P.O.D. Albums (7)
'When Angels and Serpents Dance'
Release Date 4/8/2008
Tracks 26
Label Sony
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
P.O.D.'s lineup may have returned to 2001, but thankfully its sound did not. Guitarist Marcos Curiel came back to the SoCal band for the first time since Satellite, bringing his underrated talent and looming presence that had been missing on the band's subsequent releases (2003's Payable on Death and 2006's Testify). The synergy of his reappearance was obvious, even if longtime fans may have been flattened a bit to hear the band's new sound lacking the edge of earlier releases. To their credit, the new sound worked in P.O.D.'s favor since modern rock fans seemed to have left nu-metal in their wake. Indeed, Limp Bizkit and Korn fans were few and far between. No longer shouldering the nu-metal mantle, P.O.D. were free to reacquaint listeners with their versatility. The straight reggae of "I'll Be Ready," the bluesy rhythm of "It Can't Rain Everyday," and the (gasp!) acoustic ballad "Tell Me Why" show that this is not a memory piece or a tribute to harder days. When Angels and Serpents Dance represents the strength of one of Christian rock's greatest assets. Guest artists include the Marley Sisters, Mike Muir of Suicidal Tendencies, and Page Hamilton of Helmet. ~ Jared Johnson, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Whether it be the group's Christian ethos, ethnically diverse makeup, or reggae-sunsplash-meets-Ozfest vibe, P.O.D. has always retained a bit more respectability than their rap-rock peers. Even during the group's most "nu-metal" moments, they sound like they have at least heard Bad Brains' first three albums and probably dug them. Smartly, on their fifth studio album, Testify, the band continues to eschew such rap-rock gimmicks as ancillary use of turntables and cheesy samples, and instead delivers a mature and workmanlike metal monster-piece. Bright, loud, but always artful, Testify's glossy production comes via journeyman hitmaking producer and synthesizer master Glen Ballard. While P.O.D. has lost none of their rootsy funk metal swagger, Ballard -- the man behind such pop titans as Michael Jackson, Van Halen, and Alanis Morissette -- has found a way to give them an eminently palatable studio sheen that brings to mind a deft mix of the arena rock of Asia and the Police, as much as it does Sepultura. The move toward a more polished sound also pays dividends creatively, as guitarist Jason Truby, while not quite as forward-thinking as Audioslave's Tom Morello, nonetheless shines under Ballard's approach, delivering a truly inspired and technically brilliant performance. Similarly, vocalist Sonny seems reinvigorated and practically giddy on the lead-off track, "Roots in Stereo." Spiritually, the band is as concerned as ever with Jah, inner strength, and the "blood of God's veins," and if the melancholy single "Goodbye for Now" is any indication, they still have a few inner demons to wrestle with creatively. Luckily, though, they haven't forgotten the funk, and songs such as the head-snapping "Lights Out" and the Sabbath-esque "Sounds Like War" combine a bit of hip-hop fun with Bob Marley-inspired metal faith. Throw in a couple of serendipitous guest spots from Hasidic rapper Matisyahu and by the time you get to the devastating metal-reggae album closer, "Mark My Words," you've got a band reborn. ~ Matt Collar, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
P.O.D.'s 2001 release Satellite made the born-again Christian rap-metalists stars as they racked up hits with "Alive," "Boom," and the post-Columbine anthem "Youth of the Nation." It was clear that any follow-up would be hotly anticipated, but no one could have predicted the departure of guitarist Marcos at the height of the band's success. A crucial part of P.O.D.'s sound, Marcos seemed to combine the epic metal of Sepultura with the organic punk energy of Bad Brains and the searching spirituality of Carlos Santana. It was also unclear as to why he actually left, with both Marcos and the band issuing contradictory explanations that brought into question both parties' spiritual and musical convictions. One thing was clear though, it was going to take a strong creative force to make up for the loss: enter ex-Living Sacrifice fret-man Jason Truby, who joined the band just in time to record its single for the Matrix Reloaded soundtrack as well as the 2003 full-length Payable on Death. A darker album than its predecessor, Payable is built largely around Truby's precise slabs of distorted guitar. More quintessentially "metal" in his approach -- think Metallica -- and more of a conscientious technician than Marcos, Truby unfortunately lacks some of the unexpected spark that Marcos brought to P.O.D.. Fans of the band shouldn't find much to complain about here though, even if the overall sound doesn't stand out as distinctly from the nu-metal pack as Satellite did. Nevertheless, vocalist Sonny hasn't lost any of his Tom Morello meets H.R. attitude, and for the most part the songs are there. Notably, "Change the World" is a catchy and upbeat celebration of truth through the eyes of a child, and the darkly sanguine leadoff track, "Wildfire," finds Sonny proclaiming, "Me want uncultivated Jah glow." In the end though, Payable on Death is a declaration of a band reborn in a new, more polished image, and it is no small gesture that the last track, "Eternal," goes solely instrumental with Truby's guitar leading the way. ~ Matt Collar, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
During an era when most heavy metal bands wallowed in their own misery, singing about pain and sadness, P.O.D. offered a more optimistic alternative. The band had been releasing music since the late '90s, but it was this album rather than its commercially overlooked predecessor, The Fundamental Elements of Southtown (1998), that reached out to countless listeners. Quite simply, you can't deny the emotion P.O.D. funnels into its songs. The sentiment feels genuine, as if this band truly cares about its listeners, one of the key reasons why this album shook the metal world in 2002. And, as most listeners will no doubt agree, it did so for the better. The metal world needed an album like Satellite in 2002, just like it needed a band like P.O.D. to challenge longtime metal heavyweights like Tool and Korn for supremacy. The spiritual, emotional band writes songs about promise and hope -- songs that inspire you to celebrate life, not despise it. It's not just the singing of vocalist Sonny either, though his soaring voice has much to do with it. Rather, it's the band as a whole that gives the songs on Satellite so much affective power. These four guys obviously love making music together, and that passion comes across in every song. Guitarist Marco, bassist Traa, and drummer Wuv fuse a variety of influences -- metal, hip-hop, dub, Rage Against the Machine -- and create music that stands on its own, apart from the many other nu-metal bands of the time. In particular, "Alive" and "Youth of the Nation" stand out as rallying calls for metal fans looking for music about living, not dying. ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide
'The Fundamental Elements of Southtown'
Release Date 8/24/1999
Tracks 16
Label Atlantic
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
With their full-length debut, The Fundamental Elements of Southtown, POD (Payable on Death) shows considerable promise, crafting an album that flows from aggressive rap-metal to trippy, Beastie-styled reggae dub excursions. It may be all over the map, but give the group credit for trying a bunch of styles and pulling most of them off. At times, they sound too derivative -- when they rock really hard, they sound too much like a Christian Rage Against the Machine -- but there's energy here and the roots of a distinctive sound, all of which are necessary for a strong debut. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
