"It’s tough out there right now...record sales are taking a big hit, ticket sales are taking a big hit and people knowing they can just run over and buy a song for a dollar that I spent a year on kinda ruffles your feathers a little bit I guess!"

Not yet a part of the mainstream Nonpoint is one of those bands that's adding their own personal flavor to the Rock/Metal genre, making it anew as they strongly stand away from the rest of the pack. Judging from the recent release of their third commercial release Recoil the band should be able to enjoy a long illustrious career. Their deliverance is fresh as it energizes the listener. Read on as Elias Soriano shares his thoughts on downloading, the music industry and life itself.

Karma: Knowing that you guys hail from Florida, have you been affected by the current onslaught of hurricanes?  Hopefully not too badly! 

Elias: [Smile] A lot of wind, a lot of rain nothing really big.  The family’s ok so…

Karma: Good, good!!

Elias: There’s another one on the way [voice drops]

Karma: Unfortunately, so I hear.

Elias: So we’ll see, everybody’s got the storm shutters on the windows…

Karma: Are you in the path of the storm?

Elias: We don’t know, I haven’t really been watching the news but if was really something bad I’m sure my girlfriend or parents would be calling me, no doubt. [Smiles]

Karma: How has tour been going for you so far?

Elias: So far so good!  We’re out with Skindred and Dry Kill Logic, just joined up, so…they’re a pretty good band.  It’s been a good tour so far.

Karma: Good!  [Smile]  As far as your background is concerned, how did you develop your taste buds for metal?  I hear that you fell in love with Puya in the beginning; was that your first contact with the genre?

Elias: Yeah, pretty much I was a hip-hop kid growing up listening to pop music and was invited to a show, Puya, and saw the live show and thought it was awesome!  [Smiles]  It was definitely the band that I would be shooting to join because of the way the audience was reacting to them.  When you go to a hip-hop show and to a regular pop artist show [smiles] there’s just as much sweat and stuff going on.  You kinda get dressed up and it’s very…teeth and bones, bare bones down to nothing with these kinds of shows.

Karma: Do you foresee the Rock en Español movement expanding?

Elias: I hope it does!  Bands like Puya and Ozomalti and bands like that do it very VERY well.  We just do it here and then just to do a little something different not only for our fans but for us as well.  But like I said there are bands that do the whole Latin rock thing and they do it well.  Thankfully, our fans enjoy the songs and this time around, we decided to do another one again just because it was so well received the last time.

Karma: What is you favorite song off Recoil?

Elias: Um, I would say “The Wait” is probably my favorite one; I think its track #4.  It’s very melodic; it’s very different from what the band would normally do so I really like that one.  [Smiles]

Karma: So has the album been going so far?

Elias: Doing well, record sales!  “The Truth” is getting played quite a bit and we’re already slated for the second single so, so far so good!!

Karma: That’s great!

Elias: [Smiles]

Karma: Which of your all of your releases is your favorite/worst?

Elias: My favorite has been the Third, [Recoil] I’d say the Second, was a little bit outside of what we are normally would able to put together because we pretty much wrote that record in 3 months. 

Karma: Development?

Elias: Yeah!

Karma: Wow!

Elias: But this time around, we had little over a year to write this record so it was time to test up with fans and stuff like that, so I’d say Recoil is my favorite.  [Smiles]

Karma: Was there a lot of pressure surrounding the release of Recoil or no?

Elias: Not really, we were in between labels there was paperwork getting signed and things going on so we were kind of concentrating on getting the record done.

Karma: And at least, you had the chance to take your time with it too!  [Smiles]

Elias: [Smiles] Yeah, thankfully!

Karma: I caught you guys last time when you were touring with Sevendust; I was most impressed and could not believe you did "In The Air Tonight" by Phil Collins.  It was a fan favorite for the older member in the crowd that remembered the song.  Tell me how "In The Air Tonight" will make it to the MLB Playoffs?  That is awesome by the way!!

Elias: Yeah, yeah!  Thanks!  [Smiles]  That’s all label stuff they know people and when the record was released they sent the singles out to publishing companies and so one and so forth.  Lava sent it to I guess all the major sports networks and Leagues, organizations…and it just got picked up.  From somebody who knows somebody, who knows somebody… [Smiles]

Karma: [Smiles] That’s great!!  I remember first becoming acquainted with Nonpoint via MTV-X, what outlet is playing the band these days in order for you to reach your target audience?

Elias: I’d say M2 & Fuse because they just picked up “The Truth”; we just did the video.  So it should be getting played very, very soon.  [Smiles]  I’d say those two networks would be the ones to check us out on.  But if you want to see us play live, you’ve got to come out to the shows!  We’re normally out on tour; you’ve just got to hit the website.

Karma: Speaking of your live shows, what can one expect at a live show, please describe it to someone who has never seen Nonpoint before?

