The band Payable On Death was formed in 1992 by Marcos Curiel and Wuv Bernard, who are originally from San Diego. In the early stages the duo were just jamming and didn't currently have a vocalist. Sonny Sandoval was invited to join by his cousin Bernard after he turned to Christianity following the fatal death of his mother. After the edition of bass player Gabe Portillo, the original line up was in place and they continued from there as P.O.D. The band have a variety of influencers such as Santana, Bob Marley, Metallica, U2, Pantera, Bad Brains and Faith No More. This helps to explain the way their sound tends to cross genres including alternative rock, reggae and latin.
In 1994 they released their debut album 'Snuff the Punk' through Rescue Records. They didn't achieve chart success with their first few albums yet their reputation quickly spread through the States, the band were famously offered a $100,000 recording contract which Sonny turned down as he believed that “God has a bigger plan for P.O.D".
The 2001 album 'Satellite' was their first appearance on the US and UK charts, charting at #6 and #16 respectively. They also topped the US Christian charts and appeared on numerous others around the world. Their next four albums all topped the US Christian chart, whilst three peaked within the top ten on the US Billboard Chart. However their success in the UK could be described as a one hit wonder, with 'Satellite' remaining the only charting album.
The musicians Sonny Sandoval, Wuv Bernardo, Traa Daniels, Marcos Curiel are best known as the Christian alternative metal band P.O.D. (Payable On Death). Having formed in 1992, they have gained a large following for their unusual take on metal music, not something you would immediately associate with the Christian faith.
Having enjoyed huge success in their native US, the band has had less commerciality in the UK yet their music has amassed a cult-like reputation. The fact they do not visit all too regularly means that fans travel to see the stomping tones of 'Boom'. Massive cheers reach the rafters as the group step out with huge smiles on their faces before they tear into an anthemic performance of 'Set It Off'.
The crowds roar at its finale and the rockers thank them profusely for their support. They treat them to the fan favourites and international hits include an extended version of 'Alive', 'Youth of the Nation' and 'Babylon the Murderer' before thanking the lord and making a shift exit whilst the applause continue to ring about the venue.