Writing the prologue of their story 30 some odd years ago, P.O.D. has since added one more interesting chapter after another. An abbreviation for Payable on Death, the intense name of the band in a way matches their approach; which is full of heaviness, introspective thought processes, and ultimately about forging a way through life.
Aspects which truly define P.O.D., while they began in 1992, putting out two independent albums with 1994’s Snuff the Punk and 1996’s Brown, it would inevitably be their major label debut in 1999, The Fundamental Elements of Southtown, which broke them into the mainstream. A record which featured such big tracks as “Southtown” and “Rock the Party (Off the Hook),” not only did it put P.O.D. on many Alternative Metal lovers’ radar, but acted as a springboard to even broader success. In fact, their 2001 follow up Satellite spent five consecutive weeks in the top 10 of Billboard 200 chart. Released on one of the most tragic days in modern American history, September 11th, songs like “Alive” and “Youth of a Nation” became massive hits, resonating with many looking for answers and hope.
All factors which made P.O.D. an international attraction, they proved to have the fire to sustain such success throughout the 2000s with each subsequent studio album from 2003’s Payable on Death through to 2015’s The Awakening not only breaking the Billboard 200, but sticking in a top 20 position on such charts 4 consecutive times. Accomplishments which are tremendous when you think of the substantial shifts in the music industry over the last two decades, perhaps it has been P.O.D.’s conviction to follow their own instincts that has led them this far. Something to think about as we look back on their rise, now in 2024 they are set to pen the next pages of their chronicle with the new album Veritas.
Directly translating into Truth, Veritas comes just shy of 6 years after 2018’s Circles, making it the longest gap between records ever for the band. A fact that should make fans even more curious to hear what P.O.D. has put together during their time away, since September of 2023, they have consistently trickled out singles to pique curiosity. Starting with the very Rap Metal heavy “DROP,” featuring Lamb of God’s Randy Blythe, to follow was the nothing less than captivating “AFRAID TO DIE,” with Jinjer’s Tatiana Shmayluk, before “I WON’T BOW DOWN,” and the more Alternative Rock “LIES WE TELL OURSELVES,” leading into Veritas release on May 3rd via Mascot Records.
Truly a powerful way to come out the gate and create a buzz around the new music, like a poker player, these 4 pre-album singles do not in any way tip P.O.D’s hand. What this means is that while each single is extremely different and engaging, especially the absolute must listen “AFRAID TO DIE,” there is still so much more within the 7 other songs that make up Veritas. As always, the lyrics of Sonny Sandoval immediately grab your attention, shake you up a little, and get your blood flowing. Doing so in a positive fashion, Sandoval’s approach with Veritas is not much different from the band’s prior works, but there is much here that hits a nerve within many of us. In short, these new songs are about owning your life’s path, not letting your mistakes define you, and inevitably realizing that piece of mind is earned, not bought or handed to you because you believe you deserve it.
With this, the songs that make up Veritas do not mince words as they go right for your soul, hopefully on a path toward the realization that you cannot move forward pointing fingers at anyone else for not being where you want in life. An intense messaging in a world where it seems that entitlement is a perfectly acceptable attitude, P.O.D. asks you to face yourself in the mirror and free your mind from such shackles. Doing so primarily with Sandoval’s very forthright lyrics, each song’s effectiveness is also accomplished with some razor-sharp instrumental contributions from both Guitarist Marcos Curiel and Bassist Traa Daniels.
Mixing more aggressive raps with haunting singing, some of the most stunning moments here transpire in the aforementioned “AFRAID TO DIE,” which could be one of the band’s best songs ever, “BREAKING,” “DEAD RIGHT,” with its honest observation about today’s climate where everyone is so self-righteous, and “I WON’T BOW DOWN,” which is really about not letting the world beat you down. However, you also cannot ignore the moxie-filled “I GOT THAT” with the absolutely killer lyric “We got that stay high, butterfly vibes you can feel, but since the world so fake only a few of you will.”
In all, Veritas is a wake-up call of self-motivation in a time when it is needed most. It is heavy and dark, yet all with a ray of light, and filled with a fire that is inspiring. Arguably one of the best P.O.D. albums of their career, and as relevant as ever in a narcissistic, divisive society, Cryptic Rock gives Veritas 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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