Possessed

American death metal band

Possessed is an influential American death metal band that was formed in 1983 in San Francisco, California. They are often credited as one of the first bands to define the death metal genre, with their debut album "Seven Churches" released in 1985 being a landmark record that combined elements of thrash metal with darker themes and more extreme musicianship. The band's career was initially short-lived; after releasing two full-length albums, "Seven Churches" and "Beyond the Gates" (1986), and an EP titled "The Eyes of Horror" (1987), they disbanded in 1987 due to various issues including frontman Jeff Becerra being shot and paralyzed from the waist down during a robbery.