The P.O.D. Kast

Latest Episodes:

Episode 26: Rob Zombie's "Hellbilly Deluxe", or Halloween Music for Adults Oct 08, 2021

Show notes

This album might not be exactly nu-metal, but it's the perfect fit for October as we discuss Rob Zombie's unique ability to invent his own genre that combines rockabilly, nu-metal, and good old-fashioned rock into something almost wholly unique (if you sort of ignore what he did before that with White Zombie). But does that make it any good? We break it all down from the three supercharged singles to the disappointing back half of the album, as we get into Rob Zombie's inability to name things well, as well as his seeming inability to get along with most people. Plus, we dive into the new Limp Bizkit single "Dad Vibes" and create our own Rob Zombie-style characters for ourselves.

If you want more of us being characters, you can head on over to patreon.com/thepodkast, where $4/month gets you THREE bonus episodes every single month. Last month for our full-length episode we did another live show with our pal Jesse Farrar as we took a look at Mudvayne's music video history and the VOD is up now, which you won't wanna miss. Plus you get two singles reviews thrown in for good measure, so support the show today!

Episode 25: Powerman 5000's "Tonight the Stars Revolt!", or An Alien Concept Sep 08, 2021

Show notes

It's an album that contains multitudes this month, as the storylines are aplenty around PM5K's breakthrough album. The lead singer is Rob Zombie's brother. He's obsessed with science fiction (or so he says). The album contains almost no emotion whatsoever in a genre known for its ability to capture the feelings of youth. It's supposedly a loose concept album, but there doesn't seem to be a concept other than vague lyrics about space and martians. Simply put, there's a lot going on and we tackle it all, from their breakthrough on the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater soundtrack and an early Ozzfest album, to Spider-One's perplexing interviews that paint a picture of a guy who might not be all that into science fiction after all, especially for a guy who never stops talking about it. This is also our two-year anniversary show, and we reflect a little bit on what has changed in the nu-metal landscape since we started in 2019 and how the podcast has meant a lot to the both of us.

If you want even more of that very same podcast, you can head on over to patreon.com/thepodkast, where $4/month gets you THREE bonus episodes every month. You'll get one full-length bonus, and two mini bonuses where we review individual nu-metal songs. Last month, we covered a playlist of nu-metal covers with our friend Libby Watson, and as you might expect, it ran the gamut from great to terrible and everything in between. We also have another special live show coming up this month and it's all gonna be great, so hop on over now and support the show!

Episode 24: Korn's "Follow the Leader", or 3 Gimmicks and a Classic Aug 05, 2021

Show notes

It's been almost two years since we covered a Korn album, and so the boys get down to business on what is likely the most important album in nu-metal history. It might have aged a bit weirder than you remember though, with some clear gimmick tracks mixed in with the bonafide hits and wonderful deep cuts you love. And we do too. This album absolutely rules. We discuss it all, from the funniest song on this album somehow NOT being one of the gimmick ones to the absolutely maximalist production to even more evidence that the guys in Korn just simply aren't all that bright. Bryan also shares the song on this album that he thinks is the greatest nu-metal song of all-time (and it's not what you think) and the guys give each other sweet gifts in the Challenge. Plus, we include a mini-review of the new Woodstock '99 documentary.

If you want some more mini-reviews, you can head on over to patreon.com/thepodkast, where we do 2 mini-reviews and one full-length review every single month. Last month, we were solo for a bonus episode as we reviewed Spike 1000's "Waste of Skin", a nu-metal album that seemed prime for stardom but never quite got there, and this month, we've got a review of some nu-metal covers with a very special guest you won't wanna miss. It's only $4 for 3 bonus episodes a month and YOU can pay US to listen to a single or an album of your choosing over there too. So check it out!