Elias: We move around a lot, we sweat a lot, there’s a lot of singing along and a lot dancing along.  I think our band is a band that live gets a lot of feedback and a lot of reaction from our crowd.  Our live shows are shows that you participate in. [Smiles]

Karma: Because of the strong connect you have with your fans do you prefer touring to the studio?

Elias: I love touring but this last writing process was amazing.  [Smiles]  I think we really polished up our sound and got our sound down to where we wanted it.  We got to produce this record this time and I think it makes a difference on the record.  We made ourselves happy first and that’s what’s driving me towards the studio side but playing amongst the masses is what feeds me in continuing in this.  Having people sing along when their out in front of you is pretty cool! [Smiles]

Karma: [Laughing] How does the process for composing/song writing go?

Elias: It all depends if I have a vocal line, Andy [Goldman] has a guitar riff or Rob [Rivera] has a drumbeat; it’s kinda pretty much everybody pulls their weight.  I’d say at least 25% of each bit of the music is written by each person.

Karma: Wow!  That’s awesome.

Elias: Yeah, nobody writes each other’s parts.  I mean we all have ideas for each other but kinda let each other do our thing.

Karma:  Who are some of your influences?

Elias: Not a lot of influences…I mean there was a lot of stuff I liked when I was growing up that I liked to listen to and stuff but we try our best not to let other bands influence how we write our music just because…you plug in guitar to an amp, it’s gonna sound like a rock guitar.  Same thing with a bass and a drum beats.  We just try to do it a little different and add our flavor or whatever you want to say to each one of our parts to make it a little different.  [Smiling] I sing a little bit differently from the average rock singer would sing and my guitar player is a blues guitar player; my drummer is a tribal drummer.  It’s like each one of us doing our thing I think it’s what influences our songwriting knowing the abilities of each other and trying to get the best out of that is what influences.  If anything remotely sounds like another band’s song, we automatically dump it.  Same thing with our own songs, if we’re writing one song that ends up sounding like another song; we dump it.  No, we don’t want to write someone else’s song or write the same song.  That’s why we picked “In The Air” to cover because we knew that that was something that we’d have to completely change to make it sound like it fits our band. 

Karma: That brings to me to my next question, in which I think you answered; what sets Nonpoint ahead of the Rock/Metal pack?

Elias: I think there’s a handful of bands out there right now that doing pretty much the same thing we’re doing that are trying not to be influenced by everything else that’s being thrown at us out there.  I think that and our live shows pretty much sets us apart.

Karma: How do you attribute your success: luck, fate, hard work, and /or a combination of all of the above? 

Elias: There’s band that do it the luck way and there’s bands that work on it hard.  We’ve being doing this for a little while [smiles]; I think we’ve been working hard for it for quite some time. 

Karma: Do you feel you have the keys to control your own fate?

Elias: The record industry is a big industry and record companies are gigantic machines that are run by a whole bunch of people that sign a bunch of things to get a decision made.  My livelihood is based on opinions; whether or not someone likes me or doesn’t like me deems whether or not I’m eating or not so it’s pretty easy for me to say my life isn’t in my hands.  I do everything on my side to get us there. [Smiles]

Karma:  What is your thoughts on downloading?

Elias: Well I mean I think this goes across the board with any kind of artist whether it be a publisher, writers, movie whatever…but with all the bootlegging and all of the downloading I think its devalued music, movies and everything!  A week after something’s out in the movie theatre you can get a bootleg DVD on-line, or bazaars, or something like that.  It devalues all of the hard work that people put in.  Like people see us pull up in a tour bus, that thing cost a LOT of money.  I mean just on this tour alone is 42 dates 8 dates off.

Karma: [Look of astonishment crosses my face] Wow!!

Elias: [Stern crosses his countenance] You know that’s a LOT of dates, a lot of driving, and a lot of gas.  A bus is expensive.  If we weren’t sharing it with another band [Skindred], we’d be touring in a van, you know what I mean!  It’s tough out there right now.  That’s one of the reasons it’s so tough is because record sales are taking a big hit, ticket sales are taking a big hit and people knowing they can just run over and buy a song for a dollar that I spent a year on kinda ruffles your feathers a little bit I guess!  [As his voice trails off] 

Karma: Wow that sheds a new light on the subject!  Well here’s a Speed Round of Questions.

Elias: Okay [with enthused look on his face]

Karma: What’s your favorite pastime?

Elias: Pastime, huhmmm…  I like movie watching.

Karma: Spiritual or religious?

Elias: Both.

Karma: What’s your favorite comfort food?

Elias: Favorite comfort food…wow, that’s a good one!  [Smiles]  Candy!

Karma: Candy?!  [Smiles and chuckles]

Elias: [Smiles brightly] Chocolate!!

Karma: Chocolate, any one in particular?

Elias: Chocolate!! 

Karma: Doesn’t make a difference!

Elias: [laughing] Any kind of chocolate with peanut butter is even better! 

Karma: Introvert or extrovert?

Elias: Wow!  That’s a good one! [Smiles]

Karma: [laughs]

Elias: Introvert.

