Ever since the release of the band’s debut album on Combat Records, ‘Seven Churches,’ Possessed have often been credited with creating the death metal genre. Along with the other huge names in the genre, namely the sadly defunct Death and Necrophagia, their catalog has stood the test of time and still turns up on Top 10 death metal lists all across the globe.
Their second album, ‘Beyond The Gates,’ was also well received, but was marred by murky production problems. The band’s final release in 1987, the Joe Satriani-produced ‘Eyes Of Horror’ EP, would signal the band’s imminent demise until the ‘Revelations of Oblivion’ full-length on Nuclear Blast records some 32 years later.
And while the core line-up of Jeff Becerra (bass, vocals), Mike Torrao (guitar), Larry LaLonde (guitar), and Mike Sus (drums) disbanded in 1987, it’s Jeff that’s been carrying the flag ever since the band’s triumphant return in 2007 at Germany’s Wacken festival in front of 70,000 metal heads.
At present, the band is rounded out by some of the fiercest players in death metal including mainstays Daniel Gonzalez (guitar), Claudeous Creamer (guitar), Robert Cardenas (bass), and the relatively new Chris Aguirre (drums).
Capital Chaos TV caught up with Jeff as he was preparing for the start of their Oblivion West Coast tour.
Capital Chaos TV: ‘Revelations Of Oblivion’ was released four years ago and was a fine return to form recalling the band’s glory days in the mid-’80s when Possessed was playing all over the globe. How many of those songs were written years before?
Jeff Becerra: I wrote ‘The Word’ between ‘80 and ‘81 musically and the lyrics I wrote just before recording the album. It was actually a song that I was working on in my old band Blizzard that carried over. Dan (Gonzalez) and I just reworked it. The ‘Graven’ lyrics were used in another song called ‘The Crimson Spike’ which we no longer played, so I cannibalized the lyrics. A lot of ideas were thrown around by sending audio riffs back and forth via e-mail. We would just pick the best ones that fit the best and sort of Frankenstein them together.
Capital Chaos TV: I first saw Possessed at the Petaluma Vets Hall with Exodus and remember later buying your demo cassette at The Record Vault in San Francisco. They were sold out, but I was told to wait 15 minutes and I would get a copy. Minutes later, that same employee came back with a freshly recorded one. What was it like having all that buzz with just a demo?
Jeff Becerra: That demo lit up like wildfire and traveled vast distances in a very, very short time. Within weeks, it was already in Europe and Asia. And even before that our live concert dubs were found pretty regularly on the underground tape-trading circuit which was prevalent in the early ‘80s. This was before the internet was really a thing or CDs even existed. Fortunately, the extreme underground scene had small pockets that really took to the band and we gained a lot of traction through that circuit. Possessed is still, at its core, an underground band and never hit the big time. However, this is my lot in life and I wouldn’t change a thing.
Capital Chaos TV: Do you plan on doing more US shows next year?
Jeff Becerra: As of right now, the only thing we have planned in the states is the Milwaukee Metal Fest, but I’m trying to get as many shows as possible booked in 2024 because I’m ready to work. If it were up to me, I would never stop touring. I love playing live shows and like hanging out with the people that support Possessed.
Capital Chaos TV: What do you do with yourself during the downtime between shows? Any hobbies?
Jeff Becerra: I’m in the process of writing the new album which should have came out already, but the pandemic held us up as it did everybody else. I’m just finishing up the lyrics now and then we should record in 2024. As far as hobbies go, not so much. Ha! I just play my bass, write music & lyrics, and watch horror movies.
Capital Chaos TV: Debbie Abono (RIP) was a force who managed some of the best Bay Area bands such as Exodus, Vio-lence, and Forbidden. What was your experience like working with her at such a young age?
