The new album is the first time the band has been re-united with guitarist Marcos who left the band soon after they finished their self-titled album. Their first single off of the new album will be “Addicted” which will be hitting MTV next week for the debut of the music video. In addition, if you order the album via iTunes you can get an exclusive song called “Don’t Fake It”, which is actually the first song that the band and Marcos recorded together upon his return.

Here is what the tracklist for When Angels & Serpents Dance looks like (you can listen to some of them on P.O.D.’s myspace):

1. Addicted
2. Shine With Me
3. Condescending
4. It Can’t Rain Everyday
5. Kaliforn-Eye-A
6. I’ll Be Ready
7. End of the World
8. This Ain’t No Ordinary Love Song
9. God Forbid
10. Roman Empire
11. When Angels & Serpents Dance
12. Tell Me Why
13. Rise Against
14. Don’t Fake It (iTunes Bonus Track)

And here’s a video of singer Sonny Sandoval talking about his past, P.O.D., his faith in God, the new album and much more.

And in case you missed the news of Sonny cutting his dreads, here is a video of him talking about it:

Can you beat the boys from San Diego?

In order to hook up with P.O.D., you must be an Xbox Live Gold member and you will need to send a friend request to the Gamertags listed below. You will also be required to be online half an hour before the Game with Fame session starts at 6:30 P.M. ET on Friday, April 11th. The Gamertags are GWF POD and GWF POD 2.

Also the first of many UnderOath studio video journals is now up on the Xbox Live Marketplace. If you have a Xbox Live account, you can download the video journal for free!

To get it, simply:
* Turn on your Xbox 360 and go to the “Dashboard”
* Cycle to the left and go to the “Xbox Live Markerplace” tab
* Go down to the “Video Store”
* Go down to the “Music Videos”
* Look for the video titled “Video Journal 1: Sweet Drum Stuff” by Underoath.

This is thanks to UnderOath also taking part in the Microsoft Game of Fame just yesterday. Where you had to register these gamertags (they may still be available): AaronUnderoath, ChrisUnderoath, GrantUnderoath, JamesUnderoath, and TimUnderoath, to play challenge the boys to some fragging with Halo 3.

Also Grant Brandell (bass) posted an UnderOath studio journal on Xbox.com via their “Emerging Artists” section where you can read updates from the band as they work on their next album.

Demon Hunter dropped hints about this alliance recently as “clues” on their Demon Hunter myspace, Demon Hunter official site, Demon Hunter trig.com page and their “Blessed Resistance” fan-club. The clues ended up being the name of four Living Sacrifice band members: “Lance”, “Arthur”, “Rocky” and “Bruce.

Exact tour dates have yet to be announced.

This is a huge deal because Living Sacrifice, in addition to being one of the most influential Christian metal bands (originally formed in 1989) had dissolved ever since 2003, but thanks (in part) to Demon Hunter (who had Bruce Fitzhugh guest star on their song Sixteen off Storm the Gates of Hell) Living Sacrifice has now reformed! In addition to touring with Demon Hunter they are working on an upcoming album to be released this year!!

You can listen to Living Sacrifice songs on their Living Sacrifice myspace.

Anyhoo, the heavy metal Christian rockers have a new interview which I have posted in full below. ENJOY!

Out of Seattle, WA, comes Demon Hunter; a brooding, full-force assault of hardcore metal with a Christian twist. A longtime member of Tooth & Nail subsidiary Solid State, Demon Hunter are currently enjoying the fruits of their latest release, Storm the Gates of Hell. Lead vocalist Ryan Clark — who also works in the artistic design wing of Tooth & Nail — took a little time out of his day to chat with Synthesis.net.

Syn: Demon Hunter has a very strong religious backbone. Describe to me the role that faith plays in the music?

