Holy jeebus, if Nonpoint is really celebrating 20 years as an entity then that means…I’m old?!?!
But I digress.
I’m old but so is Nonpoint. The difference is they don’t sound it one bit on X, their triumphant blast of metal mayhem that has Elias Soriano sounding just as intense as when he first declared “You are about to take a Mindtrip!” back in 2000. Does he sound a little more gruff? Hells yes but it only adds to the character of his voice and the overall intensity of the band.
That’s right! Twenty plus years in and X might actually be the most visceral Nonpoint album to date. Doubt me? Just listen to opener “Empty Batteries” and the heavy shredding that guitarists B.C Kochmit and Rasheed Thomas bring alongside mainstay Robb Rivera’s brutal pummeling to start, switching to big grooves next to fellow rhythm machine Adam Woloszyn on bass as Soriano rages on one second and croons right after.
My favorite thing to hear when I’ve lost touch with a band is to hear that they haven’t lost the drive, the passion, or the intensity! Because there are so many contemporaries of Nonpoint who lack all that and put out albums today that just sound silly. But not Nonpoint!
“Chaos and Earthquakes”, for me, encompasses that feel of Statement perfectly and is a great reintroduction for fans of Nonpoint’s earlier work. It’s got the grooves, those monolithic walls of sound and frenetic guitar lines driven by Soriano who has a voice that will reverberate straight to your bones especially on the chorus of this one.
“Fix This” is another “classic” Nonpoint track bringing those huge anthemic choruses treading nu-metal but transcending to the other side to become a wholly revitalized heavy machine. “Crashing” is another concise anthem while “Passive Aggressive” shows off Soriano’s still thriving lyrical savoir faire and uncanny delivery style.
Sick of anthems and wondrous wordplay? Well, “Dodge Your Destiny” is your palette cleanser as Rivera’s drumming comes at you like a freight train and the riff monsters of Thomas and Kochmit double team your aural senses with some undeniable shredding on a track that’s sure to a crowd pleaser on the upcoming tour.
Maybe you’re of the mind that “I need a break from all the heavy!” Well! Nonpoint has you covered there, too, as the laid back groove beastie that is “Milestone” drops at just the right time to offer listeners a brief reprieve before “Position One” comes squealing in with wailing guitar tones that herald the end of the album in a most epic fashion utilizing all the heavy tricks at Nonpoint’s disposal.
X will drop on August 24th through Spinefarm Records. Pre-orders are up now and can be purchased in a variety of formats by clicking here. For the latest on Nonpoint, including their upcoming headline dates with the unstoppable He Is Legend in tow, head here.