While Death is my all time favorite band, I will not be that blind fanboy and will say Possessed did it first. Chuck himself even gave that credit to Possessed.
Possessed were never a death metal band. They were death/thrash and were the first in my opinion. Bands like Sepultura, Devastation, 1st Malevolent Creation album, and Demolition Hammer were death/thrash that got their styles from Possessed. The debate on who were the first death metal band is pretty stupid really. There were several bands that started out more thrash and just got heavier in a short time. Lots of bands that dont get any credit because it was too hard to keep track. Death just got the popular vote because Chuck kept busy and pumped out album after album and toured alot. I believe he made it easier for recording studios like Morrisound to want to work with Death Metal bands like Deicide, Obituary, Cannibal Corpse, Suffocation, Malevolent Creation, etc. While Possessed simply just didn't stay around long enough. Their 1st album though was highly influencial on death/thrash. And there were alot of those bands popping out in the late 80's to early 90's thanks to Possessed.
What about Pentagram from Chile? they also set the ground for death metal. They released their Demoniac Possession demo in 1985 and was hugely influential, even Napalm Death covered it.
The song “the exorcist” could be credited as launching the newer wave of black metal with its fast picking single note melody line, and the drum pattern aligning with the fast riffing lent To the “wall of sound” that other death metal bands would adopt... thankfully Immolation was worthy of carrying the heavy baton from then on. Could we just realize once and for all that the riff writing and gripping song structures with accenting the chorus and lyrics was best done in a death metal context by Possessed and Immolation
Your going to just cut ol Chuck right out the picture. The sound of death metal came from the band DeAth. You want raw ass death metal check out DeAth's 1st 3 albums.
time for a metal paradigmshift? I was a raging Possessed and meshuggah fan (still am), back in the 80s. Jupp meshuggah is the godfather of djent, and have been djenting since the mid 80s xD. I remember when our guitarist came and introduced us to Possessed, venom etc, great times ...everything changed, and then the b lack metal wave and church burnings came blasting in ;Mayhem, Darkthrone, Burzum, Immortal, Emperor, Satyricon etc even greater times. Now give me something new before I die :).....maybe train some animals to do the growling
i've always liked possessed saw em' several times back in the 80's but tbh i really don't see what they ever did that had not been done already. great band but i really don't hear anything brand new on 'seven churches'. either way really gotta admire jeff becerra for carrying on in the condition he's in. in these interviews he appears pretty loaded but who can blame him he's probably in constant pain.
I remember I had the Possessed and Death cassette tapes for months before I had the courage to make it through the whole album. It may sound corny nowadays but back in the day this was some scary shit especially when you’re a young kid brought up in a somewhat religious family. I’m so happy these guy are still going and putting out quality music. This is highly intelligent music that makes me proud even as an adult I can stand behind and support...long live Jeff Becerra, a fucking living legend not only as a musician but also a human being. His passion and energy is an inspiration to me.
I've been with Possessed since yall dropped 7 Churches in 85. You were such a refreshing change from the hair metal/glam rock shit from those days. When I found out how young Jeff Becerra was when he penned those lyrics, it blew my mind. He has both occult and biblical knowledge to write that album. A masterpiece for sure. Much respect to the kings of Death Metal
@@caljerm Mike T refused to start anything with Jeff since the first rebirth with Sadistic Intent in '07 . He was quite bothered by that. Myspace was still big in that time frame, Mike had a page at one point where he re-did 'The Exorcist', uploaded to his page. Sounded FAST and a bit different from original. After Myspace went to shit and everyone abandoned it, I lost track of what happened to Mike T.
