Noi!se (Noise) "Fate of the Union" LP (silver)

In the ten years since their last studio LP, long-running Pacific Northwest streetpunk musicians NOi!SE have been highly productive, releasing enough singles, EPs, compilation contributions, and more to fill the "On and On" compilation LP. Still, the band's many international fans continued to clamor for a brand-new album, and in 2026, the band delivers just that in the form of "Fate of the Union" on Pirates Press Records.

 For the band's long-awaited third album, NOi!SE has a new lineup that brings fresh energy to the studio work. New to the band are bassist Aaron Williams and drummer Mike Parker, forming the rhythm section. Long-time vocalist and songwriter Matt Henson, of course, remains as the lead singer, and for the first time since the band's early works like the "Rising Tide" EP, Justin Miller and Kenny Dirkes return as the second guitar duo.

 The result is 10 songs of the hard-hitting yet thoughtful punk rock that has made the band so popular with a worldwide audience. If one wants to simply summarize NOi!SE's goals, they are, on the one hand, to excite listeners with their music, and on the other hand, to encourage them through their lyrics to channel that energy into thoughts, discussions, and actions.

 And so the album unfolds, with thought-provoking reflections on the personal, the political, and mostly on the intersection of both – where people actually have to live – underpinned by some of the best songs the band has written to date. As a final call to action, the album ends with a brand-new recording of "Idle Action," which, while the band's signature song, has never appeared on a studio album.

 The new recording by NOi!SE's new lineup sounds vital, energetic, and ready to ignite the fight for change – in the world at large and in the hearts and minds of people. Listeners will find that both the ideas and the riffs on this album will stick with them long after listening.

TRACKLISTING:

01. Vast Contrast

02. You Versus You

03. Mindful Confinement

04. Fate of the Union

05. Ever Afraid

06. This Isn’t Home

07. Media Alchemy

08. Strength in Numbers

09. Blinded by Hatred

10. Idle Action

(Pirates Press / 2026)