Episode 23: Evanescence's "Fallen", or a Secular Podcast About a Definitely Secular Band Jul 08, 2021

Show notes

It's the best-selling album we've ever covered on the show and it might hold that record for a very long time, as we review Evanescence's Fallen, a record that sold an absolutely staggering 17 million copies worldwide, won two Grammys, and set numerous Billboard records. But is it any good? Bryan's convinced he's going to hate it, but on the strength of some very good singles and some very good backstory, Bryan finds himself enjoying it more than he thought he might. We learn all about the very messy break-up of the two founding members of the band and we also learn about two of the greatest letters in nu-metal history: the open letter written by Ben Moody 7 years after he left the band, and the one sent by Wind-Up Records to Christian bookstores telling them to stop selling "Fallen". This episode packs a lot in and we love it all.

Speaking of things you might love, you should head on over to patreon.com/thepodkast for all of our bonus content. For just $4/month, you get access to THREE bonus episodes every month: one full-length episode about a nu-metal album and two shorter episodes focused on nu-metal singles. Last month's big bonus episode was a doozy as we were joined by Max Collins from Eve 6 to discuss "Take a Bite Outta Rhyme", a compilation where nu-metal artists tackled hip-hop songs, and we got more great stuff on the way, so join now!

Episode 22: Kid Rock's "Devil Without a Cause", or the Life of Bryan Jun 03, 2021

Show notes

It's our longest episode to date, as we tackle an album that Bryan feels was the first to ever accurately describe his life, Kid Rock's "Devil Without a Cause". We take a look at how Kid Rock's early career shaped himself for success with this album, his fourth, and how the key to all of it was him apparently believing that making a Korn song was "easy". Of course, we delve all into Kid Rock's wild persona, from his current political leanings to his raising a son in the midst of the peak of his fame. Bryan also talks about seeing Kid Rock live before he hit it big and we both ponder the legacy of the song, "Black Chick White Guy".

If you want to experience more of the POD Kast's legacy, you can donate to the show at patreon.com/thepodkast, where $4/month gets you access to THREE bonus episodes every month. Last month, we sat down with Tony Boswell to review the Freddy v. Jason soundtrack, and this month, we have a super special guest planned that you won't wanna miss!

Episode 21: Flyleaf's "Flyleaf", or Searching for Jesus in a World of Broken Bands May 04, 2021

Show notes

It's the first time we've ever chosen an album because of our bonus singles episodes, as we put up 4 bands in our monthly poll whose singles we loved and much to Bryan's chagrin, Flyleaf won out. A band that seemed to take their nu-metal cues from Linkin Park more than Korn, this 2005 release comes right at the very tail end of nu-metal, bridging the gap between that genre and screamo in a way that John likes but Bryan decidedly does not. The disagreement aside, we talk about our first concerts, the song Bryan lost his virginity to, the production choices on the album, and we learn an awful lot about how much this band loved Jesus.

If you want to do some worship of a different kind, you can donate to our Patreon at patreon.com/thepodkast, where $4/month gets you THREE bonus episodes every month. Last month, we covered a truly bizarre MTV documentary about the making of a Korn video, and this month, we have an interview with the Korn fan who won the contest to direct that video AND we review the Freddy v. Jason soundtrack. Plus we review singles and we take donations from you to tell us what to listen to! It's all there, so check it out.

Episode 20: Godsmack's "Godsmack", or What's the Wayshun? Apr 06, 2021

Show notes

A band that certainly hoped to be all things to everyone, we're reviewing Godsmack's debut album that's a little bit Metallica, a little bit Creed, and a lot angry. Featuring songs with varying themes such as, "leave me alone", "I would like to be left alone", "stay away from me", and "I am a practicing witch", this is Sully Erna's album and it shows. We cover all of the bases here, from the aforementioned Wiccan affiliation of the band's lead singer to the Boston Music Awards to the lasting legacy of a band that's still doing this same thing over two decades later.

