Christian Rock heavy weights P.O.D. return this year with Murdered Love, the first new studio album in four years. Murdered Love releasing July 10 is rich reaching in the patented rock, hip hop, rap and bluesy sound that got the world’s attention in 2001. P.O.D.’s monster triple platinum release Satellite with four #1 videos including the heavily rotated Alive and Youth of the Nation and three Grammy nominations Satellite could be considered their Master of Puppets.
Forged in San Diego in 1992 and two decades and 10 million albums later the band is still holding solid, delivering positive inspirational messages to the impoverished and disillusioned youth of America. Singer Sonny Sandoval has participated in numerous school outreach programs and public speaking engagements.
After 2008’s When Angels and Serpents Dance P.O.D. saw a change in the record business and the band took a needed hiatus to concentrate on personal business and family. The new record was originally intended to be a Bad Brains inspired hardcore EP followed by some light touring but the band felt the material was good enough to keep recording. With fluid momentum and creativity on their side P.O.D. cranked out an entire album worth of tunes, hence Murdered Love.
Murdered Love opens with the slow driving Bio Hazard’esque Eyez featuring HateBreed’s red faced yelling machine Jamey Jasta. We get some opening static on the title track’s rap of crimes and atrocities done within the law. Higher takes us as far heaven bound as the earthly experience can lift us. The album’s new single Lost In Forever is a catchy rock tune about knowing eventually the body will slow down and die, asking ‘where does the soul spiritually stand?’ Beautiful deals with masking the pain and effects of abuse, rape, drugs and the business end of a gun. I Am, the most grim and graphic penned theme asks the Almighty if He dies to save the souls of the most evil and deviant scum bags on earth.
Murdered Love calls to attention that the earth went dark the day Christ was killed. The sung messages and catchy execution call out a stern warning against violence, death, injustice and worldly evil while simultaneously sending a shout out to hope and faith. The band asks several times how many versions of Babylon will rise to tempt mankind and how many times will it fall?
P.O.D. filmed an official video for Murdered Love with Ramon Boutisveth (All That Remains, For today, Trivium) in their hometown of San Diego, California. The band also recently released a full album Youtube preview with cuts from each song and band commentary of each track.
In the wake of massive success P.O.D. has stayed humble while keeping their street smarts. The band will enjoy superstar status headlining the third annual Rockstar Energy Drink Uproar Festival along-side Shinedown, Godsmack, Staind and Papa Roach August 18th-September 30th.
