"Beyond the Gates" Album Description:
Historical & Cultural Context (Mid-1980s Metal and Beyond)
In 1986, the global heavy music landscape was in flux. Thrash metal — pioneered earlier in the decade by bands such as Metallica, Slayer, Exodus, Kreator and others — had matured, splintering into more extreme variants. Meanwhile, underground scenes in Florida, Sweden, the UK, and elsewhere were incubating what would become death metal and black metal. The mid-1980s saw bands pushing speed, aggression, and transgressive imagery further than ever before.
In the United States, the “Bay Area” scene (San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley) was a major incubator of thrash — acts like Metallica, Testament, Exodus, and Death Angel were active. At the same time, more extreme acts were emerging: Death (in Florida), Celtic Frost (Switzerland), Kreator and Sodom (Germany), Sepultura (Brazil) among them. The underground tape-trading network, fanzines, and small labels were the middlemen, spreading new, harsher sounds beyond local scenes.
As extreme metal evolved, listeners and musicians began pushing the envelope: harsher vocal styles, dissonant riffs, blast beats, complex song structures, occult and horror themes. In 1986, the world was also in the thrall of pop, glam, and hair metal commercially, but in the underground, extreme metal was gathering momentum — Beyond the Gates arrived into that ferment, trying to straddle thrash aggression and incipient death metal complexity.
Possessed: Origins, Line-ups, and Milestones
Possessed originated in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1982, founded by guitarist Mike Torrao and drummer Mike Sus. Initially, the band featured vocalist Barry Fisk and bassist Jeff Andrews, but after Fisk’s tragic suicide and Andrews’ departure, the group reconstituted. Jeff Becerra, formerly of a local band called Blizzard, joined as bassist and vocalist. Later, the teenage guitarist Larry LaLonde became a full member.
By 1984, Possessed issued their Death Metal demo, which circulated widely in underground tape circles, helping build their reputation as an uncompromising extreme act. Their debut full-length, Seven Churches (1985), is widely viewed as a founding pillar of death metal (or at least a transitional bridge between thrash and death).
After Seven Churches, they toured and performed with contemporaries such as Slayer and Venom. Tensions and creative pressures would loom in the background as they prepared their second full album.
Musical Direction & Sound of Beyond the Gates
Released on 31 October 1986, Beyond the Gates was Possessed’s second full studio LP. Compared to Seven Churches, it shows a more technically inclined, structured, and ambitious approach. While the debut had an intense, raw chaos, this follow-up experiments more with dynamics, melodic passages, mid-paced sections, and more varied songwriting.
Some listeners point out that the production is problematic: the sound is often criticized as muddy, with reverb-laden guitars that sometimes bury the drums, leading to a less visceral punch than Seven Churches. The band’s own and fans’ reactions to it were mixed — some embracing the evolution, others disappointed by the perceived loss of raw impact.
Musically, the album retains demonic vocals from Jeff Becerra, dual guitar interplay (Torrao and LaLonde), and drum aggression by Mike Sus, but introduces more compositional twists, tempo shifts, and occasional cleaner passages or intros. The thematic focus remains dark — occultism, horror, apocalyptic imagery.
Tracks like “Tribulation” stand out for shifting riff styles, transitions, and more pronounced structure. Others like “No Will to Live” tend to lean a bit more mid-paced and epic. The album opens with an atmospheric “Intro” before launching into “The Heretic.” The closing track “Dog Fight” is a short instrumental, mirroring the brief intro.
While many fans compare it unfavorably to Seven Churches, others now regard Beyond the Gates as an underrated step in the band’s exploration of technicality and structure.
Production, Cover Art & Packaging
Beyond the Gates was recorded in March 1986 at Prairie Sun Recording Studios in Cotati, California. The production team included engineers John Cuniberti and Tom Size, and mastering was handled by Tom Coyne. The album was produced by Carl Canedy (also a drummer/producer known for work with The Rods and Anthrax) with executive production by Steve Sinclair.
The cover art, realized by Ed Repka, employs the gatefold gimmick design: the “gates” of the front cover open outward, and further flaps unfold to reveal a large multi-panel illustration, turning the inner cover into a dramatic thematic poster. Lyrics and band photography were printed on inner sleeves. The ambitious packaging was both a statement and a risk: it enhanced the visual presence but also reflected high expectations of the music matching the visual spectacle.
Critical and Fan Response, Controversies & Tensions
Upon its release, Beyond the Gates received a polarized reception. Many fans of Seven Churches were disappointed in its perceived drop in raw power and energy. Some critics felt the band had moved too close to conventional thrash and diluted the more extreme elements. The album’s muddy production also became a focal point of criticism.
Within the metal community, debates surfaced: had Possessed “sold out” to more accessible structures? Had they lost some of their edge? Some listeners accused them of retreating from the extreme frontier they helped pioneer.
Conversely, over time, a reassessment has occurred: some fans and musicians now appreciate the album’s ambition, its riffs, its mood, and its willingness to take risks.
Behind the scenes, internal tensions likely intensified. Creative direction, expectations following a lauded debut, and perhaps disagreements over style and control may have strained relationships. The following EP (The Eyes of Horror) marked a further stylistic shift, and by 1987 internal fractures, musical divergence, and external pressures led to the band’s breakup.
Aftermath & Band Turmoil
After Beyond the Gates, the band released The Eyes of Horror EP in May 1987, produced by guitarist Joe Satriani — an unusual choice and a sign of changing direction. That EP saw a less overtly Satanic lyrical approach and a more thrash-oriented sound. Soon thereafter, internal conflicts and creative divergences led to the band’s dissolution in 1987.
In later years, Jeff Becerra became the sole constant member of Possessed. In 1989, he was tragically shot during a robbery, which left him paralyzed from the chest down. Despite this, he continued to be involved in the metal world and eventually reformed the band.
Possessed would sporadically reform (1990–1993) but never recaptured the momentum of the 1980s. The band eventually reactivated in the 2000s, and after long dormancy, released Revelations of Oblivion in 2019.
Why Beyond the Gates Matters
While Beyond the Gates is often overshadowed by the seminal Seven Churches, its importance lies in its ambition and the crossroads it represents. The album captures a moment when extreme metal acts had to choose: stay raw and chaotic, or mature, refine, evolve. Possessed opted for evolution, balancing aggression with structural intent. Though flawed in execution (especially in production), Beyond the Gates remains a document of a band wrestling with expectations, identity, and musical growth in a turbulent, transitional era.
For any serious fan of death and thrash metal, Beyond the Gates offers insight into how early extreme bands navigated the tension raw energy and advancing sophistication.
