Browsing through the promo crates I chanced to come across an ancient three-letter acronym from time immemorial – P.O.D. Yeah, remember? They used to have a few blockbuster hits here, in Finland, some 20 years ago or so. I genuinely didn’t think the band was even active anymore. On this side of the Atlantic, it had been rather quiet on the Western front since “Youth of the Nation.” It turns out, though, that the band has been churning out albums at a steady pace through all these years. Set to be released on May 3rd, 2024, via Mascot Records, their new studio endeavor, 11th overall, bears the title, “Veritas,” and, as the two singles released ahead of the album already suggested, these seasoned metal rogues aren’t pulling any punches. Featuring guest vocalists of the highest caliber – Randy Blythe of LAMB OF GOD and Tatiana Shmayluk of JINJER, respectively – these two teasers present P.O.D. at their absolute heaviest and the most seductive while honoring their pedigree nu-metal legacy upon which everything is based. I must say, this creates quite an enticing aura for the outing.
The album kicks off with a straight-up punch in the face. The video single, “Drop,” featuring Blythe as a guest vocalist, is a 3-minute riffer that recalls all the best practices of nu-metal from yesteryear. Who would have thought that Blythe‘s signature snarls fit the nu-metal aesthetic so damn well?! Then again, metal subgenres with either the “groove” or “nu” prefix are predominantly about killer riffs that make you want to turn into a human pogo stick. Since my entire existence is still anchored to this temporary reality where my physical body is closing in on its fifties, this obviously poses certain hazards, but as far as the characteristics of a killer song go, this banger leaves no box unchecked.
The second single, “Afraid to Die,” featuring Shmayluk on vocals, is a good old-fashioned power anthem. There is something a bit KORN-like in the verses; perhaps the impression comes from the dissonant synth motif or the half-whispered vocals by JINJER‘s talismanic front lady. I reckon she also does the screams – and the line, “Nobody gets out alive,” sure packs a punch, considering what’s happening in the world right now. Then, maybe it’s just me but, in passing, I get the feeling that P.O.D. vocalist Sonny Sandoval is paraphrasing some of the lyrics from “Youth of the Nation,” which adds a nice layer of nostalgia to the song. With the album kicking off with two bangers of this caliber, how is it going to avoid the pitfall of losing its steam toward the end?
Well, to be honest, some of the songs do lose a bit of the steam but, overall, the selection is pretty solid. For one, “Feeling Strange,” which I reckon is supposed to be the grand finale of the album is anything but; nope, you do not close a selection of banging riffers with a ballad – ever. Then, depending on your stance on emo vibes, “This is My Life,” featuring Cove Reber, and “We Are One (Our Struggle)” either get you hyped up or quite the opposite. For me, these two emo-riffers are pretty decent tracks but perhaps not among the best bangers of the album.
What makes this album shine, in addition to the first two singles, are tracks such as “I Got That,” with its AUDIOSLAVE-inspired slow-chugging riffs, the high-octane riffs laced with THE BEASTIE BOYS vibes in “Dead Right,” and the LINKIN PARK impressions of “Breaking.” For old-schoolers, like me, the nu-metal aesthetic never lost its appeal but, I guess, the new generations are just now discovering the bands. So, it is nice to have some of the original players still among us, delivering class-A albums now and then. I’m not sure what the younger metal demographic makes of the nostalgic vibes of, say, “Lay Me Down (Roo’s Song),” which is a straight-up homage to the 1990s, or “Lies We Tell Ourselves,” which almost comes off as a college-rock pastiche of WEEZER. For us, metal elderlies, songs like these go down like a chubby kid in a see-saw, of course.
Long story short, this new P.O.D. album may not revolutionize the scene but it fires on all cylinders, providing further proof that the rumors about the death of nu metal have been premature.
Written by Jani Lehtinen
Tracklist
- Drop (feat. Randy Blythe)
- I Got That
- Afraid to Die (feat. Tatiana Shmayluk)
- Dead Right
- Breaking
- Lay Me Down (Roo’s Song)
- I Won’t Bow Down
- This Is My Life (feat. Cove Reber)
- Lies We Tell Ourselves
- We Are One (Our Struggle)
- Feeling Strange
Lineup
Sonny Sandoval – vocals
Marcos Curiel – guitars
Traa Daniels – bass
Label
Mascot Records
