Testify

“No man is more unhappy than he who never faces adversity. For he is not permitted to prove himself.”

-Seneca

What do people tend to think of when they think of nu-metal? Aggressive, down-tuned riffs, combined with hip-hop beats and an industrial edge, with a guy rapping and/or screaming about his tortured soul. A list of classic albums would be easy to compile. The big ones would probably include Korn’s Follow the Leader (1998), Papa Roach’s Infest (2000), Limp Bizkit’s Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water (2000), or Linkin Park’s Hybrid Theory (2000).

Then there are those other albums, the ones that almost fly under the radar entirely. Enter P.O.D.’s Testify, released in January of 2006. Few fans, if any, consider it to be one of their classics, but it did represent an important body of work after years of internal struggles, and a shifting commercial climate.

The Fundamental Elements of Southtown (1999) exposed the band to a mainstream audience. Satellite (2001) was the epitome of rap-rock, taking pride of place with the classics. Payable on Death (2003) went in a more straight-ahead alternative rock direction, with hardly any raps to be heard from frontman Sonny Sandoval. I honestly thought they’d keep going in that direction, considering the musical climate at the time.

But to my surprise, Testify reverted to the band’s signature sound of nu-metal and rap-rock, with a reggae influence and a spiritual edge setting them apart from the heap. The overall instrumentation — from Wuv Bernardo (drums), Traa Daniels (bass), and Jason Truby (guitar) — was definitely punchier and more upfront, with Sandoval alternating between rapping and melodic singing.

Produced by Glen Ballard (Alanis Morissette, Aerosmith, Van Halen), the band’s essential elements are complete with a cleaner, more polished rock sound. More refined, but without blunting the band’s cutting edge. Classic, old-school P.O.D., without recycling the old sound like a jukebox. It sort of feels like “arena rock” at times, but when you consider how long the band spent rebuilding creatively and emotionally, one can’t help but respect its energised feel.

As is the case with previous albums, the lyrical content of Testify‘s tracks blended spiritual themes with personal struggle and social tension. Common themes include resilience, identity, inner conflict, and cultural and political frustration. These guys had something to prove, and the album comes across as defiant, energetic, and — for all of its blending of genres and styles — focused.

“This album defines who we are musically as a foursome more than any other album that we’ve ever done,” Daniels said in an interview with MTV News. “What we tried to do on this album . . . was to take people on a journey musically. . . I think we have a lot of different elements.”

“We have one of the heaviest songs we ever wrote and one of the softest songs we ever wrote,” Sandoval added.

“Goodbye for Now” was the album’s lead single, and it shows how the band’s softer, more melodic side could appeal to longtime fans. Definitely the most radio-friendly track of the band’s entire career, it emphasised clean melodies and vocal harmonies, without any heavy guitar work. It was also notable for Katy Perry’s backup vocals, which came in towards the song’s end. This was long before she was a household name, when her debut Katy Hudson had sold just a couple of hundred copies.

Testify‘s next single, “Light’s Out,” was a commercial return to the band’s heavier side, closer to the nu-metal/rap rock side of the band. “Sounds Like War,” “On the Grind,” and “Mistakes and Glories” are in the same vein — fast and riff-driven, they definitely fit in with the band’s high-energy live performances.

“Let You Down,” “This Time,” and “If You Could See Me Now” are heavier as well, but not just about aggression. Introspection and emotional weight dominate the lyrics. They lean into the band’s spiritual edge, but in no way is any of it preachy. If it were, I wouldn’t be much of a fan. P.O.D. have always been a band working to live by their principles day-to-day, not to proclaim them. That’s the secret, what makes it work for someone like me.

One track that could have been a hit single, and should have been, was “Roots in Stereo.” It’s a solid album opener, and a way to re-introduce the band, since it really showcases their talent for fusing hard rock and reggae. The track also features singer and rapper Matisyahu, who also appeared on “Strength of My Life.”

“We draw from so many places,” Sandoval said in a Reddit AMA. “Our neighbourhood, faith, each other, eclectic cultural backgrounds, in the moment experiences, past experiences. You name it. The idea is to be an authentic and genuine as possible and relate to whoever may listen.”