If you want more of this same thing we're doing, you can head on over to patreon.com/thepodkast, where $4/month gets you access to THREE bonus episodes every month. You'll get a full-length episode and two mini singles episodes, AND, if you donate enough, you can tell us what to cover for an episode. It's very fun. This month, we have our second-ever live show coming up, where we review MTV's "The Making of...Alone I Break", as we get a glimpse into the truly unhinged making of Korn's "Alone I Break" video. It's on April 20th and you won't wanna miss it!

Episode 19: Sugar Ray's "Floored", or The Sugar Way Mar 09, 2021

Show notes

One of the more surprising entries in the nu-metal canon if you knew nothing about the band other than what you heard on the radio, the album that features "Fly" is indeed a nu-metal album. We learn that Mark McGrath basically wanted to mimic Korn with this record, but it turns out they were ready to mimic any band they thought might make them popular, as this album is a weird pastiche of songs that wear their influences so proudly they could almost be considered covers. We also hear one of the worst songs we've ever listened to on this show in the form of "Stand and Deliver", and we ponder just how popular this band would be if Mark McGrath wasn't so damn hot.

Speaking of hot, we've got a ton of hot content over at patreon.com/thepodkast, where $4 a month gets you access to THREE bonus episodes every single month. Last month, we reviewed a bizarre compilation called "Loud Rocks" with Bryn Nieboer of Stay Inside, where nu-metal bands covered rap songs to varying degrees of success. We also cover two singles every month, and we have tiers where you can donate and tell us what to cover for an episode! It's all there and it's the best deal in podcasting, so check it out.

Episode 18: Limp Bizkit's "Gold Cobra", or a Greatest Hits Album With New Songs Feb 04, 2021

Show notes

An episode that was almost entirely influenced by the listeners saying how good this album is, Bryan and John go back and revisit Limp Bizkit's last album, their 2011 effort "Gold Cobra", and find that Limp Bizkit were still pretty good ten years past their prime. We take a look at how Limp Bizkit's earlier hits definitely influenced some of the songs we find here, and come to the realization that even when Fred is trying really hard, he still just isn't all that good at writing lyrics. We also dig into a very interesting interview with Wes defending Fred and further discuss how he's most certainly the best guitarist in nu-metal history. And finally, we take Fred to task for his assertion that 90% of the people at Limp Bizkit shows are women.

If you want to get in on something that's 100% good, you can donate to the show at https://patreon.com/thepodkast, where $4/month gets you access to THREE bonus episodes every single month. Last month, we reviewed the putrid hip-hop album from Korn's bassist Fieldy with Luke O'Neil, and we have more great nu-metal/hip-hop crossover content coming your way this month. Plus we do two singles reviews each month, which have been a ton of fun and highlighting some bands we've never heard of. You can donate to get us to review an album or song you love! We've also just created a Discord server where we chat nu-metal and it's all over on our Patreon, so check it out!

Episode 17: Deftones' "White Pony", or the Day Nu-Metal Stood Still Jan 12, 2021

Show notes

It's the episode that many of you have been waiting for, as we finally cover what is considered to be nu-metal's magnum opus, "White Pony". Coming out in the year 2000, it's easy to see how this album was the end of the first wave of nu-metal and ushered in the second wave, no matter how short-lived it was. We examine how Deftones approached making this album, from Chino being very concerned about changing the band's direction, to the in-fighting, to how Tony Hawk's Pro Skater almost derailed the recording entirely. We also find time to talk about seeing Deftones live, this album's lasting legacy, Stef Carpenter's recent pivot to being a conspiracy theory guy, and include a mini-review of their 20th anniversary remix album, "Black Stallion".

One thing that's no conspiracy is the bonus content we're releasing every month over at https://patreon.com/thepodkast, where $4/month gets you access to THREE bonus episodes every month, one full-length album review and two mini singles reviews. We just posted our first-ever video episode where we take a look at the videos of Marilyn Manson with Lydia Burrell, and this month, we finally tackle Fieldy's unwieldy hip-hop album, "Rock 'n Roll Gangster". Plus, we just launched the POD Kast Discord, where you can finally get the chance to chat nu-metal with people who still love it, like us. Sign up now!

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