They’ve been a band — and a vital one at that — for more than 30 years. But ask rock icons P.O.D. what still inspires them after all this time, and they’ll tell you they still operate as if they’re perpetual underdogs. Yes, with every new album they release, with every show they play, these musical lifers still feel they have something to prove. “We’re still here and we’re still creating some of the best music we’ve ever made,” says guitarist Marcos Curiel. “When it comes to heart, grit and soul, P.O.D. is your band.” Adds vocalist Sonny Sandoval: “We’re always still proving who we are — always having that punk-rock mentality.”

It’s this mindset, this unrelenting grit that has long defined the platinum-selling P.O.D. and continues to do so as they march proudly into the next era of their long-winding journey of a career. Now, nearly five years removed from their previous studio album, Circles, which to date has been streamed more than 50 million times and spawned the Top 25 hit “Listening to Silence,” the band returns in a major way with VERITAS, the eleventh P.O.D. LP and arguably their hardest-hitting record yet.

Lovers of all forms of music, P.O.D. have forever incorporated everything from rock to reggae, hip-hop to punk in their art. “We flirt with so many different styles,” offers Curiel. This go-round, however, P.O.D. decided to get back to the basics. “We made a conscious decision to keep it in the rock zone this time,” says Sandoval adding that there’s “a certain bounce and a certain two-step” to the 11 tracks that comprise the album. “These songs are a throwback to me and remind me of the raw unbridled energy of classic South San Diego P.O.D.,” offers bassist Traa Daniels.