Rap-Rock, So ’90s

P.O.D. recently canceled a planned six-city tour of the U.K. with Filter. Why? According to band members quoted by Undercover.com.au, a “recently announced hiatus” made the South Bay band “unable to fulfill touring obligations” planned for February. The reason behind the band’s “hiatus” is unclear, and calls to their manager, agent, and Columbia Records spokesperson were not returned.

The status of P.O.D. – one of the most prolific local bands ever – has seemed shaky since guitarist-song writer Marcos Curiel was fired in 2003. Curiel, who’d been in the band for 11 years – pursued legal action against his bandmates over unpaid royalties. He said he was “happy” with a settlement he received. In spite of the conflict, he was asked to rejoin the band 2 years ago.

After Curiel rejoined, they were signed to INO Records, a Nashville-based Christian label distributed by Columbia. INO released P.O.D.’s seventh studio album, When Angels and Serpents Dance, in April; that album has so far sold 109,000 copies. Compare those sales to the band’s most successful album, Satellite, which sold 4 million copies.

Curiel was instrumental in writing the music for Satellite and Fundamental Elements of Southtown, the band’s two best-sellers. The two P.O.D. albums released after Curiel left had disappointing sales, and P.O.D. was subsequently dropped by Atlantic. Their last record with Atlantic, 2006’s Testify, sold 242,000 copies.

“I don’t think they evolved their sound very well,” says one radio insider who decided against playing the band’s latest record. “It didn’t sound like 2008; it sounded like late-’90s rap-rock, and I don’t think that [sound] matters now.”