With the recent release of their debut album, “Agony Defined”,
and their involvement in the The Black Dahlia Murder tour, Noisem is a band
that has popped out of nowhere quite quickly. What is less known, is that this
album was actually released as “Endless Aggression” last year when the band was
known as Necropsy. Band history aside, listening to “Agony Defined” it was
immediately clear that this is a record for the old-school thrash fans. That
doesn’t mean simply hashing out Exodus riffs with crystal clear production (though
I love that stuff too). Rather, Noisem deliver astonishingly authentic sounding
late 80’s/early 90’s death/thrash. Think Solstice, Demolition Hammer, and
Sadus, and you’re on the right track. The production is perhaps the most
convincing aspect because there isn’t a single modern element to it. Instead, the band
sacrifices clarity for unrelenting brutality. Take the track “Mortuary”, for
example. Vocalist Tyler Carnes yells out endlessly, to the point where you
start to wonder how long a verse can truly be. It’s very reminiscent of those
Demolition Hammer moments where you are bombarded with mouthfuls of words. Unlike
their skull fracturing heroes, however, you won’t need a dictionary to decipher
Noisem’s lyrics.
Where “Agony Defined” is most like the old death/thrash
classics (in particular, Sadus’ “Illusions”), is in its unbelievably short, yet
completely satisfying length. The album is under 26 minutes, and the longest
track clocks in at a little over 3 and a half minutes, yet this album is
remarkably satisfying when it finishes. There is so much aggression, speed, and
violence delivered in this sub-half hour record that you are never left wanting
for more content. Though this approach generally foregoes songwriting in favour
of brutality, this is once instance where that is perfectly acceptable. “Agony
Defined” is the type of record that you can throw on and thrash out to, without
worrying about getting bored. In fact, just around the time that you might be
ready for something a bit more memorable, the band comes up with “Split From
The Inside Out”, which is far and away my favourite track. The chorus of this
track really displays how perfectly crunchy the guitar tone is, as well as how
vicious Carnes’ vocals are. Ultimately however, this track is a microcosm of
the album, just with slightly better songwriting. Nothing about this short
experience is weak, and you’d do yourself a massive disservice if you miss out
on Noisem’s “Agony Defined”.
Highlights
"Voices In The Morgue"
"Mortuary"
"Split From The Inside Out"
Final Rating
4.25/5 or 85%.