Southwestern College Collegian

Issue date: 4/16/08 Section: Music Column

Since P.O.D.'s career-defining album "Satellite" dropped on the infamous day of September 11, 2001, I've been waiting for them to follow up with an album with equal or exceeding sounds to display. If you're waiting with me, relax. Your package hasn't arrived yet. "When Angels & Serpents Dance," released April 9, 2007, opens with "Addicted." It is laden with guitar riffs pleasing to a rock fan's ears. I like this song well enough, though it's not about to claim the spot of my favorite P.O.D. song of all time. Unfortunately, the energy present in the opening doesn't last long. "Shine With Me" has a driving electric guitar, but lacks enthusiasm. I don't buy it. Lead singer Sonny Sandoval seems to choose melody lines over rock hooks these days, and this is pretty disappointing, especially this early on in the album. Lead guitarist Marcos Curiel, who left the band a few years back, has returned on this outing and provides interesting guitar work again in "Condescending," but the delivery of the lyrics in the song aren't believable. The drums are hidden deeply within the production, and everything sounds far too laid back. Again on "It Can't Rain Everyday," Sonny writes a sing-song melody and the band plays so softly behind him I can hardly recognize the P.O.D. I once rocked out to. The words of the song call the themes of "Youth of The Nation" to mind, and almost comes off as a song of encouragement, but the chorus line, "The sunshine may be gone I know, but it can't rain everyday, it won't rain forever," just comes off far too weak for the boys from Southtown. "Kaliforn-Eye-A" has some of the old-school slang and rap-rock elements of "The Fundamental Elements…" but the energy comes and goes from chorus to verse quite sharply. "I'll Be Ready" doesn't pick up the pace by any means. It sounds like a shot in the dark to hit a reggae target of some sort. "End Of The World" has some rock moments, but repeats the title of the song over and over far too much in the chorus for my taste. "This Ain't No Ordinary Love Song" indeed is not. It does, however, come off quite well as mellow background music for a rainy day. "Roman Empire," follows, which is a random track of whispers over guitar. I begin to wonder if P.O.D. is really trying anymore. Finally at track No. 11, enter title track, "When Angels and Serpents Dance." The goodness of what made me have hope for this CD in the first place all comes together in this single song. The passionate vocals of Sonny, the intense drums, the driving electric guitar and best of all, there's a lyric worth listening to. "Who's leading you? Everything you say? Everything that you do? Believing what is true? One must lead in the dance, Who's leading you?" This song saves the album from being totally void of worth in my book, and is my favorite on the entire disc. "Tell Me Why" sounds like Lifehouse just stepped in for a duet. Sonny sings over an acoustic guitar and bells. Yes, bells. This ain't no ordinary P.O.D. song. And that's not necessarily a good thing. Track 13, "Rise Against," sounds like a heavy, angst song. Oddly, it's something to sleep by. It seems like an attempt to close the album like the thought provoking "Thinking About Forever," from "Satellite," but the latter doesn't contain the lyrical depth of the former. It comes off boring. On the final track, "Don't Fake It," the guys try to make a run at turning things up, but it's all too late. The audience's attention is far gone by now, and I'd rather rehash their 2003 "Payable On Death" release again than try to make it all the way through that time and place "When Angels and Serpents Dance." Drew Logsdon is a senior majoring in communication. You may e-mail him at drew.logsdon@sckans.edu.

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