Possessed | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | April 8, 1985 [1] | |||
Recorded | Early 1985 | |||
Studio | Moorhall in Sussex, England by the Manor Mobile | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 42:57 | |||
Label | Neat | |||
Producer | Venom, Keith Nichol | |||
Venom chronology | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [2] |
Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal | 5/10 [3] |
Metal Forces | 8/10 [4] |
Possessed is the fourth studio album by English heavy metal band Venom, released on 8 April 1985. It is the band's last studio album to feature guitarist Jeffrey Dunn before his first departure from the band in 1986. At the time of its release, it received mixed reviews, even from critics who had liked Venom's earlier albums; Possessed was thought to be in another league as compared to the band's earlier works, even though much of the material on Possessed was written before the release of its predecessor, At War with Satan . It was the first Venom album recorded outside of Impulse Studios. The song "Possessed" is ranked No. 14 on the Parents Music Resource Center's "Filthy Fifteen", a list of the 15 songs the group found to be most objectionable.
The boy on the cover is the son of the band's drummer, Abaddon. The girl is the niece of producer Keith Nichol.
All tracks are written by Cronos and Mantas, except for where noted
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Powerdrive" | 3:14 |
2. | "Flytrap" | 3:50 |
3. | "Satanachist" | 2:43 |
4. | "Burn This Place (To the Ground)" | 2:42 |
5. | "Harmony Dies" | 2:42 |
6. | "Possessed" | 4:52 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
7. | "Hellchild" | 2:40 |
8. | "Moonshine" | 3:19 |
9. | "Wing and a Prayer" | 2:47 |
10. | "Suffer Not the Children" | 3:07 |
11. | "Voyeur" | 3:01 |
12. | "Mystique" | 4:58 |
13. | "Too Loud (For the Crowd)" | 3:02 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
14. | "Nightmare (12" mix)" | 3:54 |
15. | "F.O.A.D. (12" B-side)" | 3:05 |
16. | "Warhead (12" B-side)" | 3:41 |
17. | "Possessed (remix)" | 5:14 |
18. | "Witching Hour (live)" | 4:17 |
19. | "Teacher's Pet/Poison/Teacher's Pet (live)" | 7:59 |
Chart (1985) | Peak position |
---|---|
UK Albums (OCC) [5] | 99 |
Hell Awaits is the second studio album by American thrash metal band Slayer, released on April 19, 1985, by Metal Blade Records. The band's 1983 debut Show No Mercy became Metal Blade Records' highest-selling release, and as a result, producer Brian Slagel desired to release a second Slayer album. To that end, Slagel financed a recording budget and recruited several experienced producers to help in the studio.
Venom are an English heavy metal band formed in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1978. Coming to prominence towards the end of the new wave of British heavy metal, Venom's first two albums, Welcome to Hell (1981) and Black Metal (1982), are considered major influences on thrash metal and extreme metal in general. Their second album proved influential enough that its title was used as the name of the black metal genre; as a result, Venom were part of the early wave of the genre, along with Mercyful Fate and Bathory.
Black Metal is the second album by English heavy metal band Venom. It was released in November 1982 during the new wave of British heavy metal, and is considered a major influence on the thrash metal, death metal and black metal scenes that emerged in the 1980s and early 1990s.
Atomkraft are an English speed metal band from Newcastle, who were part of the new wave of British heavy metal movement. They formed in 1979, disbanded in 1988, and reformed in 2005. Atomkraft's "Total Metal" approach draws inspiration from fellow NWOBHM bands such as Motörhead and Venom, punk rock bands such as The Dickies, and early Exodus or Slayer. Lead vocalist/bassist Tony Dolan also fronted Venom for a number of years in the late 1980s and 90s.
Conrad Thomas Lant, also known by his stage name Cronos, is an English musician. He is the founder, vocalist and bassist of heavy metal band Venom.
