Possessed is an American death metal band, originally formed in 1983. Noted for their fast style of playing and Jeff Becerra's growled vocals, they are often called the first band in the death metal genre, and paved the way for the 1980s Bay Area thrash metal scene, along with Metallica, Exodus, Testament and Death Angel. The band is also notable for featuring future Primus member Larry LaLonde, who was the guitarist for Possessed from 1984 to 1987.
After breaking up in 1987, and reforming from 1990 to 1993, the band reformed again under original bassist and vocalist Jeff Becerra in 2007. Possessed has released three studio albums − Seven Churches (1985), Beyond the Gates (1986) and Revelations of Oblivion (2019) − as well as one live album, two compilation albums and two EPs.
History
Formation (1983) The band originated in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1983, when San Pablo and El Sobrante residents Mike Torrao (guitar) and Mike Sus (drums) started a garage band with vocalist Barry Fisk and former Exodus bassist Jeff Andrews under the name Possessed. While the quartet had begun writing some music together, the line-up would be cut short when Fisk committed suicide by gunshot in front of his girlfriend's house in Tara Hills, California, and Andrews subsequently opted not to participate in the group any longer.
Meanwhile, bassist / vocalist Jeff Becerra had recently split with his band Blizzard in the neighboring city of Pinole. That band included Larry LaLonde and Danny Boland on guitars and Michael Miner on drums, all of whom were high school students in the same graduating class. After being approached by Torrao and Sus, Becerra joined Possessed filling both the vacant vocal and bassist positions. The band had placed an advertisement for a new guitarist, which was responded to by Brian Montana leading to the second incarnation of Possessed.
Initial career (1983–1987) Possessed spent 1983 and 1984 practicing and working on their sound by performing at local venues and becoming an active part of the Bay Area thrash scene. They recorded the 3-song demo Death Metal in 1984. After concerts with Metallica and Exodus, the latter group brought the band's demo recording to the attention of Brian Slagel, head of Metal Blade Records. Slagel showed interest in the band and offered to put their song "Swing of the Axe" on the upcoming compilation Metal Massacre VI. Following the release of the compilation, guitarist Brian Montana left the band due to creative differences and was replaced by Blizzard guitarist Larry Lalonde. The band then hired Mechanics Bank heiress Debbie Abono (nee Downer), mother of LaLonde's then-girlfriend, Julie, to manage the band.
The compilation drew the attention of Combat Records who signed the band and released their debut album Seven Churches in 1985, with Roadrunner Records handling European distribution. In November of the same year, the band flew to Montreal, Quebec, Canada for the WWIII Weekend Festival in support of the Seven Churches release, playing alongside Celtic Frost, Destruction, Voivod and Nasty Savage. The concert was Possessed's first and largest arena appearance, with nearly 7,000 in attendance. Possessed followed the release with a supporting tour which included a performance with Slayer and Venom at San Francisco's Kabuki in 1986.
On Halloween 1986, Possessed released their second album Beyond the Gates. They embarked on a short European tour with Voivod and in the U.S. opening for Dark Angel. In May 1987, the band issued a five-song EP produced by guitarist Joe Satriani titled The Eyes of Horror which marked a change in musical direction for the band. The Satanic themes they had become noted for were almost completely absent, and the songs had more of a thrash metal style than their earlier death metal sound. The song "Storm in My Mind" was written by Lalonde and the rest by Torrao, who had written most of the band's earlier material. Soon after the release, internal tensions among the band members led to their break up.
In 1989, Jeff Becerra was held up at gunpoint by two assailants and was shot twice, leaving him paralyzed from the chest down. Despite this, he continued to play a role in the death, black, and thrash metal scenes, and received a degree in labor studies and plans to attend law school.
Reformations (1990–present) Mike Torrao formed a new version of Possessed in 1990, taking over lead vocals himself, and recorded a two-song demo in 1991. Several different line-ups were attempted, and a four-song demo was recorded in 1993, but the group failed to gain momentum and disbanded shortly thereafter.