Ryan Clark: Well, it’s something that all of us in the band take pretty seriously. Everything that I write about in a song is from that standpoint. They’re all life issues, and it’s all about problems and situations, and the things that I see around me, and the people I know and the people I don’t know…your worldview. For us, it’s with a Christian perspective. And it’s not something I have to consciously think about because it’s the way that I believe and the way that I view the world.

Syn: Would you consider yourself, then, as a band with a message?

RC: Yeah, absolutely. I think we definitely have something more positive to offer people who listen to our music. I think people are kinda used to a band talking about whatever, and just using it as an outlet for their anger — especially with metal — but we definitely claim to offer a solution.

Syn: Is the label “Christian metal” something you welcome as a group or are there times when you would you prefer to be just an uncategorized metal band?

RC: We don’t shy away from it. It’s one of those things that when we were younger and it was more important to be cool, we definitely tried to shy away, but as we got older and realized the reality of it… If that’s what people want to say and coin us as, then sure. It’s an easy thing to do to categorize a band as Christian, but we don’t balk at it. It’s to be expected, and if people wanna do that, it’s totally fine. It doesn’t bother us.

Syn: If you had to tell a newcomer one thing essential in understanding the music of Demon Hunter, what would it be?

RC: You have to listen to the full record to get the gist of what we do. It definitely has peaks and valleys. Diversity…it fulfills everything we want to do with the band.

Syn: Storm the Gates of Hell is your fourth full-length release. How do you feel it stacks up against your prior albums?

RC: I think everyone in the band would agree that it’s the best thing we’ve done yet. I think with the last record, The Triptych, that was the one that really felt like, “Okay, we’re here, we’ve arrived in the place that we wanted to get to.” Stylistically, lyrically, just what we are as a band, this record is even a step up from that.

Syn: Is there anything in particular that put you over the top, or was it just the culmination of years and years of experience?

RC: I think it’s just understanding where we fit, and understanding our role. [It’s] what our fans love about us, and what they’ve come to expect but also throwing in a few little tricks they might not expect. We don’t wanna switch it up entirely and throw everybody for a loop; we wanna give them what they love in Demon Hunter. But we also want to explore a little bit in some areas that people might not be familiar with. And I think that’s what’s satisfying is being able to give the people what they want, and at the same time be fulfilled by being a little creative in areas you haven’t before.

Syn: Yourself and brother Don have enjoyed success in designing and packaging album artwork. Don is up for a Grammy this year, as you had been the two years previously; talk about that side of your life.

RC: It’s a big part of what we do. Our daily lives are kind of consumed with designing. My brother and I have been doing it full time for about six or seven years. Obviously it’s just a total shock for us growing up in the hardcore scene, designing 7-inches one day and being nominated for a Grammy; that’s a crazy slap in the face.

Syn: Do you take a similar satisfaction from designing as you do from say, recording?

RC: It definitely has its differences, but I think we have the best of both worlds. We’re the people who have their cake and eat it too. Pretty much two dream jobs, for both of us, and there’s a share of stresses just because both are really intensive in terms of the time that’s needed to devote to each one. It can get overwhelming, but it’s pretty hard to complain. And it’s a different kind of thing to get recognized in the art world as it is the music world. In music you’re dealing with fans and people in general, and in design, for the most part, you’re almost recognized just amongst your peers. It’s not like a fanbase. It has a different vibe, and it makes me proud when the people who do what you’re doing — other designers that you respect — come to you and say that they appreciate your work. It’s a different thing than having fans in a band.

Powerful. Absolutely powerful. That’s all I gotta say. Cause that’s the Truth right there.

Hope everyone has a blessed day. Check out the Quote of the Day #3 if you missed it.

A yearly membership only costs $19.99 which isn’t bad at all in comparison to some other memberships for sites. And for a limited time the first 50 fans per show to purchase a Forsaken membership AND pre-sale tickets will get to meet the band!

