NEW NONPOINT VIDEO = YOU’RE GROOVING!!!

Photo credit: Ryan Baker

A little known fact about nu-metal is that the third-generation bands that hit the scene after the genre had jumped the shark well into the ’00s were actually the best ones of all, contrary to the way clones-of-clones-of-clones evolve in most scenes (see: 3rd gen metalcore bands like Sonic Syndicate, The Devil Wears Prada, etc). As soon as nu-metal musicians stopped writing knuckle-dragging party anthems that tried to be “heavy,” stopped rapping, ditched the DJs and starting letting their “alt metal” songwriting chops show shit started getting good! For every Korn, Limp Bizkit, P.O.D. or Linkin Park you show me, I’ll show you a much less popular and more widely derided band like Depswa, Taproot or Pressure 4-5 that’s not only infinitely more listenable but actually good!

Nonpoint were around in the late ’90s and early ’00s when 2nd gen nu-metal peaked, but no one paid attention until they let their radio rock side show on 2004’s Recoil, an album jam-packed with hummable riffs and singable anthems. After Recoil, Nonpoint responded to “fan” backlash by trying to “get back to their roots,” a horrible move in the absolute wrong direction because their roots sucked. They haven’t released anything worthwhile since, and I’d lost faith and pegged the band as a one-album wonder. But their new self-titled album brings back the catchy alt-metal jams of yore and just rocks the fuck out without trying too hard to be something it isn’t. Shit is straight up good, son!!

Check out the music video for “Left For You” below. When that chorus hits = you’re grooving!! And check out “I Said It” after that. Dose riffs!!! And Elias Soriano’s voice, oh man, love it. Most metal vocalists ain’t got nothin’ on this guy.

Nonpoint comes out on October 9th via Razor & Tie. Pre-order that shiz here.

-VN