Defiance Pointe

Nov. 6th 2008

KALAMAZOO — It's 415 miles from St. Louis, Mo. to Kalamazoo, and the guys from Defiance Pointe travel those miles regularly just to play a few songs.

The band formed in late 2004 in St. Louis, calling itself Defiance after the name of a town in Missouri. The Pointe came later.

Through a few lineup changes and a couple of moves, three current members live in Kalamazoo, two back in St. Louis. It can be hard work making music that way, the musicians said.

"Probably, what'll end up happening is we'll have to end up in one place, either there or here, we don't know," said vocalist Derek Schenck. "It's not too bad because we have a little bit of a fan base in both places."

Schenck and guitarists Sean Jones and Jake Woodworth live in Kalamazoo. Bassist James Ballesteros and drummer Alex Rivera live in St. Louis. The two factions will make regular trips north or south, cramming in a few practice sessions before each show in either region.

"We get to practice just a couple hours before the show," said Schenck. "We've been pulling it off just because we know the songs, but it would be a lot better if we could practice more."

Songs are written in small group sessions between Jones, Woodworth and then Schenck, and then worked on when the whole group gets together and made into final tracks.

The band plays an operatic kind of nu-metal grunge. It's low-tuned guitars with lots of minor-key melody, heavy hooks mixed with wide-open breakdowns. And atop it all is Schenck's long-note, smart-melody vocals. It's the sound of Staind or Stone Sour.

"We all just listen to lots of different kinds of music," Woodworth said. "We try to take influences wherever we can."

"When you put it all together, it's just what it makes," Schenck said. "We don't try to do anything different. It's just what it makes."

Schenck said the lyrics are "about finding yourself," as explained through storytelling stanzas about whatever happens to cross his mind.

"People always say, 'What's that song about?'" Schenck said. "And I say, you listen to it and tell me what it's about. I might write it about something stupid and it might really mean something to you, helped you get through something, and I don't wanna take that away from you."

Defiance Pointe has recorded one album, the 11-track "Until the Dawn," which it hopes to release in the spring. (Some copies of the album will have bonus tracks). The band has no label.

Working already on new songs, the musicians said they're trying to "go to the next step," and change up and evolve their compositions.

The musicians said they hope for modest effects on a listener of that album, basic hopes every musician hopes:

"I hope people hear the music and be like, 'That band doesn't suck,'" Schenck said, adding he hope people can relate.
- Battle Creek Enquirer - Justin A. Hinkley

Defiance Pointe is a band that can entertain you not only audibly but visually. Audiences pay attention when they hit the stage. We hope to see big things from this band in the near future. - Becky (The Pit)

"Influencing people shouldn't be too hard for Defiance Pointe. Woodworth and Gillespie produce intense guitar riffs full of emotion, while Schenck has a powerful and sometimes haunting voice that will appeal to all rock fans." - Excerpt from Article by Brandy Pecor of the Wentzville Journal

High energy intense performance, higher than life. We can't wait to see these guys again next year, if they're aren't signed by then! - Judges panel

You better go see Defiance Pointe now before it costs twenty, thirty bucks to see them this time next year! - Tim from Bring It Entertainment