With your subscription to The Forsaken you will get:

* Your choice between two exclusive “The Forsaken” As I Lay Dying t-shirts.
* Exclusive As I Lay Dying Forsaken sticker
* Exclusive Forsaken Button
* Members-only website, with updates from the band, tour diaries, online chats with band members, a forum, and media available only to Forsaken members
* Contests (such as soundcheck meet & greets)
* A yearly grand prize
* Monthly random give-aways (merchandise, used drumsticks, signed posters, used cymbals, guitar pedals, guitar picks, signed CD inserts, and more!)

Check out the site by clicking on the name above for more information. And if you don’t know anything about the band, then definitely check out the As I Lay Dying myspace and give them a listen!

I’ve also posted all their previous music videos including: The Darkest Nights, Confined, 94 Hours and Through Struggle.

Huckabee getting the win means that the little guy can still win in American politics, which is a great thing. Although Huckabee will still be tested significantly in the later states, because unlike Iowa (where 60% of the population identifies themselves as evangelical Christians, and thus voted for Huckabee) other states are more secular oriented. So it’ll definitely be very interesting to watch.

Since Huckabee is once again the talk of the town, I thought I’d post some interesting extensive interviews with the Presidential hopeful.

First up is two videos of Mike Huckabee from his appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, part 1 and part 2. You can clearly see how likable of a guy he is from these interviews and he does a great job with his comedic side.

Next up is the more hard-hitting Meet the Press interview with Tim Russert. I’m no fan of him and he IMO definitely and obviously leans liberal (I love the homosexual part where he says it’s an offense to millions of Americans, despite the fact that hundreds of millions more are not homosexual and agree 100% with Huckabee’s views), but it’s good to see how a candidate acts when hit with hard-questions and criticized face to face. This interview is in 3 parts.

It’s a really, really interesting interview though and I was shocked to see it considering that I love both bands and Ryan Clark is one of my role models! I even got to meet and talk to him in person when I went to their concert during the Undying Tour and he is the most awesome person that we should get our utmost respect!

The interview is very, very interesting and there’s lots of cool tidbits of info that I had never heard before, such as the fact that Ryan’s dad was a pastor for most of his life and he grew up in the church. And just the very fact that someone did an “Artist on Artist” interview like this is awesome to me, especially since they are both Christians, so they talk a lot about their faith. Lacey is a little difficult to hear though (click on the link above to listen to the interview) which is the only real issue, but this is an ACTUAL phone call and she is kind of shy and hard to understand in her songs if you don’t know the lyrics, so that’s to be expected.

But the best part of this interview comes near the end, where we learn that Demon Hunter and Flyleaf are planning to TOUR TOGETHER! YES!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can’t wait for that. So hopefully we’ll learn details on it early on in 2008.

The new name of the album is “When Angels & Serpents Dance“. Click the name to go to P.O.D.’s official album cover reveal site where they are slowly revealing the cover in it’s entirety. There is only one more day left before it will be fully revealed. You can also enter a contest to win swag, so be sure to check it out!

So far the cover is underwhelming, but the most important piece has yet to be revealed so I’ll wait to fully see it first. The new album is scheduled for release in early 2008.

And while the Thanksgiving holiday may be done with, that doesn’t mean that the spirit of Thanksgiving has to end. To the contrary, Thanksgiving is something we as Christians should be doing continuously (pray without ceasing as the Bible says), both to our Lord as well as just being thankful in general for what we have.

Here is a nice poem I thought I’d share. Thanks to Stryper’s myspace for posting this:

GIVING THANKS

Thanksgiving comes but once a year
A day filled with peace and love
We spend time with those who are dear
And to thank our Lord above

For all the blessings He bestows
Sometimes we forget to pray
But on this special day he knows
For Him we reserve this day

We thank him for our families
For the food that’s on our plates
For all the opportunities
To grow in the United States

We thank him for the work we do
And nice friends to spend time with
We thank him for our houses, too
Not everyone is blessed with this

Thanksgiving comes but once a year
Not everyone gets their share
For those who aren’t as lucky as us
Remember them in your prayers

–Patty Apostolides