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Possessed
Possessed at Jalometalli 2008 in Oulu
Background information
Origin	San Francisco Bay Area, California, US
Genres	Death metal, thrash metal
Years active	1983–1987, 1990-1993, 2007–present
Labels	Combat, Under One Flag, Agonia
Associated acts	Blind Illusion, Exodus, Machine Head, Primus, Pro-Pain
Members
Jeff Becerra Ernesto Bueno Rick Cortez Bay Cortez Emilio Marquez
Former members
See: Possessed former members

Possessed is an American death metal band, originally formed in 1983. Noted for their fast style of playing and Becerra's guttural vocals, they have been cited as a great influence on the death metal genre.^[1] In fact, the band's influence on the genre is so great, they are sometimes called the "godfathers" of the death metal genre and are often considered the first death metal group,^[2] After breaking up in 1987, and briefly reforming from 1990 to 1993, the band reformed under original bassist/vocalist Jeff Becerra in 2007.

History

The band originated in the San Francisco Bay Area, California in 1983, when guitarist Mike Torrao and drummer Mike Sus's garage band recruited Jeff Becerra following the suicide of vocalist Barry Fisk and departure of bassist Geoff Andrews, formerly of Exodus ^[3] . Brian Montana was recruited on guitar, and the first incarnation of Possessed was created. The following years were spent practicing and working on their sound by performing at local venues. After live shows with Exodus, the latter group brought the band's three-song demo recording to the attention of Brian Slagel, head of Metal Blade Records.^[4][5] Slagel showed interest in the band and offered to put one of their songs on an upcoming compilation, Metal Massacre 6. The track included was titled "Swing of the Axe." Following the release of the compilation, guitarist Brian Montana left the band due to creative differences. He was replaced by Larry Lalonde. Although Metal Blade did not offer to sign the band, the compilation drew the attention of Combat Records. Possessed signed with the label and released the album Seven Churches in 1985.^[4][6]

Possessed followed the release with a supporting tour which included a performance with Slayer and Venom at San Francisco's Kabuki in 1986.^[7] On Halloween, 1986, Possessed released their second album, Beyond the Gates. The following May, the band issued a five-song EP titled The Eyes of Horror which marked a change in direction for the band. The Satanic themes they had become noted for were completely absent, and the songs had more of a thrash metal style than their earlier death metal. The EP was produced by guitarist Joe Satriani, and some of the songwriting was done by Lalonde, rather than Becerra and Torrao who had written most of the band's earlier material.

Shortly after the release of the Eyes of Horror EP the band disbanded. In 1990, Jeff Becerra was paralyzed from the waist down following a shooting incident.^[8]

Mike Torrao reformed Possessed in 1990 with new line-ups consisting of former members of Machine Head and Pro-Pain. They recorded two demos before dissolving in 1993. Mike Torrao has said he feels it was not Possessed, but merely playing under the Possessed name.

In 2007, it was announced Jeff Becerra would be performing under the "Possessed" name at the Wacken Open Air festival and would be backed by all members of 'Sadistic Intent', one of the bands featured on the Possessed tribute, and would also headline the Gathering of the Bestial Legions III festival in Los Angeles.

Influences

At least three Possessed members who had written and recorded with the band at some point (vocalist/bassist Becerra, guitarist Torrao and guitarist Montana) cite early Exodus and Venom as their main influences, in addition to NWOBHM acts like Motorhead, Iron Maiden, and Judas Priest.^[9][10] Although Allmusic.com attributed Slayer as being a musical influence for 1985's Seven Churches,^[11] the first Slayer album Show No Mercy had not been released until December 1983, shortly after members of Possessed were already writing material for their demo and debut album. Lyrically, most of Possessed's songs focused on Satanism and death.

Legacy

Possessed are often cited as the first death metal band, largely because of the early use of grunted vocals, ultra-fast drumming and guitar tremolo picking as previously noted. In the 2004 book, "Choosing Death: The Improbable History of Death Metal and Grindcore", Jeff Becerra staked claim to creating the "death metal" nomenclature in 1983.^[12] The band's efforts on Seven Churches have been called an influence by groups like Death, Pestilence, Sepultura, Deicide, Morbid Angel, Cannibal Corpse, Vader, God Dethroned and Amon Amarth, the latter four bands having appeared on a 2004 Possessed tribute album. ^[13][14][15] Possessed's "The Exorcist" had been covered earlier by Cannibal Corpse on the 1993 Hammer Smashed Face EP.