Karma: Favorite childhood memory?

Elias: Going to Disney World with my parents! 

Karma: [Smiles] How old were you?

Elias: [Beaming] Every single time!  The family vacations were always very cool!

Karma: Is your glass half empty or full?

Elias: It’s half full no doubt.

Karma: Favorite TV show?

Elias: I don’t watch a lot of TV but I’ve been watching something that’s on TV on DVD now, it’s called “Aqua Teen Hunger Force”.  [Smiling] It’s on Comedy Central/Adult Swim.  It’s like this cartoon, it’s hilarious!!  Absolutely!

Karma: What’s your favorite quote?

Elias: My favorite quote…ohh, I had one too!  [Pause]

Erika: Aww, see you stumped him! [Everyone laughs]

Elias: Yeah, yeah…you got me on that one!  [Laughing]  I’m just trying to think of a very, very good one.

Karma: Okay, we can swap it with what’s your mantra?

Elias: [Smiling] Ummm, I just try to stay positive.

Karma: That’s a good one.

Elias: Yeah!  [Smiling]

Karma: Of course with your family trips and etc I take it that you are very close to your family?

Elias: Yes, very!!

Karma: First job?

Elias: My first job was a lifeguard.

Karma: Really?  Wow!

Elias: Yeah, City of Ft. Lauderdale.

Karma: First car?

Elias: Was an ’88 Chevy Nova.

Karma: What color?

Elias: It was Pearl white with ground effects!  [Snickers]

Karma & Erika: [Simultaneously] AHHH!!  [Everyone laughs]

Elias: It was nice!!  It was nice!

Karma: What’s the most embarrassing thing a lover has ever called you which will be interesting you being an introvert answering this question and all.

Elias: Yeah!  What’s the most embarrassing thing a lover has ever called you…hummm…  A lot of cute pet names but I don’t think they’ve ever called me anything that’s embarrassing.  Luckily!!  [Smiling] I’ve been lucky I guess!

Karma: [Laughing] What’s your favorite holiday?

Elias: Christmas.

Karma: If not music, then what?

Elias: If not music…  Wow!!  I don’t know what I’d do without music right now.  I’d probably be running a company; I’m not a base level kind of guy!!  [Smiling]  I want to claw my way through the ranks and see how high I can get!  No pun intended!  [As he puts his fingers to his face like he’s smoking weed while posing for the camera]  [Everybody cracks up in uproarious laughter]  You took that picture at the right time!  [Laughing]

Erika: That came out QUITE nicely I might add! [Everyone laughs]

Karma: What’s the first thing you think of when you wake up in the morning?

Elias: [Looks bashful] and put head on the table] That I have to call my girlfriend! 

Karma & Erika: Ahh!!  That’s so sweet!!

Elias: Ohh man!!  [Head still down on table]  That’s horrible, I’m just embarrassed that’s the God honest truth!

Karma: Why? That’s a wonderful thing!!

Elias: You think?

Karma: Yeah!!  Oh my God!  It’s a beautiful thing!  You shouldn’t be embarrassed!

Elias: [Cheeks still flushed]

Karma: Games: video or board?

Elias: Video.

Karma: X-Box or Play Station?

Elias: X-BOX!  All The way!  [Smiling]

Karma: Okay! [Laughing]  What’s your favorite drink?

Elias: Most drunk drink I think… [Smiling] is Jack & Coke.

Karma: [Laughing] Okay!!

Elias: But I’m a sucker for a good beer!

Karma: Bacon bits or croutons?

Elias: Fake bacon bits or real bacon bits?

Karma: REAL bacon bits!  [Laughing]

Elias: Okay!  I’ll take the real ones then!  [Laughs]

Karma: If stranded on a desert island, who would you take with you?

Elias: Dead or alive?

Karma: Sure!

Elias: Bill Hicks, he’s a comedian.

Karma: Okay!

Elias: He’s very very funny, very very spiritual, very very cynical…my kind of guy either him or George Carlin.  It would be fun to just sit around and talk.

Karma: And you have 5 CDs to take with you.

Elias: I’d take Deftones White Pony; I would take glassJAw Everything You Ever Needed to Know About Silence and Worship and Tribute; I’d probably take Around The Fur and one of the Pink Floyd records Dark Side of the Moon.

Karma: If you were to do another cover tune from any genre or decade, which one would you do?

Elias: Ohhh, that’s another good one!!  [Smiling]

Karma: [Laughing]

Elias: I’m sorry this is taking so long!

Karma: [Laughing] That is quite okay!  Go ahead….

Elias: It would probably be a Deftones song.

Karma: They’re obviously one of your favorite bands… I think I am sensing a theme here!  [Laughing]

Elias: [Laughing] Most definitely!

Karma: Well thank you very much!  I really appreciate it!

Elias: Thank you!  It was a pleasure to meet you.

Karma: Likewise.


I'd like to thank the band's Tour Manager, Bradley Bryant, and Sarah Joyce at Lava Records for making this interview a possibility.