Oh boy, are you guys ready for some earth-shattering news? 🤯 I mean, I can barely contain my excitement… POSSESSED is working on a new album! 😴 I know, I know, it’s not like we’ve been waiting for seven years or anything. But seriously, Jeff Becerra and the gang are actually making progress on the follow-up to 2019’s “Revelations Of Oblivion”. In a recent interview with Laughing Monkey With Shawn Ratches, Becerra revealed that they have all 10 songs recorded, but they’re just scratch tracks. So, now they have to go over the scratch tracks and re-record the instruments and vocals. Wow, I can barely contain my enthusiasm… 😒
In all seriousness, it’s great to hear that POSSESSED is back at it, and Becerra seems to be feeling pretty confident about the new material. He even mentioned that he hopes to release a new album every year, which is pretty ambitious, but hey, we’ll take it. Becerra also talked about the importance of maintaining an original sound and style, saying “There’s really no rhyme or reason [to how I write music]. I just write what I feel. And I’ve been lucky enough to have kind of a unique sound.” Yeah, no kidding, Jeff. When you hear POSSESSED, you know it’s POSSESSED.
The Songwriting Process
Becerra also gave some insight into the songwriting process for the new album, saying that it’s been a really fun and collaborative experience. He mentioned that the whole band is involved in the writing process, and that they’re all super picky about what they do. He even said that they’re looking for what’s good or what is mendable or what is perfect as is. Yeah, because that’s exactly what you want from a metal band – perfection. I mean, who needs a little bit of chaos and unpredictability in their music, right?
In an earlier interview, Becerra mentioned that the new material is turning out “very cool, very heavy. But a lot more tempo switching. And it’s cool.” Oh boy, tempo switching? That sounds like a real game-changer. I mean, who needs a consistent tempo when you can just switch it up all over the place? It’s not like that’s going to give listeners whiplash or anything.
Becerra also talked about the POSSESSED songwriting process, saying that they all write and contribute to the music. He even mentioned that he wrote 63 or 64 percent of the last album, but that the rest of the band is getting more involved in the writing process. Yeah, because that’s exactly what you want from a metal band – a bunch of guys who are all trying to outdo each other with their songwriting skills. I mean, who needs a little bit of ego and competition in the creative process, right?
A Brief History of POSSESSED
For those who may not be familiar, POSSESSED originally split in 1987, leaving behind a short but highly influential legacy, most notably 1985’s “Seven Churches” album. Yeah, because that’s not a classic or anything. I mean, who needs a little bit of old-school metal in their lives? The band’s internal tensions after the release of 1987’s “The Eyes Of Horror” EP led to the band’s dissolution, with guitarist Larry Lalonde joining Bay Area tech-thrashers BLIND ILLUSION, then PRIMUS. Yeah, because that’s not a career trajectory or anything.
In 1990, Mike Torrao reactivated POSSESSED with a completely different lineup, but only released two demos before dissolving in 1993. Yeah, because that was a great idea. I mean, who needs a little bit of stability and consistency in a band, right? Becerra then reformed POSSESSED in 2007 with his own lineup, which released its first studio album in 33 years, “Revelations Of Oblivion”, in 2019. Yeah, because that was a long time coming or anything.
In conclusion, POSSESSED is working on a new album, and it’s going to be… well, we’re not really sure what it’s going to be, but hey, we’re excited. Becerra seems to be feeling pretty confident about the new material, and the band is working hard to create something special. So, let’s all just take a deep breath and wait patiently for the new album to drop. I mean, it’s not like we’ve been waiting for seven years or anything… 😂
Chord F. Discord, the Beethoven of Buffoonery, is a self-taught expert in music who once claimed he could “play the kazoo in four languages.”
Born in Crescendo, Indiana, Chord’s first brush with fame came when he accidentally entered a yodeling contest thinking it was a pie-eating competition—and won both categories.
Chord F. Discord: proving that laughter, much like a poorly tuned ukulele, is truly universal.