Even while the band had played only a handful of gigs in the Bay Area, they earned a huge capital of popularity in Europe's metal scene;^[16] in addition to their impression on overseas death metal, the group would also inspire black metal acts like Germany's Falkenbach, ^[17] Greece's Rotting Christ^[18] and Switzerland's Samael.^[19]

Chuck Schuldiner (who had relocated his band Death to the Bay Area to write Scream Bloody Gore with Chris Reifert, in tandem with Possessed's rise) told magazine Metal Maniacs:

"Possessed was different from all the other bands who were coming out at that time. They weren't pure noise, and they attempted to incorporate a lot of different musical ideas into their songwriting, not just rehash the same thing. They were into progressing as a band, which paved the way for other groups to expand their sound and do different things."^[20]

Possessed's association with Debbie Abono would be a "first" for both sides: Abono would be the band's first manager, and Possessed were Abono's first managed band. A grandmother in her mid-fifties at that time,^[21][22] Abono had no previous connection to heavy metal music other than as a concert designated driver for her daughters, one of whom was a girlfriend of guitarist Larry LaLonde.^[23] Due to generation gap, Abono also had limited awareness of the sometimes blasphemous themes of heavy metal, and was allegedly offended upon reading the lyric sheet of Seven Churches. ^[24] Nevertheless, she agreed to manage and represent Possessed as long as Becerra and LaLonde finished high school commitments ^[25]. Although the group's relationship amongst themselves and their first manager would reach points of discord and eventual termination, Abono would go on to manage additional bands in the Bay Area metal scene like Exodus, Vio-Lence and Forbidden Evil, as well as death metal bands like Chicago's Broken Hope and Florida's Cynic and Obituary.^[26]

While Possessed's first album, Seven Churches, was praised for its speed and the brutality of the vocals, the second album, Beyond the Gates, disappointed both fans and critics alike. Released on Halloween of 1986, the album wasn't as powerful and as influential as its predecessor, and the band's popularity suffered because of it.^[27][28] Because of Possessed's earlier material being more popular than their later work, they are most often remembered for their first album, Seven Churches.

Original line-up today

Jeff Becerra 2008 at Jalometalli

Vocalist/bassist Jeff Becerra continues to play a role in the death, black, and thrash metal scenes of Northern California.^[29] He received a degree in labor studies and plans to pursue a law degree. He has revamped the band (as vocalist) 2007.

In 1993, drummer Mike Sus retired from music to pursue other careers, going on to get a degree in psychology and is helping injured people to live a normal everyday life. He is also a drug addiction counselor.^[30]

Guitarist Larry LaLonde joined the Bay Area thrash metal band Blind Illusion which released The Sane Asylum in 1988, after which Lalonde with Blind Illusion bassist Les Claypool went on to form the influential funk metal band Primus in 1989.^[4][31]

In 1993, guitarist Mike Torrao founded a new thrash band, Iconoklast, but never released any songs to the public. Iconoklast broke up in 1996. He has since worked as a landscaper and plays music only in his sparetime. As of 2008, Mike Torrao is working with the band INaCAGE^[32] in the San Francisco Bay Area.^[30]

In 2008, Emilio Marquez announced he was leaving the band. Vanik Vartanian was to take his place until a permanent drummer is found. He has returned shortly after.

Discography

Studio albums

Live albums

Compilations

Demos/EP

Music Videos

Line-up

Current members

• Jeff Becerra - vocals (1983–1987, 2007-present)+ bass (1983-1987)
• Ernesto Bueno - guitar (2007-present)
• Rick Cortez - guitar (2007-present)
• Bay Cortez - bass guitar (2007-present)
• Emilio Marquez - drums (2007-2008, 2008-present)

Former members

• Mike Torrao - guitar (1983–1987) (1990-1993) + vocals (1990-1993)
• Brian Montana - guitar (1983–1984)
• Barry Fisk - vocals (1983) (pre-Possessed)
• Geoff Andrews - bass (1983) (pre-Possessed)
• Kurt Zanzi - Guitar (1983) (pre-Possessed)
• Larry LaLonde - guitar (1984–1987)
• Mike Hollman - guitar (1993)
• Paul Perry - bass (1992-1993)
• Mike Sus - drums (1983–1987)
• Colin Carmichael - drums (1990)
• Bob Yost - bass (1990 –1992)
• Vanik Vartanian - drums (2008)
• Duane Connley - guitar (1990)
• Dave Alex Couch - guitar (1990-1991)
• Chris Stolle - drums (1990-1991)
• Walter Ryan - drums (1991-1993)
• Mark Strausburg - guitar (1991-1993)

References

External links

• Possessed at MySpace
• Re-Possessed (Jeff's acoustic band) at MySpace