Description: From the Ashes of the river city St. Louis comes Defiance Pointe. The quintet’s array of hard-hitting edgy riffs, dark melodic lyrics and intense live show, creates a rock sound that is ever evolving and unique to the genre.
Biography: On a cold winter day the members of Defiance Pointe congregated for the first time in a basement in the small town of New Melle. The original quintet had one goal in mind, to create a sound that is ever evolving and unique to the St. Louis music scene. It didn't take long for them to start making an impression, with their array of hard-hitting edgy riffs, dark melodic lyrics and a intense live show, it was clear Defiance Pointe and their fans we're here to stay.
Defiance Pointe started in the little town of New Melle (sister town to Defiance) in the 2005 by two of the founding and current members Derek and Jake. Originally the band was named after the city of Defiance. The name Defiance was taken, so we were forced to change our name so Pointe was added to keep the band name a place not just a label. “Our name has a strong meaning to us”, says guitarist Jake. “We want to stay close to our roots no matter where the road may lead us, we will always be like the people of Defiance going against the grain; we will always be Defiance Pointe.”
Some things come and go like the Defiance Pointe line-up but the music hasn't skipped a beat only intensifying with the addition of each new member. "We're kind of like Spinal Tap", says bassist Jimi, "It seemed like every few months our drummer would have some kind of accident, move to another state, or just disappear". The current drummer Len Kiraly brings with him a veteran musician's attitude after and a stage show far exceeding the band's expectations. "It may have take three, four, eight drummers but we've found the long lost member of the family we've been seeking the last four years", laughs Jake,"but everything happens for a reason, and I'm sure we are right where we're supposed to be".
In the winter of 2007 a pivotal moment took place for the band when three of the original members moved to other states or chose other paths. It was definitely a dark day for the band now only Jimi and Jake but perseverance would prove rewarding. When Derek called in May the band had been jamming with new drummer Alex Rivera and we're working on the songs right where they had left off back in 07. Derek had news that he had found a indie label that wanted to sign us and get us back in the studio and within a few weeks the band was back in the studio completing their first full length album with Rich Criebaum at Trailer Studios. Upon the completion of the album the members jumped in with both feet and moved up to Kalamazoo MI to reassemble the band.
It only took a few nights of hanging out and jamming with Sean to realize he fit in Defiance Pointe perfectly and could easily pick up where the former lead guitarist Cody had left off. After booking and playing their first few shows in Michigan and St. Louis that summer it was even more evident that the band had something really special. In both cities people were singing the songs sometimes louder than Derek,"It was amazing to see all these people coming out show after show bringing new fans with them that had our album memorized!", Derek recalls,"The CD hadn't even been released yet and we were breaking presale ticket records in two states".
With the additions of Alex and Sean Defiance Pointe was stronger than ever and finally ready to release that album they had recorded a year before. On March 7th "Until the Dawn" was finally released on iTunes and local music stores. Shortly after the release only five days later DP opened up for Saliva at Planet Rock, a few days after that they won their slot to open up for a lot of other national acts at the annual Pointfest in St. Louis. "We were really starting to head in the right direction," says Jake,"and fulfilling a dream of mine from when I was a kid, playing Pointfest."
Over the past four years Dp has done exactly what they have set out to do only getting better at it and adding new members to the family along the way. Defiance Pointe is now something bigger than any one person in the band or the band itself, its become a major piece of other people's lives that we've touched. The fusion of all these influences is what gives Dp their substance and ability to deviate a sound refreshing to the rock world.
Press
Release:
"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."
-Brandy Pecor, the Wentzville Journal
"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 (club owner), The Pit StL
"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. "
-Justin A. Hinkley, Battle Creek Enquirer
