There's not many bands I'm more excited about than P.O.D. The fact that they're signed to Atlantic Records now is almost over the top good news. It will be a joy to watch these guys with the whole world watching, too. I sure hope they break big, cause then we'll be sharing just the simple joy of P.O.D. music with more friends (not to mention the real joy that these guys know).
What is this EP? These are demos from the new, upcoming album due out this August. The thought was, I suppose, "Let's get this sample out there in advance, which the band can take on tour to promo the new album. Give the fans something to chew on while they wait for Summer to pass." What's on it is sonic greatness (at least compared to their studio output thus far). The riffs are huge and crunchy and everything's separated real good. After a bizarre intro, we hear the first new song from P.O.D. in three years - "Southtown." Nice!
Next we hear monster good versions of their best songs - "Breathe Babylon," the early "Draw The Line," and the show-stopping "Full Color." The song "Breathe Babylon" never sounded better and more full. Guest rapper, Dirt, adds some great sounding verses. We also hear Marcos' vocals up in the mix enough for the first time. "Draw The Line" sounds tougher. It's going to make it hard to go back and listen to Snuff The Punk now! "Full Color" gets the royal recording treatment, too. The only downfall to having these songs on this EP is that we the fans will feel like, "Hey, when are we going to get some new songs?!" We've heard them on the band's first two albums, heard 'em played every time we saw 'em live. We hear 'em here, and then they'll probably be on the new album in August. In carrying these old songs with them, they put pressure on themselves to outdo them. Given the sound of "Southtown," I'm confident they'll come close enough to satisfy.
It's fun (and weird) to hear the vinyl scratches behind the songs, giving it that old analog feel. This is especially noticeable in the beautiful "Rosa Linda," which showcases the skills of Marcos brilliantly. I've heard some say that he doesn't seem to know where to go when it comes to leads on the electric; but when you put him on a flamenco guitar, look out! He shreds!
This is one of those CD's that you, the hard music fan, really have no options on. You must buy it. Do not ask any questions. Don't read too far into this review. Just go get the thing and play it loud! August will come soon, Lord willing!