Nonpoint only becomes fiercer with each subsequent album. Their ninth full-length offering and first for Spinefarm Records, The Poison Red, is no exception either. After 19 years in the game, the Florida quintet sustains the same energy that sparked its foundation back in 1997. The riffs crack with neck-snapping intensity, the bass and drums forge an unmatched groove, and the vocals rapidly recount stories of pain and perseverance. The Poison Red remains as raw, ripping, and real as these musicians—Elias Soriano [vocals], Robb Rivera [drums], Rasheed Thomas [rhythm guitar], Adam Woloszyn [bass], and B.C. Kochmit [lead guitar]—get.
Nonpoint are on their way back with a new album this summer. The band will release The Poison Red on July 8 which was recorded in February 2016 at Uptown Studios in Chicago IL with Rob Ruccia.
In early 2016, Nonpoint closed out almost 2 years of touring behind 2014’s The Return record, which yielded the Active Rock radio hits “Breaking Skin” and “Misery”. Fueled by that continued success and their time on the road, they immediately began writing for album number nine. This time around, the band amped up the aggression musically, while Elias drew inspiration from a whole new well altogether.
The first single “Generation Idiot” is already making the rounds on radio. With some nifty guitar fret work at the beginning, it’s evident that Nonpoint are ready to rock. Frontman Elias Soriano gives the song plenty of aggression and attitude as he nimbly maneuvers around some rather tongue-twisty lyrics, setting all the Internet tough guys and text messaging fair-weather friends in their place.
“Over the past five years, I began to notice people, myself included, getting lost in a few of the simple things – life, art, passions,” Soriano explains. “Everything became a reality TV blog with pictures and comments, likes and dislikes, online bullies and online tough guys. And no one is talking anymore. Everything is texts, emails, replies and denies. They’re all anchors. They all suck the life out of life. It creates zombies with unhinged appetites. It’s a real zombie apocalypse and, motherfucker, I’m grabbing a machete and a shot gun.
“This record tells a lot of stories,” says Soriano about their new disc. “Going from guts to glory. Chasing impossible dreams down the rabbit hole. Harsh and honest words with consequences attached. Uncovered rules for the weak, made by the wicked and heartless. Recalling fight or flight moments with a deep breath. And it all starts with a warning to all the world’s generations past, present and future to look up, look forward and live their lives loose from social media shackles, online bullying, the devaluation of art and music, and to not be absorbed by the dramatic, megalomaniacal side of politics. Life is right outside of your phone and newsfeed. Go live it and play this record while you do. It’ll all start to make sense.”
Koralyst burst upon the Birmingham, AL music scene in 2008. In a musical environment dominated by male fronted metal bands and dime a dozen cover bands, Koralyst brought forth a unique sound of hard rock music with a powerful front-woman taking center stage. The band presented themselves in front of as many people as possible by playing every show possible. The fierce work ethic worked, as the band found themselves packing out the more established clubs as a headlining act within a year of starting the band.
Unwilling to compromise to fit what others claim is the right way to 'make it' in the music business, Koralyst has definitely paved their own way. The band still doesn't play covers, except for an occasional Johnny Cash remake. The band also sticks to their guns on writing great personal songs. “We don't just throw lyrics out there to complete a song” says drummer Michael Knowles. He continues, “We write about stuff in our personal lives or about someone else's life that we know. We figure if the song is touching, or has a meaning to us then there are a million other people that have gone through the same situations and will be able to relate to us. Music should come from your heart, it should be real, and not about material things like money and cars.”
Vocalist Christa Knowles spent much of her late teenage years in the clubs, venting anger and frustrations through music. At only 17 years old when the band started, Christa has grown up in front of the eyes of adoring fans. Going through changes on stage and off, Christa has maintained her 'can't bring me down' attitude. No matter what changes have been made in the 5 years the band has been together, 2013 promises to overshadow anything the band has done in the past. Christa recently went in the studio to record vocals for the much anticipated new EP, and brought forth a fierceness that the band had never seen out of her. The EP promises to firmly plant the roots of Koralyst into the ground of the music world.
With a new EP on the way, the band doesn't stop there. Promising to soon take the stage to reclaim their dominance, the band also has their sights set on a new music video. The band will also continue to write and record new music. But will the popularity of other female fronted bands influence the direction of Koralyst's next move? Michael Knowles proclaims, “We are influenced by music, not any band in particular. We don't try to sound like any other band, or base our music from any other bands.” Koralyst promises to continue to bring fans high energy hard rock music. The seed has been planted, but the sound will continue to grow.