Testify With Book(s) (Compact Disc)

Roots In Stereo

Lights Out

If You Could See Me Now

Goodbye For Now

Sounds Like War

On The Grind

This Time

Mistakes & Glories

Let You Down

Teachers

Strength Of My Life

Say Hello

Mark My Words

Generation

Bridge To Burn

Will You (Chris Vrenna Remix)

Every Time I Die (Demo Version)

New Wave (Demo Version)

P.O.D. Strikes Back!

Two years ago, P.O.D. entered the studio, fresh off its smash hit Satellite. That album yielded two huge singles, “Alive” and “Youth of the Nation,” and sold more than 3 million copies. The band seemed poised to capitalize on its success. P.O.D. had just welcomed new guitarist Jason Truby (from Living Sacrifice) into its ranks and was eager to storm the charts again. Now, two years later, P.O.D. is a band bloodied and beaten. Payable on Death, its follow-up to Satellite, was a darker affair, with a more straight-ahead heavy approach that left fans overwhelmingly disappointed. As album sales dipped more than 80 percent, P.O.D. seemed to be heading in the wrong direction. But then in 2005, we got a taste of the good things to come with the limited edition release of The Warriors EP, Vol. 2, which sounded fresh and a lot more like Satellite.

That set up the new album, Testify, a true return to form in every way while taking a big step forward. How big? This is simply the band’s best album, bar none. As the title suggests, Testify is a blatantly “Christian” album from a devoutly faithful band. This is P.O.D.’s most direct work since signing with Atlantic Records. The lyrics stay true to its influences, dealing with real-life issues including the band’s personal ups and downs. “I can still see the light at the end of the tunnel,” Sonny Sandoval sings on “Goodbye for Now.” “Shine through the dark times, even when I lose my mind.”

P.O.D.’s success can be traced, at least in part, to its ability to combine the band’s reggae influences with rap and hard rock. The song “Roots In Stereo” marks the outfit’s best attempt at this to date. It’s also the closest Testify comes to an anthem on the level of “Youth of the Nation.” With the driving track “Lights Out,” sure to be a fan favorite, P.O.D. slips back into a harder-edged rock sound. Throughout its duration, Testify jumps deftly from style to style, incorporating all without sacrificing each one’s musical integrity.

It’s been tempting to write off P.O.D. with the host of other popular rock-rap-reggae combos out there, but with Testify, the band has elevated it to an art form. Truby seems to have adapted to the band’s style this time, his guitar blending nicely with the polished sound. P.O.D. once again worked with producer Glen Ballard (Alanis Morissette, Aerosmith), who has managed to make the band sound better than ever. And while there may not be an instant hit such as “Alive,” this is the most solid P.O.D. album to date.

DR. TONY SHORE

Review Provided by CCMmagazine.com