LIVE FROM THE PIT: SOiL, Nonpoint, the Hed P.E. and The Union Underground

Alt metal purveyors, SOiL, are touring the UK throughout November for the first time since 2019, for a 9-day stint, performing an ‘All  SCARS set’ for the first time, featuring songs exclusively from their 2001 hit album ‘Scars’, their  major label debut that afforded them their  first taste of mainstream success. Sales of the album were bolstered by the popular singles ‘Halo’ and ‘Unreal’, both achieving rewarding exposure time on MTV. Their efforts to this point earned them the Metal Edge magazine - Readers’ Choice Award for ‘Next Big Thing’.

The band hail from Chicago, Illinois and formed in 1997. They have racked up over 2 million album sales worldwide, and tonight, at the midway point of their tour, they entertain a hedonistic crowd at the 2,000-capacity venue Rock City, in Nottingham’s city centre, winner of Kerrang! magazine's Venue of the Year for ten consecutive years. Supporting SOiL where 3 superb nu metal acts: The Union Underground, Nonpoint, and Hed P.E., who did not disappoint at all. 

First up, The Union Underground, formed in 1996 and based out of San Antonio, Texas, who started the night with a bang. They set a blistering pace, high energy from the start! Performing selections from their hit debut ‘An Education In Rebellion’ including the songs ‘South Texas Death Ride’ and ‘Killing The Fly’, as well as the classic ‘Across The Nation’, their finale, and a song adopted by ‘World Wrestling Entertainment’ as the theme their RAW brand until October 2006. The crowd went crazy for this, and singer/ frontman Bryan Scott was in fine voice.

Next up; Nonpoint, who formed in 1997, are from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. They began with ‘Breaking Skin’ and with dreads flying they vehemently maintained the pace and intensity, helping prepare the way for the headliners. Final song to finish their set was ‘Bullet With A Name’ a fan favourite.

Preceding the headlining heavyweights, the third band take to the stage, Hed P.E., typeset as (həd)p.e., formed in 1994 and hail from Huntington Beach, California. The crowd were loving it, and with the buzz now at a high point; this band do a sterling job of sustaining it with their genre-melding style of ‘G-Punk’ / ‘rapcore’, incorporating elements of gangsta rap, punk rock, and reggae.

With the venue now filled by a crowd in a state of eager anticipation, it’s time for the main act to witness the adoration. SOiL came on with all guns blazing, and tore into their first number, ‘Breaking Me Down’ which promoted some serious head banging, arm waving, and jumping around, with the high-spirited revellers in visible chorus and some manically bouncing off each other.

After playing ‘Inside’, singer Ryan McCombs professed that he really liked the lyrics, they reminded him of what life would be like without the amazing fans they have amassed over the years and went on to announce that Nottingham had never let them down. 

Towards the end of the set the closing strains of ‘Black 7’ rang out to merge with the beginning of their best-known hit ‘Halo’ and crowd participation is now spiking in readiness for what they are about to receive.

After a short break they returned for 2 encores, the first, Black Betty, originally performed in 1939 by Lead Belly, but this rendition more akin to Ram Jams 1977 rocked-up version, a difficult fit it might be said, but performed in their own inimitable style, they successfully made it their own, and the crowd loved it. 

The show ended with ‘Pride’, from their 2004 ‘Redefine’ album.

Words and photos: Kieran Atkinson