P.O.D. has always been a rather tricky band when it comes to attempting to pin them down a single musical style. Are they rap metal? Nu metal? Christian metal? The lads obviously enjoy keep their fans on their toes, and this remains the case on their ninth studio album, The Awakening.

Despite a US release date of August 21st, the band - which includes singer Sonny Sandoval, guitarist Marcos Curiel, bassist Traa Daniels, and drummer Wuv Bernardo - have been touring the States since mid-June, and will continue to do so for the remainder of the year. Sandoval recently spoke with BraveWords correspondent Greg Prato about the new album, current tour, and future plans.

BraveWords: Let's start by discussing The Awakening. Does the album title have a special meaning to it?

Sonny Sandoval: "Yeah, for sure. We did a different approach on this record - a conceptual record. And obviously, The Awakening is about growth and it's about struggles and life. So yeah, this whole plot and story throughout the record and the character and everything he's going through, and the record has this awakening and this enlightenment. Faith - whether it's love or whether it's forgiveness, he experiences all these different things."

BraveWords: How does the album compare musically to previous P.O.D. albums?

Sonny Sandoval: "I think we're always growing. We've been doing this 23 years - we're not the same teenagers making noise in a garage. The guys are always growing with their craft and with their instruments. For me, I never really considered myself a singer - I was just rapping and screaming on records. More punk and hardcore stuff. I'm always trying with every record to just push my limits as well. But I think following a guideline of a concept and a story was a different approach musically, because you want to fit it into the story. So you design things that way and write that way, and lyrics, you write that way as well - just to fit in a concept. So it was actually kind of fun. It was new and it was different for us. But musically, we're still fans of music. We're still diverse in the music that we listen to. We're not just rock guys or metal guys - we love everything from reggae music to jazz, R&B, and we mix it up. We like to get heavy sometimes, and we like to break it down and have more 'movement' type songs. But it's us - it's the four guys that have been writing these records for a long time. Where we come from is evident in the style. We always say, 'This is more of a culture music. It's a lifestyle music for us.' And we like our records to be an adventure."

BraveWords: Was it more of a challenge to write conceptually?

Sonny Sandoval: "I would have thought so at first, but maybe it was just because I was having fun doing it, maybe it takes away the stress of overthinking it. Because there were times when we had some music written and even had different lyrics, and it wasn't until we decided that we were going to do a conceptual record that it was kind of like, 'Well, musically it still fits. I've just got to rearrange and rewrite lyrics and melodies, and fit it.' It was almost kind of like a puzzle, because you could take songs, and these songs fit into the idea of the record - you just have to switch it up lyrically and place it where it goes. And then obviously, there were songs that we wrote specifically for the concept, but I think it was fun, and the guys are pros. [Producer] Howard Benson is a pro. We literally went in; I think we were done with the meat of the record within two weeks."

BraveWords: You just mentioned Howard Benson - why do you think such a strong relationship has been created between him and the band over the years?

Sonny Sandoval: "We were his first gold and platinum records, so we were there when nobody was messing with him. And then it's like you have a hit, and all of a sudden, everybody wants to work with you. So we were his stepping-stone to move on to do a lot of amazing records and to go on to do even American Idol type stuff and poppier stuff. He's sold a lot of records, but I think with us, we still have that day one friendship and relationship. We don't see him as this 'mega/big producer.' We respect him, but we can call him out on things - so it's more of a real relationship than a band/big producer type of relationship. We get him and he gets us. He really does allow us to be P.O.D. A lot of times, when you go and work with big producers, they just want to put you through their cookie cutter way of producing, and then you just sound like another record that they've done. Howard, he really allows us to be us."

BraveWords: Would you like Howard from this point on to remain P.O.D.'s producer?

Sonny Sandoval: "For us, we just like Howard, because like I said, you can go work with whoever's hot at the moment, but it's the same thing - they just want to turn you into whatever their latest hit was. That doesn't mesh well with a band like us, that's been around for so long and actually do write our own records and play our own instruments. We've been around the game for a while - we're not looking for some big producer to blow us up and make us successful. I think we care more about the art and what our record sounds like and what it is, rather than the next big thing."

BraveWords: I noticed the album has guest appearances by In This Moment's Maria Brink (on “Criminal Conversations”) and Sick of It All's Lou Koller (on “Revolución”).

Sonny Sandoval: "Maria we met on the Uproar Festival, and got to be real familiar with her band. We all just became friends. And then being fans of each other's bands, it was kind of like in conversation, 'Man, we would love to do a female vocal and some heavy stuff,' and it just worked out. She sounds amazing on the track - it fits perfectly into the concept, and she's just amazing. And then obviously, Sick of It All and Lou, being huge old school fans - and still fans - but we actually didn't get to see Lou and record with him. Maria we did, but I guess in the computer age, we were able to send him our tracks and he was able to take it to his studio and do what he does. We kind of worked that way with artists before - Jamey Jasta on the last record. It's not always being in the same studio at the same time. We've got to work with everybody's schedules. But Lou made it work, and it sounds incredible."

BraveWords: The song 'This Goes Out to You' was issued as a preview to the album before its release.

Sonny Sandoval: "It's got a SoCal, kind of fun/happy vibe to it. Which is just one element to the concept - I don't think it really sets the tone for the whole record. It's just a moment in that record. But it's definitely positive and uplifting, and I think for us, it's just about showing respect and giving respect to those who inspire us - from our fanbase that has been there for so long and continues to support us, to loved ones that continue to support us. It's just kind of a 'give back moment.' So however you interpret the song, at the end of the day, it's up to you. But I think for us, it's about those we respect and want to give love back to."

BraveWords: The band is in the middle of a tour right now.

Sonny Sandoval: "Yeah, we just got back from overseas, and we've been going on our fifth week of the US."

BraveWords: Have you been playing new material live?

Sonny Sandoval: "It's been going amazing. I think we've done up to maybe four songs - we obviously don't want to overdo it with just strictly new material, but so far so good. I think you have these hardcore/loyal fans that want to hear new stuff, and then you have those that just want to come out and rock out to the old stuff. So you've got to kind of play into the crowd and the audience. But it's a headlining gig and we're doing an hour-and-a-half, so you can definitely fit a few new songs in there."

BraveWords: What are the future plans for P.O.D.?

Sonny Sandoval: "It looks like we'll be touring all summer long to the holidays, and then we'll be going back over to Europe again in November/December, and then more touring - it looks like South America, Australia, we'll be doing all the festivals next summer overseas. With a new record comes a new touring life, so we're planning on touring for the next 18 months."