Payable on Death

“Who pours himself forth as a fountain-head is known by the Knower,
Who leads him, enchanted and serene, through the emergence of creation, 
Which so often closes where it ends and ends where it begins.“

Rainer Maria Rilke

Satellite may be P.O.D.‘s best-known work, but every time I listen to their self-titled fifth album, I wonder why I don’t do so more often.

Released in November of 2003, Payable on Death marked two significant changes in the band’s history: Their first album without founding guitarist Marcos Curiel, and the first to take the rap element out of the band’s successful hybrid formula.

Satellite was a huge success for the band, critically and commercially. The album’s singles received significant airplay, complimented by headlining tours and even a spot on the main stage at Ozzfest 2002. Unfortunately, this era would end with Curiel leaving the band, to work on his project the Accident Experiment while also citing “spiritual differences.” The prospect of losing a band-member can be daunting, because while it might not seem like there’s any drastic variation between guitarists in the world of nu-metal, each one is somewhat unique. Limp Bizkit knew this when they were searching for Wes Borland’s replacement back in 2002, and it was probably the same with the guys in P.O.D. – Sonny Sandoval (vocals), Traa Daniels (bass), and Wuv Bernardo (drums).

With Satellite, P.O.D. had managed to do well in a paired-down environment with a series of hit singles, at a time when their peers in the scene weren’t pulling in as many numbers as they used to. They had that going for them, and this was a golden opportunity to really solidify their status as career artists.

Enter Jason Truby, formerly of the Christian metal band Living Sacrifice.

People often ask, “Did the replacement singer suck?” when a band loses a vocalist, as the lead singer tends to be the focal point of a band. Well, one could make the case than an integral member such as a guitar player should be subject to the same level of scrutiny. Or any musician that plays a key role in a band’s sound.

So, in this case, did the replacement guitarist suck?

No, not even a little bit. In fact, he gelled with the band instantly and propelled them forward.

P.O.D. and Truby would record the spectral “Sleeping Awake,” which was featured on the Matrix Reloaded soundtrack. An accompanying music video (directed by Mark Webb, who would also helm videos for the album’s singles) featured the band members dressed up in suitably themed clothing in two settings, black with sunglasses in the film’s simulation, and old, wayworn clothes in the real-world. The song itself was taste of the band’s new sound before going in and recording a full-length album. Not a bad move. The band could introduce the new guy with something that didn’t demand too much of the listener. Even more significant is that P.O.D. were questioning whether to continue at all after Curiel’s departure.

“[Truby] did us a favour by helping us out with this song,” Sandoval explained in an interview with Yahoo! Music. “And then once it was all said and done it kind of confirmed that maybe we should been doing what we loved–and that’s making music. So now he’s helping us do that.”

With a new guitarist and a revitalised vision, the band set about writing and recording in their hometown of San Diego, California. The product was an album more laid back than Satellite, which came from a desire to let the music come naturally and not give any thought to categorisation or cliche.

“We took it back to the roots,” Sandoval would say in an interview with Jon Wiederhorn. “We broke down the walls in this abandoned warehouse and set up shop. The doors were always open to our friends and family and people around San Diego to come through. And it was just more of a home vibe.”

Previous albums saw guest vocalists in the form of Blindside’s Christian Lindskog, Bad Brains’ H.R. and reggae artist Eek-a-Mouse, which was indicative of the band’s broad range of influences. For Payable on Death, the band thought it would only be appropriate for Truby to choose a guest. The guitarist went for Phil Keaggy, who was one of Truby’s biggest influences. Keaggy’s work can be heard on the tracks “Revolution” and the album’s closing instrumental, “Eternal.”

“Wildfire,” “Freedom Fighters,” and the uber-catchy “Execute the Sounds” maintain the band’s reggae influence, which has been a staple in their sound from the beginning, and has perhaps allowed them to see things in modern metal fusion that their peers might have missed. A spiritual edge without preaching, that can appeal to secular and religious listeners alike.

Two singles were released from Payable on Death: “Will You,” and “Change the World.” The former is a brooding alternative rock number that looks at a relationship on its last legs, while the latter brings on the optimism, described simply by Sandoval as a “good-feeling song.”

Payable on Death debuted at number nine on the Billboard 200 chart, selling over 100,000 copies in its first week. And while it wouldn’t match the commercial success of Satellite, it still did well with over a million copies sold worldwide by June of the following year. The album’s release was not without controversy, however. The “occult” cover art proved too much for Christian stores to handle, with many refusing to carry it.

No matter, because the album had a broader appeal. P.O.D. would spend all of 2004 promoting their self-titled album, most notably joining Linkin Park on their North American tour with Hoobastank and Story of the Year, before launching their own headlining trek with Lacuna Coil, Blindside and New Found Glory as openers. Various festivals would round out the band’s schedule before work would commence on a studio follow-up, again with Truby on guitar.

In an environment where line-up changes can make or break a band, P.O.D. did extraordinarily well with Jason Truby in Marcos Curiel’s slot. And during a time when nu-metal and rap-rock was on a commercial decline, for a band to be able to kick back and run their own race is a beautiful thing. You really cannot ask for more than that.

The replacement guitarist did not suck.