria as she captures the sounds of her victims’ suffering. It’s deeply uncomfortable to watch, which makes it absolutely perfect for this type of psychological horror.
Experimental Horror That Pushes Boundaries
Noyer’s directorial approach embraces sensory overload through practical effects, pulsing electronic soundscapes, and deliberately jarring visual techniques. The film employs rapid-fire editing during violence sequences, creating a disorienting experience that mirrors Alexis’s synesthetic episodes. When she’s “composing,” the screen explodes with saturated colors and strobing lights that feel both beautiful and nauseating.
The torture devices themselves deserve mention; they’re not just tools of violence but instruments in Alexis’s twisted orchestra. Each contraption is designed with both functionality and aesthetic appeal, reflecting her artistic sensibilities even in her most depraved moments.
Where Sound of Violence Hits Different Notes
This isn’t a film concerned with traditional narrative structure or realistic police procedures. The cops are frustratingly slow (as horror cops tend to be), and Alexis possesses almost supernatural abilities to evade capture. But demanding logical explanations misses the point entirely. This is experimental horror that prioritizes sensory experience over procedural accuracy.
The film’s exploration of trauma response feels particularly relevant. Alexis’s childhood experience didn’t just traumatize her; it rewired her relationship with violence entirely. She found beauty in brutality at age ten, and that twisted perception became her adult artistic vision.
A Horror Film for Gorehounds and Art House Fans
Sound of Violence occupies a unique space in horror cinema; it’s simultaneously an arthouse experiment and an unrelenting gore fest. The practical effects work is exceptional, with each kill choreographed like a musical performance. There’s genuine artistry in the way Noyer frames the violence, making it simultaneously repulsive and hypnotic.
The sound design deserves particular praise. Every impact, every scream, every mechanical whir of Alexis’s devices is mixed with precision. The audio becomes as much a character as any human on screen, which perfectly suits a film about someone who experiences sound as a visual art.
If you appreciate horror that challenges conventional storytelling while delivering genuine scares and substantial gore, Sound of Violence hits all the right notes. It’s a film that lingers in your memory not just for its violence, but for its unique approach to exploring how trauma can transform into twisted creativity.
The CONDUCTOR (also known as THE SOUND OF VIOLENCE) IS RATED
3.75 killer music tracks out of 5
Sound of Violence Movie Trailer
- Written and directed by Alex Noyer,
- Distributed by Gravitas Ventures and produced by You Know Films,
- Sound of Violence’s release date is May 21st, 2021, on cable, digital, and VOD. The UK release is from 31st August 2021.
- The film is also known as Conductor.
- Starring Jasmin Savoy Brown, Lili Simmons, James Jagger, Tessa Munro, and Dana L. Wilson.
- Sound of Violence was acquired as a screener for Mother of Movies.
- Looking for more like Sound of Violence? Well, it’s pretty unique, but another killer in Dead Mail uses music as motivation. In Creation Stories, punk rock will get your heart going, and in Studio 666, The Red Hot Chili Peppers go nuts on rock. If you’ve never heard of Swarm and loved this film, watch that next.
