Making A Sonic Statement With ELIAS SORIANO From NONPOINT - If It Ain't Broke...

The turn of the century was a significant period for the nu metal scene, with the genre building off the back of a string of breakout bands from the mid to late 90s onwards that saw the rap/metal hybrid style of music surge in popularity. Bands such as Korn, Limp Bizkit, System Of A Down and Linkin Park dominated headlines, but there was also an ever-growing list that included Sevendust, P.O.D, Drowning Pool and more that played just as big a role in the development of the genre.
Two of those bands were hed (pe) and Nonpoint, both of whom released memorable albums in the height of nu metal's expansion. For hed (pe) it was their second album, Broke, and for Nonpoint it was their debut, Statement. Both albums elevated the respective bands' career trajectories, and that success led to numerous tours involving hed (pe) and Nonpoint that forged an unbreakable bond between the two bands that continues to this day.
Both of those albums turned 25 this year, with both remaining as poignant and relevant today as they did upon release. So much so that both bands are uniting once more for a road trip from Hell, with Australia firmly in their sights early next year. Known for their legendary live performances and explosive tracks such as Bullet with a Name, What a Day, Ruthless, and more, Nonpoint has consistently captivated audiences with infectious riffs, compelling lyrics, and an uncompromising raw energy. Their discography and stagecraft have made them staples at rock radio and fixtures on festival line ups, earning them a dedicated international following.
And now they have one more reason to celebrate, one more reason to tear up the stage, and one more reason to deliver Australian audiences a full-blown sonic assault rarely seen or heard on these shores.
With anticipation for the February tour intensifying by the day, HEAVY accepted the offer to spend some time with Nonpoint frontman Elias Soriano to delve into the history of Nonpoint and what we can expect from their impending visit. One of the topics of discussion was the pairing of hed (pe) and Nonpoint on the same line-up and the sense of impending doom that has developed because of it.
"Yeah, those guys put on a great show," he smiled. "We're glad to team up with them again. The last run was really, really fun, so we're definitely going to be enjoying some good times on this one."
The two bands have been touring and playing together since the turn of the century, and we asked Elias what his memories were of those early days and if the mentality of the earlier nu metal bands was more of an us-against-them feeling.
"At that time, everything was really moving in a big way," he recalled. "There were a lot of bands touring at that time. The big festivals and the touring festivals were really popular, especially with OzFest and Warped Tour and festivals like that. So being a part of that and being a part of the meld of hip-hop and rock that was happening at our time, that was an interesting culture that a different type of fan gravitated towards. So it's good to tour with bands like that, that share those types of fans and share that type of show."
In the full interview, Elias talks more about the upcoming tour and what to expect, Nonpoint's first visit to Australia as part of Soundwave in 2010, the early days of nu metal and what it was like playing what was essentially a new cross-pollination of music to a non-existent fan base.
He recalled his first reactions to hed (pe)'s album Broke and outlined similarities between that record and Nonpoint's release in the same year, Statement. Talk diverted to the early days of Nonpoint and the musical climate that gave birth to the band, the birth and sustainability of nu metal, new music and more.


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