P.O.D.

When Angels and Serpents Dance
Columbia Records

It’s hard to believe that P.O.D. (Payable On Death) records have been reviewed for 15 years. For a stretch of time in the late ’90s — before major label record deals, before MTV — these rap-metal veterans played Christian clubs in Birmingham, one in particular, on an almost monthly basis.

Those audiences felt special because surely P.O.D. would go on to much bigger things, and they did. Platinum records, Grammy nominations, movie soundtracks — P.O.D. is arguably the greatest Christian rock crossover success story ever.

Their latest, “When Angels and Serpents Dance,” has founding member Marcos Curiel back at guitar in his first release with the band since leaving in 2003. It’s a good one to return with.

Big names from several big secular groups pop up from track to track (most notably the Marley Sisters, daughters of reggae legend Bob Marley) and despite the ability to spit fire through the speakers at the drop of a hat, their sound has matured and mellowed considerably in the last few years.

Save for the screamy breakdowns, the second song — and it’s a good song — has an almost poppy, beach vibe that could have been heard on the radio 15 years ago.

And it and several other songs found on the album will be heard on the radio because there is some sort of indefinable sincerity in singer Sonny Sandoval’s voice that translates P.O.D.’s music to a rare level of listenability for hard music acts.