Rough Edge: P.O.D. CD Reviews

P.O.D.

"Satellite" (Atlantic; 2001)

Reviewed by Jeff Rogers

What can you say about P.O.D. that hasn't already been said? Four of the hardest working guys in music, P.O.D. brings a different attitude to what they do, and they bring a message for the masses: a message of hope, faith and that being grounded in Christ is what makes this band the most down to earth.

Fronted by Sonny and led by God, P.O.D. doesn’t just deliver great music, they raise the bar for themselves to be examples. Christian rock has changed in the last few years; bands like P.O.D. know that kids need more than Christian pop to reach them. Since 9/11, this country has needed answers more than anything and, while P.O.D. may not have them, they have held what they know to be true: In the midst of everything, God is present and our sins were "Payable On Death." This is a great CD, full of excellent music, energy and an attitude of fun. These guys love what they do.

"Satellite" is a great disc, full of huge guitars and monster bass. I once saw these guys play in a church basement and they rocked the place for two hours.

“Set It Off” opens the disc with pounding guitar from Marcos, thundering drums from Wuv and some great raps from Sonny. Tra lays down some of the baddest bass licks to make your ears rattle and there are more hooks than on your grandpa's fishing hat. P.O.D. pours sheer power into each song.

“Alive” was the first single released and it's a great song, too. Sonny and company can make you sing along with some great tunes. They have the talent to put together a song that shows music can be energy and it makes you want to mosh all over the place. This band has captured what the rap-metal world needs. They bring a message in which everyone can find something.

“Youth of a Nation” is a song that allows P.O.D. to reach inside the schools of America and show you just what kids go through and what they face every day. Three stories of people who took wrong turns and couldn't stop the wheels once in motion.

“Thinking About Forever” has a slow vibe, Sonny sings to his mom who has passed on. He tells her about his life, his family and that he is always thinking about forever. A nice song that will never be a hit but some songs don't have to be for their truest form to shine through.

The best tracks here are “Set It Off,” “Alive,” “Satellite,” and “Masterpiece Conspiracy.”

P.O.D. is: Wuv, Marcos, Sonny and Tra.

For more information, check out http://www.payableondeath.com.

"The Fundamental Elements of Southtown" (Atlantic; 1999)

Reviewed by Jeff Rogers

I should first give credit to my friend Ted Handley who introduced me to P.O.D. He told me about this band and said they would be playing with some other bands at a church concert. I paid my money, met some of Ted's friends and later navigated through the crowd to the stage. I felt a little out of place with my preppie haircut but, since I was there to rock, my appearance really didn't matter.

P.O.D. were the headliner and when they finally stepped on stage it was if the whole audience already knew who they were even though "The Fundamental Elements of Southtown" was their third album and it had just been released. P.O.D. began to rock the house with crowd hits from their previous discs. It was an electric experience. I'll admit I got caught up in the chant "Brothers and Sisters!" from the song "Draw the Line" off their "Snuff the Punk" debut CD.

These guys played with so much energy that you could even feel it outside after the show. This is the disc that really put them on the map for Nu-metal and Rap metal because they added a reggae element that hadn't been heard before. It's been their staple ever since; you know a P.O.D. song when you hear it because it's like a familiar voice calling your name.

The vocals of Sonny Sandoval are bombastic and a raised fist is required when repeating them. Marcos Curiel's guitar has a Latin flavor and its chock full of metal riffs and guitar interjections to keep you satisfied no matter your level of guitar playing. Traa Daniels and Wuv Bernardo lay down some great backing rhythms to keep your head bobbin' the whole time.

P.O.D. is Christian metal and the message is just as important as the music. You can hear about life beyond your comfort zone but with a message of hope.

P.O.D. is one band that you can play on 11 or with ear buds nestled in to get the real feel of the music. I remember the original cover has some controversy surrounding it but the hype was more for the music than the artwork.

P.O.D.: Sonny Sandoval – vocals; Marcos Curiel – guitar; Traa Daniels – bass; Wuv Bernardo – drums.

For more information, check out http://www.payableondeath.com.

Rating Guide:

A classic. This record will kick your ass.

Killer. Not a classic but it will rock your world.

So-so. You've heard better.

Pretty bad. Might make a nice coaster.

Self explanatory. Just the sight of the cover makes you wanna hurl.

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