The debut mainstream album by P.O.D. is here. In a summer dominated by Limp Bizkit and Kid Rock's rock/hip-hop styling, the window of opportunity for P.O.D. is wide open.
To whom much is given, much is expected. P.O.D. has always had the right tools: tight musicianship, diverse influences, and good vocals. But they insist on diddling with their songs' structures, adding and deleting distracting musical bits on a whim. Most of this can probably be attributed to the band's reggae, hip-hop, and funk influences. Out of a total of sixteen tracks, only eleven are songs, and one of those is a cover of "Bullet the Blue Sky."
Unfortunately, the cover is the best cut off the album, the foreign song structure allowing the band to focus their energy and produce a passionate groove. The song "Southtown" has been absolutely ruined by an increased tempo, extra lyrics, and strange vocal effects. "Southtown" could have been a sure-fire college radio hit, as the demo version suggested, but sadly, the band chose to overproduce it into obscurity. There are a few bright spots though, just as there are with all P.O.D. albums. "Rock the Party (Off the Hook)" lives up to its name featuring massive groove, strong beats, and a sing-along chorus combining for a solid song.
Production is strong. The excellent guitar work of Marcos comes in clear, and the bass of Traa is a bit more evident on this album than the last one.
The drums have also improved considerably. Sonny still has his signature vocals, though they sound stronger than the Brown album. Lyrically, P.O.D. has maintained the band's message, the song "Tribal Warrior" laying it on the line:
Where do you stand on this battle cry,
Tribal Soldier?
Represent Adoni,
Ja Ja Warriors?
Despite forging an original sound and their own niche, P.O.D. still has trouble putting the final product together. A mediocre album in the Christian underground may be a hit, but in the mainstream, it's placed in the bargain bin.
3 tocks
Other coverage for this album
HM Magazine #79Reviewed by Doug Van PeltThe wait for a solid studio album from these boys is finally over. While many have recognized them as a killer live band, they had yet to lay down some sounds that did it on a sonic level. While The Warriors EP was a wonderful step up, this full-length (16 tracks!) does the band that sweet justice us fans have been craving. I'm happy to report that my assumption about the new versions of "Full…ReAL Magazine 1999Reviewed by Timothy Paul YenterPayable on Death has done more than prove itself in the world of Christian music--it has proven it can hold its own in the secular world as well. Unlike most Christian bands (especially hardcore, punk and ska), P.O.D. has kept up with mainstream bands in musical ability. In fact, P.O.D. has actually set the standard for the rapcore genre, much like Rage Against the Machine did in the mid to late…Bandoppler 1999Reviewed by John SantThis is the best album of the year to date, hard music wise, hands down. The perfect balance of heaviness and flat out slam-you-in-your-face brutality, combined with the best musicianship and sickest hooks to come out of my speakers in a long time. I'll try to write words that'll give you a good picture of this CD, but it's hard... Payable on Death has not sold out on this album, they've grown up…Exit Zine 1999Reviewed by John SantWithout question, this album is one of the best that I have heard in a long while. The Fundamental Elements contains some of the sickest hooks and best musicianship in the hard music arena this year. Their style has changed a bit, but it's not a bad thing; quite good actually. Imagine what would result from POD being thrown into a blender with a far more mature and talented POD, as well as the…The Phantom Tollbooth 1999Reviewed by Tony LaFianzaThis is POD's finest record. Traa, bass, and Wuv, drums, are fabulous and funky. Marcos' guitars are full and striking. Sonny's strong suit is in concert, he's a great showman, but Sonny's vocals have never been better on record than here on The Fundamental Elements of Southtown. The excitement erupts on almost every track. The song writing, and the hard hitting music, and the affected/effective…Similar sounding releases
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2002Still Payin' Dues (Video)
1996Brown
2002Satellite
1993Payable On Death (1993)
2003Payable on Death
1999The Warriors EP