The Cookie Monster vocals came after Seven churches(the person interviewed just arrived late in hearing of Possessed). He’s right though, when other death metal bands could not be creative and diligent enough to find unique, raspy, powerful, and melodic vocals like Jeff’s, Millie, Ventor, angleripper, Van drunen, Urbanati, Araya, schmier, schuldiner, Rind - they put anyone in front of a mic who could monotone out powerless, deep guttural annoyances, while we have had to sit and take it for 30 years just to hear the killer riffs we love in the Death genre. Name your band and we’ll talk about how the riffs are killer and the vocals can be, well, tolerable. Not so with the vocalists from bands I mentioned when referencing their early works. Welcome back Jeff to lending new recordings to a genre that needs you. Any chance at including Torrao in the music writing also? The Eagles, Tom petty, and blue oyster cult had three guitars at times, and Possessed sounds just like them
Would Sodom “in the sign of evil” be considered early death metal, thrash, and 1st wave black metal. Thus far I consider it to be in the category of kick ass. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-plk2bK1-FLc.html The Witching metal song was on their 1982 demo
Slayer’s hell awaits, haunting the chapel, and reign in blood should be included, people are hesitant to give them credit for the death genre because you’d be crediting them with fathering and then mastering two genres: death metal and blackened thrash. Listen to the riffs on hell awaits, and see how bands like sepultura, angel corpse, sacrifice, immolation, morbid, and others sought inspiration/(copied at times). It’s not passé music either, I don’t feel like “if only they could have played faster or added blast beats” - like some venom, etc. Hell awaits as does all early slayer, blows all things away still!
@@metalpractor5150 I agree that Slayer's greatness should always be credited. Hell awaits and Reign in Blood's influences are universal. Even when they slowed down on South of Heaven that album's grimness is still top notch.
Yes, I agree there are many gems on South of Heaven... I feel like for some reason Hell awaits is less universally known though, and reign in blood gets dismissed by older fans, simply because it’s “understood” as being monumental. It was so untouchable at the time that bands including Slayer (Kerry interviews ) didn’t want to come near emulating it least they be compared. Instead more mainstream thrash directions were followed(Safer waters). At the time of south of heaven and beyond the gates, I so wanted both bands to out do the heaviness and speed of their prior works... still love what they’ve done, but for years have been for filling the more aggressive needs while putting up with muppet monster vocals, glad Jeff is recording again.
again the point I have just made slayer to me with haunting the chapel epand hell awaits and classic album reign in blood where as well as thrash also death metal ,the lyrics album covers and imaginary all account for this
This documentary is literally called the creation of death metal. I don't see the band death in the title. Death popularized it. They didn't create it. They were the second. Every genre starts somewhere. That's like saying Black Sabbath is hard Rock.
You can argue about if they were death, thrash, or whatever. My personal opinion, I see alot of early black metal elements here. I'd personally call them more along the lines of proto black. However they were definately a big inspiration. And I won't deny how they obviously coined the term. But Scream Bloody Gore, in my opinion, was the first death metal album.
From day 1 when I first heard "The Exorcist" when the album released, I knew I was hooked. I owe everything I love about music to Possessed. In all it's incarnations. Hails.
Back in 86 I partied all night and into the morning with Jeff and a roadie from the band they were touring with Dark Angel...I had my mom's car, went and got Jeff from his hotel, picked up some girls that I knew. Went and partied in my and my mother's apt. There ended up being a snow storm (Colorado Springs)..the bitches took off with my mom's car. I am standing out side at Dark Angels hotel, just me and Jeff almost 3 am in the snow storm wondering if the bitches were going to return. Long story short had a blast with Jeff one on one partying all night in their heyday. Jeff was so awesome, good times and memories and photos to boot !! Finally the girls showed back up and got Jeff to his hotel at daylight. He planned on sleeping in their tour van. Ohh I should add when I first pickedup Jeff I entered Possessed room and Larry Lalonde came up to me" hey man..I just bought this new pipe wanna toke"..So I broke in a new pipe that Larry bought at their hotel room, then me and Jeff left.
@@opendagates8642 Thanks...when I read people would like to hang out or party with Jeff, I feel metal blessed to have had that experience. Jeff was one of the coolest people I ever met. He was so out going and down to earth. I also snagged their playlist from the concert that night. Still have it all...
