Long-time chart-toppers welcome back guitarist

Since 1992, P.O.D. became an emblematic voice for the hard rock music scene. It did not take long for them to establish a unique style and sound to call their own.
P.O.D. has been rocking the house for a while, and several of their songs are part of my iPod collection still to this day. "Youth of the Nation," "Alive," "Boom," and "Satellite" among others, truly defined what P.O.D. is all about.
Now they're back just as good as before but with a few differences.
The band has a new record label, INO/Columbia, where they released their newest album, "When the Angels and Serpent Dance," and Sonny Sandoval has a new hair hairstyle: no dreadlocks.
This production is the first record after the re-integration to the band of Marcos Curiel, the original guitarist. He was out the band for four years, and even though P.O.D.'s sound was still good without him, it was not the same.
As far as the new sound the band has acquired, it's hard to define. If anyone was expecting "When Angels and Serpent Dance" to be an aggressive rap/hardcore from beginning to end, you're going to be surprised. This album definitely has a milder sound than can be found in songs like "Shine With Me" or "I'll Be Ready," which are more like pop/rock ballads.
Don't be disappointed, it's not as bad as it may seem. P.O.D. has not forgotten its roots. They have a few aggressive tracks such as "Addicted," "Kaliforn-Eye-A," and "God Forbid."
The maturity obtained throughout the years can be found in their lyrics that seem more profound than ever. Also, you can tell the band has been more experimental in the way they express their own spirituality. Don't get confused, they did not become a church worship band. The album still contains rock and aggressive, protest songs.
Another great thing about the album is that Curiel's solos can be found everywhere. In an instant this gives the band that unique touch of its past.
The strangest surprise of the album is it the participation of artists such as Mike Muir of Suicidal Tendencies on "Kaliforn-Eye-A," the Marley sisters (yes, the daughters of Bob Marley) on "I'll Be Ready," and Paige Hamilton form Helmet in "God Forbid."
The band's new sound is revitalized but still aggressive.