P.O.D.'s SONNY SANDOVAL Explains Drummer NOAH 'WUV' BERNARDO's Absence From Live Shows, Recording Studio

In a new interview with United Rock Nations, P.O.D. frontman Sonny Sandoval was asked about the status of the band's longtime drummer Noah "Wuv" Bernardo, who hasn't recorded or toured with the group since 2021. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I wouldn't say he's not in the band anymore. We've said this before that he'll always be the drummer of this band. But we're all going through stuff right now that it takes personal attention to dive in and to figure it all out so that we can all get along. He's my cousin, he's family. But we're not trying to put anybody's business out there. We're all grown men and we have to take responsibility in our own lives to just figure things out. And for quite some time now with, there's just been tension in the band."

Referencing P.O.D.'s latest album, "Veritas", which was released on May 3 via Mascot Records, Sonny said: "When we had to write this record, it was just with the mindset of, like, 'Hey, we'll start the record. Maybe we'll just get things going and we'll figure this out. COVID, all this stuff — life is crazy right now. But everybody wants to be in this band and so we'll fight for it.' And then, as things happen, it hasn't happened yet. But [Wuv] will always be the drummer of this band. The seat is his when he wants it. It's just, I think all these years later, we just all have to be on the same headspace together. So I hope that that's sooner than later."

Regarding how P.O.D.'s current touring drummer Alex Lopez (ex-SUICIDE SILENCE) came to be involved with the band, Sonny said: "I think he had reached out to Marcos [Curiel, guitar] a while ago, just as friends, even just to help out drum teching or doing whatever. I think he was tired of that world that he was in, 'cause he's been grinding for a long time. And he's married to Tatiana [Shmayluk] from JINJER. And I think Marcos and him just started hanging out. I was supposed to hang out, too. Tatiana came down, and instantly they all became part of the P.O.D. family, the JINJER/P.O.D. family. And then when the time came to start doing live shows, we just said, 'Hey, would you wanna give it a shot? We need a drummer right now.' And so he helped us out. He's been filling in for about two years now. But again, like I said… I love playing with Alex and it's been so much fun, but we're still waiting to see what happens with P.O.D. as P.O.D. Maybe it's just this album cycle. Who knows? But in the meanwhile, Alex is amazing and he's such a talented drummer and, along with him, we've been able to know Tatiana and the whole JINJER camp. So it's been awesome."

Last fall, the band debuted the video for "Drop", which features a vocal cameo from LAMB OF GOD singer Randy Blythe. It earned quick press accolades from Metal Injection, Consequence, Revolver, Idioteq, The Pit, Yahoo! and Knotfest. They followed with the video for single "Afraid To Die", featuring Shmayluk.

"Veritas" was written over the course of several years, with the band typically writing a tune or two at a time with the Los Angeles-based production duo called the Heavy (Jason Bell and Jordan Miller).

Last October, Sonny revealed to the 96.7 KCAL-FM program "Wired In The Empire" that renowned session drummer Robin Diaz laid down the drum tracks for "Veritas", marking the first P.O.D. LP that doesn't feature Bernardo. Regarding Robin's contribution to "Veritas", Sonny said: "He tours with all the bands, but he's pretty much one of the — I would say next to Josh Freese, he's probably the main man in Hollywood. And he's an old-school friend of ours, and, dude, he came in and just nailed it. So there's a different feel on that too, because it's the first time without my cousin Wuv. So it's a rocking feel."