WTF are they talking about? "We were the angriest, the rawest, the evilest" and comparing themselves to Metallica and Slayer? I mean SRSLY? There was Sepultura and it was way more EVIL than Seven Churches. Hellhammer, was way eviler too. Compare Posessed with them! What, u can't? Yeah , because if you compare Seven Churches with Sepultura, Hellhammer, Celtci Frost than Seven Churches would sound like NWOBHM but with angry vocals (which were not extreme on Seven Churches , just angry and pissong off). Thats why all u can say is "yeah we were angrier than Slayer"). Ridiculous. Your viewers are supposed to be metal wannabes neophytes? Oh its Nuclear Blast, so the question is rhythorical. And yeah good job with mentioning Poison, Ratt etc. - Richie Kotzen is a world famous virtuoso of guitar technique (like PAul Gilbert or Nuno Bettencurt or etc) and in comparison with him you were just pathetic and helpless in guitar playing, you only made a huge laugh off yourself with that "we wanted to be unlike Poison". Phaha
I used to listen and have all their albums. 7 Churches was on my Walkman in 9th grade all the time. Then they kinda disappeared (back in '87 there was no way to know what happened to Jeff). I'm just glad that Jeff keeps doing what he loves and he's giving the fans this awesome gift (New recording) after all these years!! Can't wait for the new album.
Wow. You are a Girl. But you listen to this kind of Stuff?? My God. I want to marry just like you. I'm so feel bad that in the Philippines. Metal is underrated here. They listen to Kpop and Western Musics.
allow possessed did indeed help to pioneer death metal without doubt they first made a demo in 1984 called death metal and on debut album seven churches the final track is called death metal but to say they by their own where soley responsible is a bold statement why because in 1984 swiss band celtic frost released debut morbid tales which actually uses the term death metal on album sleeve the cover is called the death metal logo so I would say frost also pioneered death metal as well as black at least in their early stages even slayer with albums hell awaits and reign in blood helped it along the way allow slayer have never taken any credit for it and back to celtic frost well what about hellhammer the band they formed out of allow often credited as black metal they hade some material which could be decribed as death metal mainly at demo level anyway I am willing to say a draw between possessed and celtic frost
When " swing of the axe" first came out. Metal massacre # 6 i new this band WAS!! On to something different in hellolwzz solo / crazy rythum paterns OG AF!!!lyrics story lines in hell perfect.i guess satan got hold of 4souls to create :7-churches , it had to BE!!! Just like pink floyds:DSOTM.🤘👹🤘 miguel A Cruz l.a's Darkness!!
My first concert was Black Sabbath in Salt Lake City at the end of summer (parents let me miss some school after spending the summer with my aunt and uncle) in 1972...just turned 10 y.o. and it changed my life forever. The next summer they took me to see Alice Cooper on the Billion Dollar Babies tour (with Steely Dan) as well, in Salt Lake. My point being is: my entire life from the age of 9 to my old age now ( 🤕 ) has been devoted to hard rock and heavy metal. Joined the military and was fortunate enough to see around 100 shows during my 21 year career and many more prior to enlisting. I have never heard anything more 'death' metal than shit I heard in Norway and Sweden. That music ( using the term loosely here, for it was 'not' music to me ), was extremely bass heavy and screeching dual guitars. Even purchased several albums that they were selling at the shows. Can't remember which bands were on it but, "Bitches Sin" and of course - "POSSESSED" we would play the death (pun intended) out of these albums at keggers when I would go home on leave...or rock the shit out of the barracks. Great music! 😎🤙🤘
got my jacket signed by nergal and Jeff. every time I look at my smelly fucking piece of shit jacket I just love it. it's fucking amazing that the guy who made death metal and the guy who mixed black/death metal and survived cancer signed my jacket. SIKKK!!!
Bought Seven Churches when it came out in '85, been a fan ever since. They were the first death metal band, hands down. You may give credit to the first death metal vocals to Kam Lee or even Paul Speckmann, but I do believe death metal itself began with Possessed.