Jeff Becerra: Debbie was cool. She started managing my first band Blizzard. After starting Possessed, I went back and got Larry LaLonde from Blizzard to join me. For the most part, Debbie started managing us as a favor to her daughter who was dating Larry at the time. Everybody today thinks of her as old, but she was my current age at that time. We never saw her as older. We just saw her as one of us. We partied and hung out at her house, practiced at her house, and were pretty much there all the time just enjoying our youth.
Capital Chaos TV: Did you ever approach Larry LaLonde about playing together again?
Jeff Becerra: Definitely. I text and talk to Larry all the time we’re still good friends. Larry’s the same good fella he’s always been. We have discussed him getting up on stage with us which I’m sure will happen sometime. We were supposed to do it in Los Angeles, but scheduling conflicts prevented it at the last moment. Still, Larry has told me that he’s very interested in coming up and jamming with us for a song or two. Larry and I have been friends since we were children. We started our first band, Marauder, back in 1979 and we’ve been the best of friends ever since.
Capital Chaos TV: Your former backing band, Sadistic Intent, did a wonderful job playing live with Possessed. Do you still talk with the Rick, Bay, Emilio and Ernesto? Why the band change?
Jeff Becerra: For sure. Sadistic Intent are an amazing band. Originally, we were just gonna do two shows after recording “The Exorcist” for a tribute album. We decided to do more shows and it kind of turned into a revelation and brought about Possessed’s return. We were playing in B-flat rather than 440 E standard. Technically, the songs were a lot different. The guys in Sadistic Intent soon wanted to focus more on their own band and I took that as my opportunity to really fine tune Possessed back into the 440 technically savvy band that we are now. Possessed is very important to me and playing at a high-level is crucial. I want us not only to maintain our signature sound, but to constantly progress. I went on the hunt for the best musicians I could find and now I’ve found them. I’ve been through a lot of different players and finally found what I think is the perfect combination. I got us back together in late 2006 and, in my opinion, this is the finest line-up I’ve ever played with. However, I still consider all of the artists I’ve played with as my brothers and each of them, in their own way, has been an integral part of my life and career.
Capital Chaos TV: How long after your unfortunate attack in 1989 did it take for you to fully realize Possessed needed to come back?
Jeff Becerra: In 1989, I got shot twice. The 9mm shot is still stuck in my spine and the .22 caliber one shot my right ring finger off. The doctors had to bolt it back on. It took me five years just to stabilize my mind, soul, and body. I wasn’t ready mentally then to bring the band back as my confidence was so low. Instead, I decided to attend college. During college I met a woman named Sheila and we got engaged. We also had two, beautiful children. I worked at a hospital, bought a house, and we were very happy for a decade or so. We later split amicably and this freed me up to really concentrate all my efforts on the band. It took 17 years for me to get back on track. I’m not gonna lie, it’s been a very long and hard road. Since 2006, I have essentially spent 13 years bedridden due to terrible bed sores and I’ve almost died a few times. A few years ago, I had a life-saving skin flap surgery and now I feel like this is the beginning of everything for the band. I’m really gonna try to put Possessed back on the map.
Capital Chaos TV: When do you see the next Possessed record coming out?
Jeff Becerra: I was speaking to Jaap Waagemaker from Nuclear Blast and we have decided to record in 2024. I’ve also been working with Kragen Lum from Nuclear Blast and the band Heathen. I plan to set the recording date as soon as possible. Of course, you never know what’s gonna happen so it’s best to strike while the iron is hot. So far, this new album is very different. I hope that people will enjoy it in a different way than each of the previous albums. Of course, I’m no stranger to doing anything differently.
Bay Area Interthrashional presents Possessed with Nunslaughter, The Black Moriah, and Laceration on Monday, December 18th. Tickets can be purchased in advance for $30 at https://gamh.com. A limited VIP option is also available for $50. The Great American Music Hall is located at 859 O’Farrell Street in San Francisco. Doors open at 7pm and the show starts promptly at 8pm. All ages are welcome.
(Capital Chaos TV)