“Love the humble art you have learned, and take rest in it,” Marcus Aurelius once said. “Pass through the remainder of your days as one who whole-heartedly entrusts all possessions to the gods, making yourself neither a tyrant nor a slave to any person.”

Indeed, P.O.D. are neither of those things. They never acted like superstars, never tried self-consciously to fit into the nu-metal or rap-rock scenes back in the day. They just did what came naturally to them and found mainstream success almost by accident. Austin Kleon said in Show Your Work! that “good work isn’t created in a vacuum.” Sandoval and co. have always known how to connect with their core fanbase, their friends in the scene, and each other. To bounce ideas off of each other and bring their music to life. And that’s how their art flows.

I guess the total opposite would be having a label exec looking over your shoulder, saying “We need a single.” Which absolutely happened during the album’s sessions, but I like to think that when a track like “Goodbye for Now” reaches a mass audience, that is simply a byproduct of the band having written a song with a certain mood and rhythm. I’m not saying it’s easy, but they do it.

To promote the album, P.O.D. toured the United States with their headlined Warriors Tour 2: Guilt by Association. Support acts included Pillar, the Chariot and Maylene and the Sons of Disaster.

Unfortunately, it was little more than a package tour, and P.O.D. would find themselves caught up in the mid-2000s rock slump. Testify would receive only a brief and notably awkward touring and promotions cycle as a result.

In August of 2006, the band had announced they had left Atlantic Records, signing with Rhino and releasing the retrospective Greatest Hits: The Atlantic Years. A video was released for the track “Going in Blind,” closing the lid on the “classic era” of the band.

Again, nu-metal was out of fashion. Emo, pop punk, and metalcore were in, and P.O.D. were no longer Atlantic’s priority. In other words, the band were basically cut off at the knees. Southtown and Satellite were great commercial successes. From the label’s point of view, they needed a product to match that, and 2003’s self-titled effort failed to do so. Testify may have been a “last chance” of sorts for the band. Initially, it had a strong commercial push with “Goodbye for Now,” but not much beyond that. The executive staff at Atlantic are not patient people. Most label execs are not. Most people in positions of authority are not.

This was extremely common in the mid-2000s. Korn faced a similar problem after the release of 2002’s Untouchables and 2003’s Take a Look in the Mirror, with album sales falling way behind previous releases. The difference in their case was a frenzied, dedicated core fanbase, and previous albums continuing to sell just enough to sustain a major label career.

It’s also a classic case of creative misalignment, and two parties wanting different things. P.O.D. wanted to record some hard and heavy tracks. Atlantic wanted hit singles. Both goals are valid, but given where radio and music television were heading at the time, utterly irreconcilable. Not that it was a messy split. More like, “Okay guys, it’s been fun,” and leaving it there. That, and it is believed by many that within obstacles comes the opportunity for growth.

Ryan Holiday wrote in The Obstacle is the Way, “Boldness is acting anyway, even though you understand the negative and the reality of your obstacle.”

“It’s only after we’ve lost everything that we’re free to do anything” is the famous Tyler Durden line from Fight Club.

The same might be said of P.O.D. in this situation. They knew they no longer had that commercial backing, but that wasn’t the end of the world. Once they parted ways from the label, the band found themselves with more creative freedom, and less pressure to deliver a commercially viable product. Within the obstacle of a shifting music industry and label strife came the opportunity to take their sound and run with it. This is reflected in subsequent releases, like 2008’s When Angels & Serpents Dance, and 2012’s Murdered Love.

And then something nobody was counting on: In December of 2006, the band announced on their MySpace page (remember those days?) that Jason Truby had left the band. But on that same day, former Marcos Curiel had rejoined. I’m not really a believer in any deity or fate or whatever, but that takes something. Curiel and the band would perform on the at the MTV New Year’s Eve 2006 special. I can think of far worse ways for a band to end the year.

Which is why Testify feels so underrated today. It didn’t reach the commercial heights of Satellite, and it was released when rock as a genre was having an identity crisis It just came and went, and it hasn’t exactly been one of those sleeper hits that gets new fans as it ages. That sucks, but it is what it is. However, some of us do hold onto it, and it worked as a kind of stabilising force that kept the band on-track well past their nu-metal peak. Overall, it’s a tight, underrated late-stage nu-metal album that deserves some love.