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Class 6(66)
Possessed: Seven churches
13/05/11 || Khlysty
Introduction
Usually, when people talk about the origins of death metal, they name-check bands like Slayer, Death, Obituary and the whole merry lot that came outta them Florida swamps, back in the late ‘80s. Most of these people, though, if they’re well-versed in their metal, would hastily add Possessed as one of the earliest purveyors of said style, which is the right and proper thing to do, since their first and –most probably- best record, the monumental “Seven Churches” ripped a huge-ass hole in the fabric of the then-still-nascent thrash metal scene and shifted the musical paradigm in ways that a few years later would become the stock of death-metal-trade.
As far as yours truly is concerned, it took me quite some time to “get” this record. When I first listened to it, more than a dozen years ago, I totally rejected it as sloppy, amateurish and cartoonish. So I left it alone for some time. Then I returned to it and started to understand what these four guys did, most probably without knowing it. See, Possessed took thrash metal speed and intensity, upped it a few notches, added an unhealthy dose of unbridled noise and a seriously demonic twist to their sound and unleashed the whole thing to an unsuspecting public, which (in 1985) had yet the time to fully digest what Metallica, Slayer, Overkill and Anthrax were doing.
So, to hit those ears with such an unholy racket, which seemed barely held together and totally assaultive, should have been an experience of a lifetime for the jaded kids that had already embraced thrash metal. Some of these kids (Chuck, Rick Rozz, a few others) saw this as a revelation and tried to up the ante of brutality and complexity. Most of the others, I supposed, left the building screaming and covering their ears with their hands, if just to stop their brains from leaking outta their skulls. Oh, well, that’s the usual thing with such outtta-their-time thingies: only the enlightened few get them.
Songwriting
8,5. On first listen, “Seven Churches” flies all over the place. Same on the second and third listens. Actually, it takes some time to start making things out in this hailstorm of noise, growled vocals and uncontrolled SPEEEEEEEEEEEEEED. The riffs of each song start to become distinct after one manages to pay enough attention and stop just headbanging uncontrollably and, even then, this shit sounds like a impenetrable monolith of warp-speed drumming, dive-bombing guitars and bass and daemon(oman)ic growling.
After a while, though, one understands that the band follows the patterns of “classic” thrash songwriting: they just use them in a way that’s way faster than anything their peers would do at that time. Even in the more deliberate tracks, the unwholesome foursome of Possessed sounds more velocity-driven than almost anyone else in the field. Add, now, an uncompromising sense of brutality and a crunchy rip-yer-colon-outta-yer-mouth sound and what you got is ten tracks that would lay the land for death metal to rape, kill and pillage a few years later.
Also, the band displays an idiot-savantery that was inherent in bands like Venom and Hellhammer: that is, the songs possess a complexity and scope that (I think) sometimes overpasses the bandmembers’ abilities to fully form them, only hinting at the directions that metal would follow in the future. But that’s not a bad thing as it adds a curious charm in an otherwise scary record; these inconsistencies in songwriting ideas and skills allow the listener to understand that behind this terrifying music is just kids, barely out of adolescence, who are still getting their chops.
Production
7,5. The production job on “Seven Churches” is thick, raw and nasty, not unlike some early Morrisound jobs. But, there’s enough clarity and a meaty bass tone, the drums retain some humanity, even when going hyper and the vocals are enough upfront to add to the demonic feel the record possesses, without becoming bothersome. All in all, a good if bizarre for the time production
Guitars
9. Mike Torrao and Larry Lalonde (yes, that Larry Lalonde) rip thrash a new one with their playing here. Gone are the clean Maiden-like tones; gone is the thin punkish playing. This is the sound of terror, as riff after riff after satanic riff the duo unleashes, the listener comes to the realization that, hey, this ain’t, like, thrash. The rhythm parts sound like bulldozers on a speed-crack combo, while the leads (mainly by Lalonde) are economic, fast, noisy and cut like broken glass. Working in tandem this guitar duo laid the foundation upon which death metal will build its misshapen empire and there’s just no denying it.
Vocals
8,5. Jeff Becerra changes the way metal is sung. He totally abandons even hints of singing, going instead for a bestial roar/growl that begs the question of its human origin. Needless to say, it’s perfect for such hellish music.
Bass
8,5. Jeff also handles the bottom end admirably, riffing with the guitars and having a filthy, grungy sound that complements and enhances the brutality of the sicks-stringers.
Drums
9. Mike Sus bangs his drums like the thing is getting out of style. Mainly, he goes for the higher ends of bpm, but he can groove with the best a’ them, when the music allows him to.
Lyrics
7. Satan, the Devil, Hell, Damnation, Eternal Torture, Madness, Daemonic Possession and other nice everyday happenings is the subject matter of Possessed lyrics. Oh, yes, and there’s a little ditty called “Death Metal” here, if ya catch my drift…
Cover art
6. Black, with the band’s name in a burning-like Ye Olde Metal Font, an inverted cross and the name of the record in a faux-Chinese font. Nothing spectacular, nothing craptacular
Logo
6. See the above.
Booklet
N/A. Got it on tape, made by a guy, who knew a guy, who knew a friend of mine…
Overall and ending rant
I really don’t know if “Seven Churches” is actually the first bona fide death metal record of all times. I don’t care. All I know is that this is one spectacular record, done by a young band who probably didn’t know what it was doing, that changed the face of metal. It’s speed, brutality and aggression made it one of the prototypes upon which death metal built itself, while its quirks became the tools of the trade for many a death metallist. Also, it’s a fun record to listen to, that still holds well after so many years. So, if one prides oneself of being a true metalhead, one has to have “Seven Churches” in one’s record collection. Simple as that.
- Information
- Released: 1985
- Label: Combat Records
- Website: –
- Band
- Jeff Becerra: vocals, bass
- Mike Torrao: guitar
- Larry Lalonde: guitar
- Mike Sus: drums
- Tracklist
- 01. The Exorcist
- 02. Pentagram
- 03. Burning in Hell
- 04. Evil Warriors
- 05. Seven Churches
- 06. Satan’s Curse
- 07. Holy Hell
- 08. Twisted Minds
- 09. Fallen Angel
- 10. Death Metal
