P.O.D.- When Angels and Serpents Dance

Genre rock Publisher Columbia External Links P.O.D. Website

Wow. You know what, P.O.D.? When Angels and Serpents Dance isn't as bad as I expected it to be. I mean, let's be honest. I never really liked you- no offense- and thought your reverent rap-rock style was both treacle and hackneyed. I'm hearing something I didn't hear before now, though- I'm hearing a groove. A real soul that I didn't hear before. You've moved away from the straight-up nu-metal thing and perhaps- perhaps- are even carving out your own niche in the metal genre. One that mixes a certain hardnosed urbanity with an intriguing vulnerability.

Not to mention that you're showing some impressive versatility. From the bumpy, syncopated lyrical style of "It Can't Rain Everyday" to the dark and atmospheric Flamenco overtones of "I'll Be Ready" to the downtuned political commentary that fans expect from you, there's an expansive range of emotions and musical capability that defy any preconceived notions people may have about you. Hell, you even venture into reggae at points, and not everyone can pull that off.

HOWEVER. I still have some complaints. Some of your lyrics still sound a bit like they've been taken from the diary of an angsty thirteen-year-old: "You're patronizing and overbearing/ you're so unbending/ you don't understand me" is not something that professional musicians should get away with unless they're under contract with Disney. Also, one can still hear vestiges of the sound that blasted you onto the scene, "I'm Alive," in the opening track - it's like you just can't quite let go of the chord progression that did you so well in the past. Clearly you're capable of more, so I entreat you to let go and explore more. You have an unforeseen capacity for experimentation, so go with that and forget about what's made you money in the past. Demonstrating your ability as musicians is more important than making a hit single, right? RIGHT?