After more than three decades of redefining heavy music with a boundary-breaking fusion of metal, punk, hip-hop, and reggae, P.O.D. are gearing up for what frontman Sonny Sandoval hints could be one of their most dynamic albums yet. Fresh off a six-week run with Seether and Daughtry, the band is already deep into the writing process and preparing to enter the studio in February — a pace that Sandoval admits feels both urgent and energizing.
“We got a handful of songs in while we were on the road because we knew we were trying to hit the studio in February,” Sandoval says. “We’re on a kind of a crunch deadline. So we’ve got to get it in where we can.”
The touring schedule hasn’t slowed that momentum. The band heads straight to South America through Christmas, leaving January dedicated entirely to writing. But despite the pressure, Sandoval describes the creative climate within P.O.D. as one of evolution rather than reinvention.
“We’re always trying to grow and never do the same record,” he explains. “I don’t say we’re experimenting, but we’re always trying to push forward.”
One major shift this cycle is guitarist Marcos Curiel embracing a new sonic weapon: the seven-string guitar. While fans shouldn’t expect a sudden turn into extreme metal, Sandoval says the instrument is bringing out a deeper, heavier backbone in the band’s sound.
“This is the first time that Marcos is rocking a seven-string,” he reveals. “So we’re trying to go a little deeper — a little heavier. Not like metal-loud heavy, but just that deep heavy. We’re grooving in a really cool place.”
Even with decades of experience and a catalog stacked with genre-spanning hits, Sandoval emphasizes that P.O.D. are still discovering the identity of this new record as they write it. “We’re basically in the middle of it,” he says. “I can’t really tell you too much. I’m still figuring it out myself.”
That sense of creative openness is nothing new for a band whose career has thrived on refusing to stay in one lane. But for longtime fans, the combination of renewed live energy, fresh songwriting chemistry, and a heavier sonic foundation suggests a compelling new chapter ahead.
As Sandoval balances his solo work under the Sonny Dread banner with the next evolution of P.O.D., he remains grateful — and inspired — to still be pushing boundaries with his brothers after more than 30 years.
“It’s exciting, man,” he says. “We’re just diving in.”
With studio time locked in and momentum building, P.O.D.’s next record is shaping up to be one of their most anticipated releases in years — a testament to a band that refuses to stand still.
Watch the full interview with Sonny Sandoval online below!