 Elias Soriano |
 Robb Rivera |
 KB |
Review and photos by Phil Bonyata
Nonpoint has found a niche that suits them just fine. Good old-fashioned aggressive rock without any pretensions. No garage, no over-the-top arena rock here and you can certainly forget the punks. Their fan base is loyal and true.The small Rave II stage could barely contain the boys from Florida. Opening with "The Truth" from their latest release Recoil found lead singer Elias Soriano flailing his tightly coiled locks like a hyperactive windmill. Hoarse-throated and whiskey-soaked his voice never quite left its birthplace in his gut. Anger doesn't need lips to interpret intensity. Guitarist Andrew Goldman's wailing guitar chopped away the chords like a hungry lumberjack. "Years" and "Endure" both brought the band together in a tighter circle as drummer Robb Rivera and bassist KB interlocked the chords and beats into a puzzling, but pleasing assault.
As the fans tightened the noose around the stage, Nonpoint let the rapcore loose on "Victim." Swirling in its arrangement, but remaining grounded, the seductive power chords held the glue together. The sweat poured sweet on numbers "The Reward" and "Endure." "What a Day" from Statement fed the frenzy well with chunks of twisted bass and bits of kettle-dry drums - while the blood source was found in Elias' delivery. Phil Collins would have winced had he heard the beautifully bastardized version of "In the Air Tonight." Irreverent while tearing down all the sentimentality of the original.
Unlike contemporaries like Linkin Park and Sevendust, Nonpoint seem to rely on the genuine spirit of rock 'n roll rather than the transitory passing of fads and followers.
KB feelin' fine
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