No matter how aggressive and antisocial their music got, the nu-metal bands were always very skilled at creating a special bond with their fans.
P.O.D.
were no exception, inviting their listeners to join them as the "Youth of the Nation," and so their new album
Veritas
actually starts with an intro welcoming listeners to this new chapter in their musical journey, and it ends with an outro saying they hope we enjoyed this as much as they did. The record arrived five-and-a-half years after their previous effort, 2018's
Circles
, and it marks the 30th anniversary of their independent debut, 1994's
Snuff the Punk
. While the era in which
came to full bloom is long gone -- their last record to make a dent in the international charts was 2006's
Testify
-- the group has simply continued to deliver well-made new records. And with the 2020's resurgence of the genre among younger bands building on the sounds of this previous generation, there's no need for
to compete. They can simply continue to play the easily recognizable blend of metal, rap, reggae, and anthemic pop choruses that they've honed over the years. Like
,
was guided by the fittingly named production duo
Heavy
(
Jordan Miller
and
Jason Bell
), and they manage to steer the group toward their most quintessential qualities without overdoing the nostalgia element, and at the same time, there's a slightly modern current (e.g. some metalcore breakdowns) that ensures the album isn't just a rehash. One of
's strengths is that they're not big on sentimentality, and so the songs have a matter-of-factness which keeps them from sounding like the band is trying to recapture their youth: they emphasize the heavier edges, not the passing of time. Granted, there are some very obvious throwbacks -- especially "Afraid to Die," an anthem featuring
Jinjer
's
Tatiana Shmayluk
, which taps into the same style as their biggest hit, "Youth of the Nation," or the melodic rap-metal track "I Won't Bow Down," which could have appeared on 2001's
Satellite
without a problem. But overall,
Sonny
Marcos
, and
Traa
(drummer
Wuv
was on hiatus, replaced here by session drummer
Robin Diaz
of
Theory of a Deadman
Daughtry
) sound revitalized, from the explosive opener "Drop" (featuring
Randy Blythe
by
Lamb of God
) to the punchy "Dead Right" to the punk energy of "This Is My Life" (featuring
Saosin
Cove Reber
).
may not open up new avenues for the band, but it proves that after all these years,
can still deliver rousingly defiant underdog anthems in their own style -- fittingly described in the lyrics of "I Got That" as "that underground, original, nothing-to-prove SouthTown, don't-play-around Dago signature groove." ~ Christian Genzel