I always loved Possessed. But I never felt they were the first Death Metal band. Hell, the new material being played in the background of their interview still isn't Death Metal. It's just brutal old school Thrash Metal (great song though). They didn't coin the term either. Also, judging by how they talk they really think they were on a different stratosphere than everyone else at the time, which I don't believe to be true either. They were a player back then like a lot of other bands and had a moment. Death was the first Death Metal band to me. Bands that were REAL trendsetters for Metal are bands like Motorhead, Raven, Venom, Bathory, Celtic Frost/Hellhammer to name a few. Bands like Possessed, though were great, came along and ate at the table those bands set for them.
@@Necroctulhu - It fascinates me how Hellhammer sometimes comes up in the first Death Metal band conversation. I never heard it. Hellhammer is more credited for being an influence to Black Metal bands clearly. Who knows what Darkthrone would sound like today if not for the Hellhammer/Celtic Frost influence. Hellhammer/Celtic Frost for the most part were just a Thrash Metal band. Tom Warrior's patented guitar style fits more of a Black/Thrash world. But if playing the first riffs is all that matters to you I would call Venom the first Black Metal band instead of Bathory. But I go by who creates the first complete song(s) for a genres creation. And in that case Hellhammer would definitely not be the first Death Metal band.
@@MainEventMafia4Life you are saying as if only Darkthrone were influenced by HH/CF. There were countless death metal bands strongly influenced by HH/CF. Probably even more than the ones influenced by Death.
@@Necroctulhu- I never said Darkthrone was the only band influenced by Hellhammer/Celtic Frost. I used Darkthrone as a prime example of a Black Metal band, legendary in fact, that took influence from them and the patented Hellhammer/Celtic Frost sound to this day is deeply rooted in their music. I have no doubt a lot of Death Metal bands like them. But is it obvious in Death Metal bands songs you hear? Like 95% of the Black Metal bands out there having a lot of old Bathory in their sound? No. You hear more bands in the late 70's and through the 80's rip off Judas Priest in song style and vocal style than Black Sabbath. But Black Sabbath is supposedly the first Heavy Metal band........right? LoL, Priest was the first true Heavy Metal band 100%.
@@MainEventMafia4Life the influence is pretty obvious in Obituary, Winter, Cianide, Asphyx and most of old Dutch death metal scene. Pretty sure I am missing some.
I was into Thrash metal when it became a thing and then sometime around 85-86 I was introduced to Possessed. At first, I didn't like them, just too crazy for me. But I was intrigued and a year later I went and bought their cassette, "Beyond the Gates" and was hooked. Good to see them contiunuing on.
The term "Death Metal" was coined by Mike Torrao, not Jeff Becerra. Mike Torrao was the main composer and thus the backbone of the band. Without Torrao, it simply isn't "Possessed." It's a cover/worship band.
It's actually a fact. Possessed, Death, Necrophagia, and a few others all formed in 1983. Death released Scream Bloody Gore on May 25th, 1987, Possessed released Seven Churches on October 16th, 1985 and Necrophagia didn't release Season of the Dead until 1987, also. It was the Possessed song Death Metal that coined the term Death Metal, which was written by Jeff Becerra. Here's some Necrophagia trivia for you. What famous vocalist was in Necrophagia as a guitarist?
@@rohitbhattarai2273 while Necrophagia, Death, and Possessed all formed in 1983, it was Possessed who released an album first and their song Death Metal coined the term. And yes I know of Killjoy.
I got into Possessed in the early 80s and was into their music, but I'm not sure if they're originators of death metal. Exodus, Napalm Death, Celtic frost all formed around 1981-83. I heard the demo from Exodus's Bonded By Blood in 82 and that was the heaviest music in existence. I remember Napalm Death's Peel Session and Death's Scream Bloody Gore right after. Not to take anything away from Possessed, as they were bad ass, and I don't doubt they coined the term.
Ugghhhh can’t wait for the new album hopefully they tour shortly after want to see them here in Houston or heck anywhere in Texas worth the drive. I been a fan since a I was teenager the band that got me into Death Metal along with Necrophagia(rip), Master, Massacre, Death(rip), Obituary, Morbid Angel, Immolation, Incantation, Deicide, Cannibal Corpse, Dismember, Unleashed, Bolt Thrower, Entombed, Atheist, Pestilence and so on and the rest was HISTORY!!!
