This is Austin's song all the way. Sure, Alex wrote the lyrics, and Daniel changed the drum beat, and Derek contributed some rapping, but the idea was definitely Austin's. Anyway, "Halos" is the Pond Monkeys experimenting with beat changes, heavy metal riffing, and lots of mumbling into a microphone.
Austin had a great chorus but no verse. He handed over the verse-writing responsibility to Alex and Daniel.  Eventually they developed a riff that echoed System of a Down, but the feel remains all P-Monkey. Being such a shifty song it was difficult to write words and a melody to the track. It wasn't until the day of recording, in the studio itself, that the band finally came up with something.
Alex wrote most of the lyrics by himself, drawing on the influence of John Travolta's film "Michael." Derek and Austin finished up the lyrics to a bridge and outro by singing the words of Honky Toast, one of the band's favorite groups.  Recorded at Woodland Studios with Phil Ward January 2002.