Listmania: 20 Years of “Statement” by Nonpoint!
10th October saw Nonpoint take to the stage for a pay-per-view live streamed set to celebrate 20 years of their major label debut album “Statement“, the Fort Lauderdale Florida quintet subsequently putting down 10 further records with vocalist Elias Soriano and drummer Robb Rivera being ever present in the group since 1996. In that time the band have been described as everything from Nu-Metal to Groove Metal and even Hard Rock but in truth their sounds is much more of a hybrid with Soriano have a huge vocal range, comfortably able to rap, scream and sing with the group taking influences from R&B, Hip-Hop, Hardcore and Metal. While “Statement” is the bands major label debut, we should also give mention to the work that lead into that, which came in the form of 1996 demo “Generate” and a pair of independent albums in 1998’s “Separate Yourself” and 1999’s “Struggle“, the later of which features early versions of “Mindtrip“, “Double Stacked“, “Hive” and “Victim“. So if you’ve not heard of these guys, here’s 5 tracks from their career that we think you should check out…
When it comes to something like this, you have to go back to the start for us that was “What A Day“, a single from “Statement“, which was recorded & produced by Jason Bieler at Elysian Studios, Boca Raton, Florida using on Pro Tools Mix Plus 24 and released via MCA records, who were later bought by Geffen.
Produced by then guitarist Andrew Goldman, 2005’s “To the Pain” is quintessential Nonpoint listening with opening cut “Bullet With A Name” being the bands most streamed track on Spotify at an incredible 21.7m streams to date. It’s a close run thing, but our favourite from that record happens to be the life affirming, broken relationship challenge confronting “Alive And Kicking“.
The only Nonpoint album to feature guitarist Zach Broderick, who had replaced Goldman two years earlier, 2010’s “Miracle” was produced by the band alongside Mudvayne pairing Chad Gray, Greg Tribbett with Grey (now in Hell Yeah) lending is throat to the records title track.
Introducing solos with new partnership in guitarists Rasheed Thomas and Bradley “B.C.” Kochmit (Dark New Day, Eye Empire, ex-Switched) for 2016’s “The Poison Red“, Nonpoint inked a deal with Spinefarm Records with single “Generation Idiot” showcasing sharpened songwriting, melody and cutting edge.
The first single from 2014’s eighth studio “The Return” is “Breaking Skin“. Engineered & Mixed by Johnny K (Five Finger Death Punch, Mushroomhead, Megadeth), at Groovemaster Studios in Chicago, Illinois, it’s a career high point for the Florida natives.