Possessed

Possessed's debut dates back to 1983, in a garage in San Francisco, around Mike Torrao (guitar) and Mike Sus (battery). The trio took its final name only when Jeff Becerra was recruited instead of Barry Fisk at the end of the year. Jeff used to play in a band called Blizzard with Larry Lalonde and Debbie Abono. Possessed storms the San Francisco metal scene. In 1984, a four-track demo was recorded which reached the ears of Brian Slagel, a guru by Metal Blade Records who programmed them on the Metal Massacre 6 compilation. Shortly after Montana was fired, replaced by Larry Lalonde. Combat Records signed Possessed in 1985 and the band recorded Seven Churches which became a best seller of the label. Californians followed a European and American tour and, a year later, recorded the second album, Beyond the Gates. The Eyes of Horror ep was born in 1987. Produced by Joe Satriani , it offers the face of a more adventurous band, but distancing itself a little too much from the death metal image proposed so far. It's the split. Sus, Lalonde (auj. in Primus) and Becerra leave the band but Todrao continues to write and record as Possessed . After several trials, the new line up stabilizes around Bob Yost (bass), Walter Ryan (battery), and Mark Strausberg (guitar) in 1991. This line up records only a demo of two tracks but Torao, Ryan and Strausberg tighten their teeth and continue with a new bass player, Paul Perry. Gradually the group falls into oblivion. In 2007 Bercerra, paralyzed by a lost bullet, reformes Possed for the Wacken Open Air. Follow other performances in festivals like 2010 at Maryland Deathfest in the United States, or a tour with Marduk and Danzig. Possessed will influence a lot of groups with Seven Churches starting with Death.