P.O.D.

Dumb one-word names, tats everywhere, heavy guitars, barked lyrics, dreadlocks. We're talking about Korn, right? Sure, but that description also sums up San Diego's P.O.D., a subliminally spiritual quartet whose metallic rock leans more toward Limp Bizkit than it does Stryper. P.O.D. does produce driving anthems that match Korn's intensity without emulating that band's thudding doom. And even though the band blanches at the "Christian rock" label, its music radiates a desperately positive message that many lunkheaded peers (and sometime tour partners) reject in favor of what's topically sexier -- dysfunction, debauchery, destruction. Sure, it's difficult to take a band seriously when the drummer calls himself Wuv, but in a fading scene where most stars thrive on negativity, P.O.D. is a welcome anomaly.