P.O.D., Payable On Death
Reviewed by f*v
What always made P.O.D. interesting and discussion-worthy (for fans and non-fans alike) was Sonny’s ability to MC craftful but crashing raps over a thundering musical assault. Sandoval and Zach De La Rocha clearly had the skills and bands to back them up, more so than other bands who have lasted longer in the spotlight. P.O.D.’s ability to dabble outside of the sound that brought them popularity was noteworthy, as well; elements of reggae and a deeper connection to hardcore than other bands made them stand out and won people like me over. Satellite was released on 9/11, and their album was one of the few popular yet creative sounds amongst the resulting unofficial soundtrack. Meanwhile, fans debated P.O.D.’s spirituality and loyalty to their “Warriors.”
Two years later, P.O.D. returns with a self-titled album. Payable On Death marks the first appearance by new guitarist Jason Truby. Formerly of metal band Living Sacrifice, Truby replaces founding member Marcos Curiel.
This latest collection of songs by P.O.D. brings another change, as well. Gone are the hip-hop element and rap vocals. Curiel’s often Latin-infused stylings have been replaced by Truby’s more technical, metallic leanings. In fact, the album continues to be diverse compared to the bands P.O.D. gets compared to, but much more than before, becomes mired in nu-metal blandities. Songs like “Wildfire,” “Revolution,” “Execute the Sounds” and “Freedom Fighters” have the potential to be great reggae pieces with relevant, inspiring lyrics, but are subverted by boring choruses and tired, repetitive riffs.
“Will You,” the album’s big leadoff single, finds itself somewhere above radio’s usual mediocrity, but is not a particularly impressive representative of the P.O.D. canon. Following a fairly generic, predictable song formula with typical guitar riffs and vocals best fit for a more aggressive musical background, the track isn’t particularly unique either lyrically or musically. Unfortunately, the majority of the rest of the album follows suit. Payable on Death is, to be blunt, a fairly uninteresting album and threatens to be a defining step down the path of mediocracy.