P.O.D – VERITAS

During the heyday of Nu Metal and Rapcore P. O. D were one of the commercial heavyweights, gaining tons of radio play as singles such as ‘Youth Of The Nation’ and ‘Alive’ set the airwaves ablaze with their rousing, yet decidedly vapid verses and choruses.

When it comes to the type of glossy Rapcore that P.O.D ply I have always preferred Primer 55 and Limp Bizkit. For me, whenever I listened to P. O. D I was always left quite impassive. 

P. O. D have been plying their patented brand of burly Rap-Rock for over thirty years and in many ways their latest album ‘Veritas’ is a culmination of their career to this point. 

When it comes to this album one can expect the usual formula P.O.D specialize in to be on display in all its glory. Chrome plated verses, rapping, chunky riffs and theoretically rousing choruses all comingle in highly compressed songs that are glossy and yet simultaneously glib. 

Opening with ‘Drop’ which features Randy Blythe from Lamb Of God, ‘Veritas’ begins its trajectory with a slice of streamlined Rapcore in which Sonny Sandoval’s signature rapping is buttressed up against the unique vocals of Randy Blythe.

This song is followed by lead single ‘I Got That’ which spews forth a radio-ready slab of burly riffs, beefy rhythms and the expected choruses that P. O. D are known for. Even at two songs in I already had an inkling as to what was to come concerning the remainder of ‘Veritas’; a trite exercise in technically proficient, efficiently exercised yet soulless Nu-Metal meets Rapcore bluster. 

I have attempted, many a time to get into P. O. D.  Since their inception they amounted to being a band I very much wanted to like. On paper they come across as having all the qualities that I crave when it comes to this sort of music yet sonically, as perhaps mentioned ad nauseam, they leave me cold. Its almost as if I can objectively understand their appeal yet upon listening to their music I am unable to feel stimulated in any manner. Nowhere is the aforementioned more evident then in the mechanical and rote ‘Afraid To Die’ which features Tatiana Shmayluk from Jinjer. 

Songs such as ‘Dead Right’ and ‘This Is My Life’ are cookie cutter examples of the schtick that P. O. D portray and alas both left me apathetic and numb. Again, on a theoretical level their stylistic endeavors should make me sway like a pendulum in a thunderstorm yet rather leave me beset by inertia. 

Fact is, regardless of my opinion, ‘Veritas’ is primed to garner glowing reviews, much fanfare and in all probability be a commercial success yet unfortunately it is an album that did not appeal to my sensibilities whatsoever.

-Asher Locketz- 

https://payableondeath.bandcamp.com/album/veritas

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