P.O.D. - Murdered Love

What can I say about P.O.D.? Seeing the video for Selah and then picking up Brown was a huge musical moment in my life. The Warriors Come Out and Play Tour still ranks as one of my favorite concerts. The Fundamental Elements of the Southtown launched the band into the spotlight and Rock the Party was the first rock video to go number 1 on MTV's Total Request Live. Satellite was even bigger step for the band. Alive, Boom, and Youth of the Nation were huge hits for P.O.D. and one would think there place in hard rock was set.

But with Marcos Curiel "departure" and the quick change in the music scene, P.O.D.'s star faded quickly. The band's self-titled record explored a roots and reggae sound that had always been present in the band's music to varying degrees. It was similar to Bad Brains' I Against I. Testify saw the band get back to their roots on certain songs but critics found it tiresome and uninspired. Even with Curiel back on When Angels and Serpents Dance, the band felt like it was testing the waters and not diving in. It was good to have Curiel's guitar work back and there are some stellar tracks but overall the record was missing something.

Murdered Love has been billed as the band's "return to their roots." By roots, people mean Southtown and Satellite. Back to writing hits and the rapcore that made the band such a success.

Murdered Love is almost exactly what I hoped it would be.

Eyez doesn't have an intro that starts strong and grabs your attention from the word but when the track kicks in, it's a strong statement piece. The track is heavy in a way that P.O.D. hasn't been ever. The transition to Murdered Love is stellar and again, the track packs a punch. Marcos Curiel's guitar work really shines through. Higher is a great hook driven song. The groove is nice and it's P.O.D.'s pop side at it's best.

Lost in Forever, the album's first single, is the band's best single to date. The chorus is infectious and clicks in your brain instantly. It's got the same elements that made Alive and Boom such great hits but Lost in Forever feels different. Maybe it's just newer and fresh but everything about the track works for me.

West Coast Rock Steady is Kaliforn-Eye-A part two but the song has a much stronger groove and musical sensibility. Beautiful and Bad Boy are solid songs but they seem a tad out of place on the record. Beautiful is a a slow jam (at least in context to the rest of the record). Strong lyrics really drive the track. Bad Boy is more reggae influenced and again, solid musically but the lyrics are... They seem a little hollow compared to the rest of the record. Not that every song needs to be spiritual but something about Bad Boy doesn't work for me.

Babylon the Murderer, On Fire, and Panic and Run are just solid P.O.D. songs. On Fire is another song with a hook written to get stuck in your head. Babylon the Murderer feels like a song you've heard P.O.D. rock before and love. Panic and Run is a punk song that's a nice throwback to the Snuff the Punk days. Bad Brains influence from start to finish.

But the talk of Murdered Love is the album's closer, I Am. It's probably my favorite track on the record. A strong, hard-hitting track about the evil in this world that is man. But the song comes with controversy. The chorus goes like this:

"Are You The One That's Come To Set Me Free ? 
Cause If You Knew Who I Am, Would You Really Want To Die For Me ? 
They Say You Are The Cursed Man, The One Who Hangs From This Tree.
I Know This Is The One and only son of GOD But Tell Me Who the fuck is he?"


The album version actually doesn't have the band saying fuck. Sonny has explained he spent a lot of time praying about it and seeking advice and decided to edit the word out. But there's no mistaking what the edit is supposed to be. And I get it. I understand why people are upset with P.O.D. using such harsh language. But in reading Sonny's statement behind the song and lyric in question, I see no fault in him using it. I'm more upset that a) the band decided edit the word out. Just own it. And b) that there will be a second version of the album without I Am being sold in Christian Bookstores. I wish Family Christian bookstores would take a stand and just refuse to sell the record. Your sending a mixed message by releasing the album without a song. 


Whoops... I need to get off that soapbox. 


I've been a P.O.D. fan for a long time and Murdered Love is without a doubt their best record since Satellite. It's just some great heavy elements but is also a nice combo of nearly everything the band does well. The warriors should love this record!