Snuff the Punk
| Snuff the Punk | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | January 25, 1994 | |||
| Recorded | 1993 | |||
| Studio | The Studio (San Diego, California) | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 44:33 | |||
| Label | Rescue | |||
| Producer | Noah Bernardo, Sr. | |||
| P.O.D. chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Alternate cover | ||||
 Cover art for the 1999 remaster | ||||
Snuff the Punk is the debut studio album by American Christian metal band P.O.D. The album was released on January 25, 1994 by Rescue Records, owned by Noah Bernardo, Sr (band members Sonny Sandoval's uncle and Wuv Bernardo's father). The album, predating the nu metal genre the band is associated with, is more punk-influenced and overtly Christian.[1]
It was remixed, remastered and rereleased with new artwork by independent label Diamante in 1999. The original cover shows a cartoon character with a gun aimed at the Devil, but the rerelease shows a character with wings punching him.[2]
Background and recording
[edit]"Three In the Power of One", the band's first song, was recorded in 1992 and later included on Snuff the Punk.[3] After recording a demo tape, Traa Daniels joined the band in 1994 when they needed a bassist for some shows, replacing the founding member Gabe Portillo. P.O.D. signed with Rescue Records, a label created by Bernardo's father, Noah Bernardo Sr., who was also the band's first manager,[4] who released the album on January 25, 1994, along with their second studio album Brown (1996) and live album Payable on Death Live (1997).
Composition
[edit]Snuff the Punk was produced by Bernardo Sr. and was described by reviewers as alternative metal[5] and rap metal.[6] The album has heavier and more punk-influenced sound and is more overtly Christian. This style is present on their following albums with Rescue, but was abandoned by the band's fourth studio album, Satellite (2001), in favor of a more melodic sound with subtler lyrics.[7] Jeff Niesel, a writer for Cleveland Scene, labeled the album as one of earliest example of nu metal on July 9, 2015.[8] Metal Hammer also proclaimed the album as one of nu metal's greatest deep cuts in their November 7, 2024 issue.[9] Despite this, it's often instead considered a predecessor to the genre, while Korn's self-titled debut album, released the same year, is credited by many for starting nu metal.[10]
Reissues
[edit]Snuff the Punk was reissued three times after its original release in 1994. The first reissue has the same cover art, and was released in 1996. The second reissue, also a remix and remaster, has censored cover art. The original cover shows a cartoon character with a gun aimed at the Devil, but the rerelease shows a character with wings punching him. It also has an alternate P.O.D. logo, without the band's full name, Payable on Death, and was released in 1999 by independent label Diamante. The third reissue, a special edition, is based on the remaster, but combines "Who's in This House?" and the anti-abortion song "Murder" into one track. It also includes live video of "Selah" and "Full Color" from the band's second album, Brown, and was released in 2000.
Critical reception
[edit]| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [6] |
AllMusic reviewer Steve Huey notes the album captures the band in their formative stage, with a less coherent rap metal sound, but still "providing enough moments of raw power to satisfy fans."[6] The Hard Times reviewer Anthony Vito, when including the album on his "30 Alt Metal Records Turning 30" list, stated that it's "what you expect from a band of this ilk just finding their bearings," with bouncy metallic riffs and hip-hop flavored vocals. Additionally, he says there's "enough slap bass to send Flea to the nearest restroom."[5] Guitar World ranked Snuff the Punk at number 22 on their "Superunknown: 50 Iconic Albums That Defined 1994" list.[11]
Track listing
[edit]All lyrics are written by P.O.D. except "Draw the Line" by House of Suffering; all music is composed by P.O.D.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Coming Back" | 3:46 |
| 2. | "Let the Music Do the Talking" | 3:44 |
| 3. | "Draw the Line" | 2:52 |
| 4. | "Who Is Right?" | 3:47 |
| 5. | "Get It Straight" | 3:19 |
| 6. | "Run" | 3:16 |
| 7. | "Snuff the Punk" | 3:03 |
| 8. | "Can You Feel It?" | 4:48 |
| 9. | "Three in the Power of One" | 4:15 |
| 10. | "Every Knee" | 4:14 |
| 11. | "Who's in This House?" | 2:35 |
| 12. | "Abortion Is Murder" | 2:42 |
| Total length: | 44:33 | |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Selah" (Live) | |
| 2. | "Full Color" (Live) |
Notes
[edit]- Track 12 is also known as simply "Murder"
- Tracks 11 and 12 are combined on the remaster and Special Edition
Personnel
[edit]All band members are credited by their first name only, bar Noah Bernardo, who is credited as “Wuvy” in the liner notes.[12]
- Sonny Sandoval – vocals
- Marcos Curiel – guitar
- Traa Daniels – bass guitar
- Noah "Wuvy" Bernardo – drums
References
[edit]- ^ Brown, Lee (July 9, 2012). "P.O.D. - Murdered Love". Indie Vision Music. Retrieved May 21, 2025.
- ^ Van Pelt, Doug (July–August 2000). "Reviews: Snuff the Punk". HM Magazine (84): 75.
- ^ Sandoval, Sonny (February 25, 2025). Son of Southtown. Baker Books. p. 69. ISBN 9781540904423.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ^ "Interview with Tim Cook". HitQuarters. May 3, 2004. Retrieved October 11, 2011.
- ^ a b Vito, Anthony (March 19, 2024). "30 Alt Metal Records Turning 30 to Remind You That You Still Owe Columbia House a Crapload of Money". The Hard Times. Retrieved May 21, 2025.
- ^ a b c Huey, Steve. "Snuff the Punk - P.O.D." AllMusic. Retrieved June 23, 2012.
- ^ John Anthony Dunne (July 17, 2012). "On F Bombs and Christian Music: A Reflection on P.O.D.'s Newest Album, Murdered Love". The Two Cities. Retrieved May 21, 2025.
- ^ Niesel, Jeff (July 9, 2015). "Rap-Rock Pioneers P.O.D. Emphasize the Live Performance". Cleveland Scene. Retrieved March 26, 2016.
- ^ "Nu metal's greatest deep cuts". Readly. Retrieved May 21, 2025.
- ^ Chapstick, Kelsey. "Korn's Self-Titled Album: 10 Things You Didn't Know Nu-Metal's First Shot". Revolver. Retrieved April 30, 2025.
- ^ "Superunknown: 50 Iconic Albums That Defined 1994". Guitar World. July 14, 2014. Retrieved July 14, 2014.
- ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: P.O.D.- Coming Back. YouTube.
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