Originally written by Jim Brandon.
1985: The Bay Area / West Coast thrash metal scene was fully emerging from its cocoon in most heinous fashion. As chronicled in Oimoen & Lew’s Murder in The Front Row, some nights, the most violent place in the world was located a foot in front of the stage at Exodus concerts. But one band that arose from that fledgling mosh scene–a demented, caustic, overtly Satanic outfit—would eventually be credited for inspiring an artistic movement that would affect the face of metal forever. Keep in mind; Possessed wasn’t the first ‘true’ death metal band per se; instead, they were the first to adopt the trademark death metal snarl and heft which Chuck Schuldiner took as a license to kill with Death’s brilliant Scream Bloody Gore. No, Possessed were simply the most evil thrash band to emerge from the Bay Area for that generation of young metalheads, and the debut Seven Churches was its vulgar introduction to the metal world, and its banning in virtually every major US outlet only enhances the legend.
Although they certainly blazed a trail to follow, no such praise was heaped upon Seven Churches in the same manner in which Schuldiner’s debut. Reviews were often quite brutal, citing a lack of musicianship finesse, raw production, and clunky songwriting chops. In this case, fuck the critics. It didn’t matter to us about the technicalities. Possessed was unlike anything else in the American music scene, and the frightful sounds it emitted were feasted upon by our ravenous appetites. Hails to Satan, wails from the condemned, and chainsaws for guitars was the method of execution for Jeff Becerra, Larry Lalonde (yes, the guy in Primus), Mike Sus and Mike Torraro…as barbaric and proudly primitive as you can get. Halloween isn’t all about gore, and this tortured tale of a soul tormented by Hell’s temptations and retribution is fitting for celebrating the darkest day of the year…
My mind is burnt and black. Shadowed, no way back. Fear of living in hell, axed my mind…
Sure, some of the musicianship might be a bit iffy here and there, but their technical chops weren’t the point; they wanted to cast darkness before them in cruel waves of pain, unmindful of sophistication or class. Just as thrash began to turn toward the masses, Possessed turned around and sent it right back to Hell…
Seven churches, seven bells. Seven churches rise from Hell…
In the years that have followed, the band has undergone numerous personnel shifts, broken up and reformed three times, suffered the painful setback of Becerra’s partial paralysis after being shot, and all but totally abandoned their initial Satanic aesthetic by the time The Eyes Of Horror EP was released. Nevertheless, Seven Churches has surprisingly stood the test of time and remains one of the most influential, and revered albums to come from the Mid-80’s Bay Area scene.
Blackened masses, blackened crosses. Ritual. Cut the heads, cut the throats, take the fall…
May the devil be with you.