Welcome to Hell is the debut studio album by English heavy metal band Venom released in December 1981 through Neat Records. After various line-up changes and recording several demo tapes in Impulse Studios, Venom gained success and attention with the single "In League with Satan", their dark, satanic image and their fast, raw sound. The band re-recorded all of the demos' songs, which Neat Records released as an album.
At War with Satan is the third album by the British heavy metal band Venom, released in April 1984. It is a concept album that tells the story of a war between Heaven and Hell which the latter side wins. It was touted as Venom's crossover into mainstream music, but failed to do so. Shortly after it went on sale, the HMV record chain withdrew the album from its shelves because of its anti-Christian content.
Jeffrey "Mantas" Dunn is a British guitarist and one of the founding members of the heavy metal band Venom, with which he played as a guitarist from 1979 to 1985 and 1989 to 2002. He plays in Venom Inc. alongside fellow former Venom member bassist/vocalist Tony Dolan.
Temples of Ice is the seventh studio album by English heavy metal band Venom. The album was originally supposed to be produced by ex-Child's Play producer Howard Benson; however, he was unavailable. The band decided to stay with Kevin Ridley, who co-produced the band's previous album Prime Evil. It was released on Under One Flag records in 1991, and marketed and distributed by Music for Nations.
Calm Before the Storm is the fifth studio album by British heavy metal band Venom. The original title of the album would have been Deadline, but the title was changed when guitarist Jeffrey "Mantas" Dunn left the band and was replaced by Jimi Clare and Mike Hickey. Both were to follow bassist Conrad "Cronos" Lant in his later solo career and the latter would also return on the 2006 album Metal Black.
Prime Evil is the sixth studio album by British heavy metal band Venom. It was released in 1989 and is the first in a series of three albums with Atomkraft bassist and vocalist Tony Dolan, replacing Conrad "Cronos" Lant, as a band member and composer.
The Waste Lands is the eighth studio album by British heavy metal band Venom. It is the last with bassist/singer Tony "Demolition Man" Dolan and also the last before the reunion of the classic Venom line-up from their first four albums, Welcome to Hell, Black Metal, At War with Satan and Possessed. Like the previous album, Temples of Ice, the album was originally supposed to be produced by ex-Child's Play producer Howard Benson, however he was once again unavailable so the band decided to stay with Kevin Ridley. The working title for this album was Kissing the Beast, but the band changed it when they got the album cover from Tari József.
Resurrection is the tenth album by heavy metal band Venom. It was released on SPV/Steamhammer in 2000. It is the last Venom album to feature original member Mantas on guitar.
Eine kleine Nachtmusik is a live album released by English heavy metal band Venom in 1986. It contains partial recordings of two different concerts with two different setlists. The first disc contains a show recorded at Hammersmith Odeon in London on 8 October 1985 and the second disc recorded at The Ritz in New York City on 4 and 5 April 1986. The title Eine kleine Nachtmusik is German for "A Little Night Music". The title is taken from Mozart's piece of the same name.
Cast in Stone is the ninth album by British heavy metal band Venom, and their first album in 12 years to feature the original lineup. Recorded at Lartington Hall Studios near Barnard Castle, it was released on SPV/Steamhammer in 1997. It is the last Venom album to feature Abaddon on drums.
"Countess Bathory" is a song by English heavy metal band Venom. The song originally appeared on the band's 1982 album Black Metal as well as their 1986 live album Eine kleine Nachtmusik.
"In League with Satan" is the first song released by the English extreme metal band Venom. It was released on 17 April 1981 as a single with the B-side "Live Like an Angel" by Neat Records and later appeared on the band's first album, Welcome to Hell. The song has been cited as the first black metal song and is also often cited by critics who claim a connection between heavy metal and Satanism.
"Bloodlust" is a single released by English speed metal band Venom on August 13, 1982 through Neat Records. It is the bands second single and the follow-up to their debut single "In League with Satan".
Warfare was a British heavy metal band from Newcastle upon Tyne that formed in 1982 and disbanded in 1993. They were part of the later stages of the new wave of British heavy metal.