P.O.D. aka Payable on Death was the first "heavy" band that I ever got into, and despite the fact that they have mellowed out in recent years I still look forward to hearing new material from these guys. Anyone who listens to the current incarnation of P.O.D. would probably find it hard to believe that these pioneers of nu metal actually had close ties with Southern Cali's punk and hardcore scene in the beginning. In fact, in the early days it wasn't uncommon to see them sporting No Innocent Victim, Overcome and Zao gear. Just check out their video for 'Southtown' or look up any live pics from the mid to late 90's to see what I mean. They also opened for xDisciplex here in Erie. Unfortunately I was still living in Rochester, NY at the time and had yet to discover hardcore music (it was all just rock to me back then) so I missed out on what was surely an awesome show. If you listen to albums like 1994's Snuff the Punk or 1996's Brown, it's not hard to see why these guys brushed shoulders with various hardcore acts throughout the 90's. These albums are intense and hit hard, rivaling even the best hardcore bands of the time in terms of heaviness and sincerity. Nothing at all like the more recent reggae-inspired CD's that they've been putting out since 2001's Satellite. Once they signed to Atlantic records it's clear that they felt the need to take their music in a new direction. I'm not going to accuse them of selling out to make a buck, because the reggae-rock sound was starting to emerge as early as Brown but they definately took it to a whole new level with Satellite and everything that followed. I feel this was just the natural progression of their music however, and not some forced attempt to be radio-friendly. They still continue to pay homage to their roots by featuring guest vocals from various punk and hardcore bands of the past, including H.R. from Bad Brains and Mike Muir of Suicidal Tendencies. 
Snuff the Punk and Brown were both released on Rescue Records which is owned by Noah Bernardo Sr. who happens to be drummer Wuv's father and vocalist Sonny's uncle. The label is also notable for releasing No Innocent Victim's Strength and No Compromise albums. Lyrically this early stuff is much more direct when it comes to the Christian message, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. They don't come off as abrasive or judgmental, but it could certianly alienate people of other beliefs simply because of how straight-forward it is. The Fundamental Elements of Southtown was P.O.D.'s first venture into the mainstream. This was their Atlantic Records debut and featured the hit songs 'Southtown', and 'Rock the Party' which saw significant airplay. Although the album is easier on the ears than their first two full-lengths it still maintains the same level of intensity and that's why I include it. This album marks P.O.D. at their finest in my opinion. It's where the rawness of the old material meets the diversity of the new material and forms an album that is as equally unique as it is heavy. The lyrics are noticeably more generalized. The album as a whole provides a positive message that speaks from a Christian perspective but it doesn't beat listener's over the head with biblical theology. Anyone can take something away from this album, which certainly contributed to it's success.
Other releases from this era include a live album simply called Live and a collection of demo tracks entitled The Warriors EP which was out of print for awhile but can now be found in certain copies of Greatest Hits: The Atlantic Years.
Regardless of how much these guys have changed over the years, they will always remain one of my favorite bands. Before P.O.D. music was just background noise to me. My appreciation for both hardcore and hip-hop is owed to them and their first three studio albums. So go ahead, download this stuff and see what I'm talking about:
DOWNLOAD - The Fundamental Elements... 
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