Yesterday Death were my first pick in our Death Metal week. When someone’s talking about archetypal Death Metal and mentions Death, you’ve also got to acknowledge Possessed’s legacy. Arguably the very first band to play the genre, known as Death Metal nowadays, Possessed influenced countless bands.
Possessed, just like Death, were formed in 1983. Their first lineup included Barry Fisk on vocals, but his time in the band was cut short when he committed suicide by gunshot in front of his girlfriend. Shortly after that Jeff Becerra joined the band handling vocal and bass duties.
Yesterday in my post about Death, I argued that the term “death metal” was coined by Death, or rather people referring to them. That was just one theory though. There are a bunch of theories about who came up with the term. In 1984, for example, Possessed recorded a demo called Death Metal. Jeff Becerra himself claimed to have come up with the term. After all, it’s up to debate, and it’s not really that important either way.
What’s important though, is the music Possessed created. Their debut album Seven Churches, released in 1985, further pushed Slayer-esque Thrash Metal into a heavier direction and remains a classic of the scene. Their second album Beyond The Gates couldn’t match the overwhelming reaction Churches received, mostly due to poor production and a change in direction. The band only released one EP after that, The Eyes Of Horror — which was produced by none other than guitar virtuoso Joe Satriani. Shortly after that, the band disbanded.
Even though Possessed only released two studio albums and one EP, the band had left a huge mark on the early Death Metal scene. Seven Churches remains one of the most important releases of the genre, and Possessed remain one of the most important bands of the genre.
Possessed – The Exorcist
Death ’til Death introduction – Day 1: Death – Day 2: Possessed – Day 3: Morbid Angel
Day 4: Cannibal Corpse – Day 5: Nile – Day 6: Hypocrisy – Day 7: Obituary
