Testament & Kreator with Special Guests Possessed

10/10/24

Thursday

Oct

Doors: 6:00 PM

Show: 6:50 PM

Seating Chart: General Admission

Add to Calendar 20241010 18:00 20241010 23:59:00 America/New_York Testament & Kreator with Special Guests Possessed Doors open at 6:00 PM. More show details at: https://wellmonttheater.com/shows/testament-kreator-with-special-guests-possessed/ The Wellmont Theater, 5 Seymour St, Montclair, NJ 07042

SUPPORT

Possessed

American death metal pioneers Possessed are often referred to as the godfathers of the genre, having established themselves as such in 1983 with the creation of a three-song demo simply called Death Metal. Distancing themselves from the crowded Bay Area thrash scene with sheer savagery and the distinct, guttural howl of frontman Jeff Becerra, the band blazed a fiery trail for future death metal enthusiasts with the influential LPs Seven Churches (1985) and Beyond the Gates (1986) before disbanding in 1987. They re-formed in the 2010s and eventually returned to the studio and released their long-awaited third full-length effort, Revelations of Oblivion, in 2019.

True to their name, San Francisco’s Possessed seemed cursed by dark and evil forces throughout their troubled career. Formed by guitarist Mike Torrao and drummer Mike Sus in 1983, the group would lose first singer Barry Fisk to suicide before even graduating from garage band status. They persisted, though, and after recruiting vocalist/bassist Jeff Becerra and guitarist Brian Montana, the band was offered a slot on Brian Slagel’s Metal Massacre, Vol. 6 compilation. Possessed’s savage sound immediately stood out from the competition and drew the attention of Combat Records, with which they signed in 1985 after replacing Montana with guitarist Larry LaLonde. Issued later that year, the unwaveringly brutal Seven Churches was arguably the first true death metal album and set the stage for the genre’s breakaway from thrash. Their second effort, Beyond the Gates, was released, fittingly enough, on Halloween 1986. After recording the five-track EP The Eyes of Horror the following year (produced by LaLonde’s guitar teacher Joe Satriani), the band decided to call it quits. Two years later, frontman Becerra was shot during a mugging and left paralyzed from the waist down. He re-formed Possessed in 2007 and played that year’s Wacken Open Air festival backed by members of Sadistic Intent. LaLonde would go on to a long career with bassist Les Claypool‘s bizarro funk-metal trio Primus.

In 2017 Becerra put together a new Possessed lineup and inked a three-album deal with Nuclear Blast. Revelations of Oblivion, the legendary group’s first collection of new music in decades, arrived in 2019. ~ James Christopher Monger, Rovi

About Testament & Kreator with Special Guests Possessed

The time has arrived for TESTAMENT to unleash new thunder to the masses and reveal their thirteenth studio album: Titans OF Creation. Just as the elements of this planet thrive within all living creatures, each musician in TESTAMENT represents a necessary component of this latest musical endeavor. Still filled with a massive and unstoppable energy since their last release, TESTAMENT has taken their style to the next level and present an album that is loyal to the roots of traditional thrash metal while still bringing alluring, brilliant, and progressive ingredients to the table. Bass is showcased, new vocals are introduced, and as expected, the guitarwork of Peterson and Skolnick is greatly complex and mesmerizing.

Titans of Creation has many moods and material contained within; all of which somehow tie into a common philosophy of creation and its necessary counterpart: destruction. “Children Of The Next Level” smashes through the gates as the opening track with a flood of sound that prepares the listener for an abundance of violent thrash. Meanwhile, the lyrics rage about the outrageous philosophies of the Heaven’s Gate cult (founded in 1974).

TESTAMENT’s process of creation has evolved and progressed yet they’ve remained steadfast over the course of literal decades. While always managing to present the genuine aspects of thrash metal that solidify their existence, they spread into unique horizons through developing crisp and fascinating sounds.

Decades into their illustrious career, German metal pioneers Kreator remain at the forefront of the genre, defying trends and outlasting peers with their relentless and influential sound. Led by founding member Miland ‘Mille’ Petrozza, the band has consistently delivered powerful anthems, with classics like “Endless Pain” and “Pleasure To Kill” solidifying their place in metal history. Recent successes include chart-topping albums like 2017’s “Gods Of Violence,” and their latest release, “Hate Über Alles,” featuring new bassist Frédéric Leclercq, continues their legacy of intense, passionate music. Embracing themes of societal discord, the album reflects the current state of the world while offering hope and empowerment. Despite the challenges of the past years, Kreator’s unwavering commitment to quality and creativity ensures their continued dominance in the metal scene, promising more groundbreaking music for years to come.