Beyond The Gates [Import]

Possessed | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 24, 2008)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Phantom Sound & Vision
• ASIN: B0019K9O1Q
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #232,179 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Limited 2008 digitally remastered and expanded digipak deluxe edition of the San Francisco Metal band's sophomore album, originally released in 1986, featuring the Eyes Of Horror EP as bonus tracks. The noble digipak opens like a gate similar to the original LP release and contains a booklet with all lyrics and old photos plus a poster with cover artwork of Beyond The Gates on one side and The Eyes Of Horror on the other side. 16 tracks. Century Media.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Classic Metal, June 17, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Beyond the Gates (Audio CD)

Its great to see this album re-released! I havent heard it since it was released back in 86 and it still kicks! One of the greatest but unrecognized bands of the 80's metal/thrash scene! This is a must have for all who like metal! Lyrics are on the darker side but the guitars are top notch! Possessed is one of the better bands Ive heard and as I said its great to see this album re-realesed especially when the thrash/metal/hardcore scenes have become whinny in nature and this so called alternative music gimmie a break! Check this out its a must have for all as well as Possessed's other albums! Without a doubt one of the greatest metal/thrash albums of all time!!!!!!!!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Shhhh!!!!!! Don't Tell Anyone That Larry LaLonde Was In Possessed........., July 17, 2007

By 

Metal_Is_King (White Plains, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Beyond the Gates (Audio CD)

It seems that Primus guitarist Larry LaLonde doesn't want anyone to know that he was in Possessed from the mid-to-late 1980's. Maybe Larry thinks Primus fans would be upset by that fact he used to dress up in black leather & wear inverted crosses around his neck. Or it could be that he believes Primus' music is so much more advanced than Possessed's. Whatever the reason, it's a shame because Possessed was - and still is - one of the most influential death/thrash bands of all time.

Released in late 1986, BEYOND THE GATES is a major step forward from Possessed's 1985 debut, SEVEN CHURCHES. The band is much more mature sounding. SEVEN CHURCHES was recorded while the band members were still in high school, and it shows. The songs flow much better on BEYOND THE GATES. There is some good, chunky metal riffing going on here. Just about every track is good, but some personal favorites include "The Heretic," "Tribulation," "No Will To Live" & "Seance." The only song I didn't really like is the album's title track. It has a clunky main guitar riff. Most of the songs were written by guitarist Mike Torrao & bassist/vocalist Jeff Becerra. Although the aforementioned Larry LaLonde did co-write three tracks. Both guitarists play some very good solos, with Torrao being the wilder of the two (check out his second solo on "Seance"). Jeff Becerra has a sandpaper-ish vocal style that is reminiscent of Lemmy from Motorhead.

I'm giving BEYOND THE GATES four stars because it does have a few flaws. First off, the production has a bone-dry feel to it, which I'm not a fan of. SEVEN CHURCHES has a much richer-sounding production style. Secondly, producer Carl Canedy could have done a better job of recording Mike Sus' drum tracks. They're a little flat-sounding. And finally, Possessed were still writing their silly satanic lyrics (ex. Tribulation/In Love With Satan/Desecration/Come To Salem). Still, it is clear that Possessed grew as a band between SEVEN CHURCHES & BEYOND THE GATES.

In June of 1987, Possessed put out their final release, a five-song EP called THE EYES OF HORROR. The band showed continued growth, both musically & lyrically. Sadly, they broke up just days after THE EYES OF HORROR came out. Larry Lalonde went on to play in a second-rate metal band called Blind Illusion, & then formed Primus with bassist/vocalist Les Claypool. It was around this time that Jeff Becerra was shot & paralyzed from the waist down during a drug deal that went bad. Mike Torrao continued to try to make music until the early-to-mid nineties, but now both he & Mike Sus are out of the business.

BEYOND THE GATES is definitely worth picking up. It is a document of a metal band coming into their own. Take your copy to a Primus show & see if you can get Larry LaLonde to autograph it for you!!!!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My Favorite from Possessed., December 31, 2006

By 

Elogi La Nerezzae "Darkness............" (WISCONSIN U.S) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Beyond the Gates (Audio CD)

This is my favorite release from Possessed, this one is epicalegically deviant compared to their first ...Death Metal. This sounds more like, Celtic Frost, Bathory, Entombed, And Terrorizer. Buy it, Must Own!!