Without question, this album is one of the best that I have heard in a long while. The Fundamental Elements contains some of the sickest hooks and best musicianship in the hard music arena this year. Their style has changed a bit, but it's not a bad thing; quite good actually. Imagine what would result from POD being thrown into a blender with a far more mature and talented POD, as well as the Deftones and White Zombie. Each hook is laid down with such finesse and skill, it'll put a smile on your face. And the awesome thing is, every hook is good. I kid you not. Every hook is an example of massive hardcore at its stylistic best. POD has even incorporated minimalist elements of industrial, using some samples here and there in the songs, creating a very Klank-like feel. Don't think they have gone mainstream or sold-out, not in the least. They have merely grown up and matured musically, and have finally received mix that'll do their material justice.
About the production: As good as you can get. The absolute best was poured into this, from the recording to the post-production. The mix is impeccable, every instrument perfectly balanced with the other. Sonny's voice is in top form, rising above the incredible low-end, often run through effects, but not too often. You can hear every word, and his scream comes flying out of the speakers. Traa's bass has never sounded better; every slap pops through the mix with perfect tone. Marcos uses quite a few effects on his guitar in the album, but they are perfectly placed, and his screams back up Sonny perfectly. In the song "Hollywood," Marcos uses an eerie effect for the verse, then couples it with a searing, intense riff for the chorus. It's awesome. The drums are perfect, too (remember the BROWN drums? Yeck). They carry plenty of weight, a prominent force in the mix. You can't get much better than this.
Standout songs would have to be "Hollywood," an intense song, totally unlike anything you've heard from POD before. "Rock the Party" sticks out as a fun, slam-around-till-you-drop song, with an insane White Zombie-like chorus. The album is very mosh-friendly and has immense replay value. "Set Your Eyes to Zion" is a beautiful reggae song, praising God and encouraging Christians to "ride on to Zion." They even do an insane cover of U2's "Bullet the Blue Sky," one of the best covers I've heard. The lyrical content has not been sacrificed at all, even though they're on a secular label now. POD has not lost their message, and it shows.
This album is superb. Sixteen tracks and 58 minutes of some of the best rapcore you can find. Don't miss out.
5/5
Other coverage for this album
HM Magazine #79Reviewed by Doug Van PeltThe wait for a solid studio album from these boys is finally over. While many have recognized them as a killer live band, they had yet to lay down some sounds that did it on a sonic level. While The Warriors EP was a wonderful step up, this full-length (16 tracks!) does the band that sweet justice us fans have been craving. I'm happy to report that my assumption about the new versions of "Full…ReAL Magazine 1999Reviewed by Timothy Paul YenterPayable on Death has done more than prove itself in the world of Christian music--it has proven it can hold its own in the secular world as well. Unlike most Christian bands (especially hardcore, punk and ska), P.O.D. has kept up with mainstream bands in musical ability. In fact, P.O.D. has actually set the standard for the rapcore genre, much like Rage Against the Machine did in the mid to late…Bandoppler 1999Reviewed by John SantThis is the best album of the year to date, hard music wise, hands down. The perfect balance of heaviness and flat out slam-you-in-your-face brutality, combined with the best musicianship and sickest hooks to come out of my speakers in a long time. I'll try to write words that'll give you a good picture of this CD, but it's hard... Payable on Death has not sold out on this album, they've grown up…The Phantom Tollbooth 1999Reviewed by Joe RockstrohThe debut mainstream album by P.O.D. is here. In a summer dominated by Limp Bizkit and Kid Rock's rock/hip-hop styling, the window of opportunity for P.O.D. is wide open. To whom much is given, much is expected. P.O.D. has always had the right tools: tight musicianship, diverse influences, and good vocals. But they insist on diddling with their songs' structures, adding and deleting distracting…The Phantom Tollbooth 1999Reviewed by Tony LaFianzaThis is POD's finest record. Traa, bass, and Wuv, drums, are fabulous and funky. Marcos' guitars are full and striking. Sonny's strong suit is in concert, he's a great showman, but Sonny's vocals have never been better on record than here on The Fundamental Elements of Southtown. The excitement erupts on almost every track. The song writing, and the hard hitting music, and the affected/effective…Similar sounding releases
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