When a veteran rock band suddenly loses several original members, more often then not, it spells the end for said band. But this has proven not to be the case for Nonpoint, who scored one of their highest charting albums of their career with 2012's self-titled effort (which spawned a pair of radio hits, 'Left for You' and 'That Day'), despite the exit of original guitarist Andrew Goldman and original bassist Ken Charman.

Singer Elias Soriano and drummer Robb Rivera may be the only original Nonpoint members left in attendance, but as evidenced by their eighth studio effort overall, The Return (released September 30th via Razor & Tie), the album will undoubtedly please longtime fans. Soriano recently chatted with BraveWords correspondent Greg Prato about The Return, favorite new tracks, and what to expect from the band on their current tour.

BraveWords: Let's start with the new album, The Return.

Elias Soriano: "It was a fun record to write, it really was. The songs came together really quickly. And we got to work with Johnny K again. It was a very easy process. We had a deadline, so it was a little bit scattered and rushed in certain parts, but we went in prepared and had the songs ready and had the right guy behind the mixing board. So, everything came out great."

BraveWords: What is the meaning behind the album's title?

Elias Soriano: "I guess it really has a lot to do with you guys - the media really gave us a bit of a resurgence last record. When the last two singles got released ['Left for You' and 'That Day'], it kind of gave us a fresh perspective in the world of radio and a lot of places. This time around, it just felt like we were taking a second step and moving from almost like a fresh start. The title just felt fitting."

BraveWords: And what is the first single from the album?

Elias Soriano: "'Breaking Skin.' The video has already been shot, directed by Justin Reich. Outstanding director. He's definitely our guy from now on. We already want to use him again. What he said ended up on tape and it's hard to do when you're a music director - he really did an outstanding job. The single is already out and hit radio and it's doing very well - we're already in the Top 40 of Active Rock with a bullet, moving up. 'Breaking Skin' is about dealing with an itch - whether it be addiction or a girlfriend that's just not made for you or a boyfriend that beats you and then you hide it from everybody. You sit there and you scratch an itch that you know you shouldn't be scratching, but you just keep scratching it. And you kind of deal with it on a private level, until the point where you scratch it and you put a hole through your arm. You've now broken skin and you're bleeding all over the floor, and now, you have to go to a hospital, and now it's on the surface and you've got to deal with it publicly, all of a sudden. That song is about dealing with the struggles and then finally dealing with exposure."

 

 

BraveWords: What are some of your other favorite tracks?

Elias Soriano: "My favorite one on the record is a song called 'Razors.' I just think it's where we are musically right now. I feel like it's where the band wants to go and where I feel like the band is going. Playing that song and hearing that song really excites me about the future of our band and the future of our records. Robb and I nowadays look at each other and look at the last two records that we've just written and we're really prouder than ever. We're really feeling good about the music that we're writing and the line-up that we have and the show that we're putting on right now. It just feels good right now."

BraveWords: The band played a show this summer - did you get an opportunity to play any of the new material and if so, what was the crowd's reaction?

Elias Soriano: "Yeah, we played 'Breaking Skin.' They're playing the single in that area, so it had a great reaction. People were already singing it. That's a good sign of our fans connecting with the song. So we're excited about the reaction and we're definitely going to keep it in the set."

BraveWords: Do any past Nonpoint albums remind you of The Return, stylistically?

Elias Soriano: "I would say To the Pain, more than anything. Stylistically…actually no, more like the last record, the self-titled record. Vibe-wise and what I feel like our fans kind of feel like, I feel like they're going to listen to this record and feel like we wrote another record like To the Pain, which has songs like 'Bullet with a Name' and 'Alive and Kicking.' I really feel like people are going to connect with this record."

BraveWords: What can fans expect from the tour in support of The Return?

Elias Soriano: "A lot of production, a lot of changes in our set. We've got new guys, and they're all beasts on stage. So we're taking advantage of the visual aspect of our band again. We've got risers, lights, we're feeling badass, so it's a good show to come out and see."

BraveWords: How long do you hope the band stays on the road?

Elias Soriano: "As long as we keep putting out singles and people keep playing them. We really rest our success on the momentum that our fan base gives us, and when they're ready for a new one, we'll give them a new one."

BraveWords: What about as far as future plans for the band?

Elias Soriano: "There are already immediate goals that are in the works and that we're locking down dates. We're going overseas quite a bit, we're going to Europe, we're going to try to hit Japan, we're going to try to hit South America, we're definitely going to hit Canada this year. So we're going to answer a lot of emails and make a lot of people overseas happy."

BraveWords: Are there any bands that you would like to see Nonpoint play with?

Elias Soriano: "We like to play with bands that really want to walk out on stage and leave the fans ready to see another show just like that. We enjoy bands that throw down. I would love to get back out on the road with Papa Roach, I would love to get back out on the road with the dudes in Sevendust, the guys in Five Finger throw down stage-wise. We want to be on stage with bands that put as much vigor in that hour as we do. And up-and-coming bands like the guys in Nothing More, the guys in Gemini Syndrome - there's a lot of young bands coming up right now that are really taking it seriously and it's exciting. And it's good for rock. I just like to get out with bands that are ready to put on a good show."