Development

Nonpoint

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 25, 2002)
• Original Release Date: 2002
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Mca
• ASIN: B000068TNH
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (49 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #98,207 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome CD, what else can I say., June 9, 2003

By A Customer

Nonpoint has become a recent favorite group of mine because of their sound and some of the great music that they wrote on their first release "Statement". With this second release, the group sounds more mature and seems to write a record that uses their music to explain the various phases of human life. The way the tracks are written, titled, and ordered on the CD speak greatly to this observation.

Some people say that the CD is darker, but I didn't find any real prevalent darkness in their music. The subject matter was far more intelligent than those covered by other CURRENT rock groups of their kind and is greatly done by Elias Soreano and company. Keep the good stuff coming, Nonpoint.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars We Have Finally Killed Nu-Metal, June 29, 2002

By	Matt (Blubishrisha, USA) - See all my reviews

Nonpoint have done it. Not only did they kill Nu-metal with this album, but they found their own sound. Their previous albums Seperate Yourself, Struggle, and Statement were all early chapters of this amazing band, who have found their niche with Development. While I loved their previous albums, I was hoping for so much more in this band. And fortunately, all of it came true.

When I heard the first single, "Your Signs", I was convinced that either this album only had one song sounding like it, or a whole album of songs in varied styles. On the opening track, "Development", they pull out more of their heavy stuff to set the stage for this amazing album. As the rest unfolds, the best tracks end up being "Excessive Reactions", "Mountains", "My Own Sake", Normal Days", and my personal favorite, "Hide And Seek".

The most pleasing thing about this album is how much more mature it is. The songwriting has certainly improved, and actually just about everything has. Andy's guitar was amazing on the previous albums, and has only come to display more interesting riffs. However, the best part of this album I believe is Elias's vocals. This time around, he sang more as opposed to rapping or screaming, and it truly shines on this album. His singing carries most of the album very well, but especially well on the song "Normal Days".

It's pleasing to know that there are bands like Nonpoint out there, and it's great to know that there are such talented musicians. This band has set the stage with Development, for a long and lasting career.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Nonpoint stay above the nu-metal pack, September 29, 2002

By	Wheelchair Assassin (The Great Concavity) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

Since gaining prominence a few years ago, the term "nu-metal" has come to be somewhat of a pejorative, often associated with simple musicianship and songwriting, weak vocals, and self-obsessed, often whiny lyrics. While those criticisms are often justified, fortunately there are bands like Nonpoint to prove that the nu-metal formula can work. Relying on old-fashioned devices like proficient musicianship and sharp songwriting, Nonpoint score once again on "Development" with a pack of tightly-coiled and often explosive songs. Nonpoint's approach is characterized by the contrast between soft and harder parts that many nu-metal bands use, but I think Nonpoint are a lot better at it. For one thing, they don't rely solely on the slow-verse-chanted-chorus formula that bands like Korn and Disturbed have been doing to death lately. Nonpoint keep their tempo shifts far more unpredictable than the typical nu-metal band, so their sound wears a lot better in the long run. Perhaps more importantly, they have the chops to make their diverse sound work. Elias Soriano is a terrific vocalist who can effortlessly shift from clean singing to a more aggressive and menacing tone. Guitarist Andrew Goldman is no Stevie Ray Vaughan, but compared to many guitarists in his genre he might as well be. His range goes well beyond the downtuned chugga-chugga riffs that have become the norm in today's heavy music, as he throws in chord shifts and lead notes that help make the band's sound interesting and distinctive. Drummer Robb Rivera can not only keep a beat better than most of his peers, but he throws in just enough fills to function as an extra instrument rather than a mere timekeeper.

In sum, "Development" marks a step up from its solid but unspectacular predecessor "Statement," with a more mature and though-out sound. Nonpoint are far from the best band out there, but in a nu-metal genre marked by increasingly low expectations, they differ from the norm more than enough to stand out. Look to them to be a band that survives the trend and keeps getting better.