Throughout the year, I've been looking back at some of the best thrash metal albums of 1986 -- the year thrash hit its zenith in popularity and creativity. When possible, I've tried to interview band members, producers and others associated with the original albums. I've also tried to time the blog posts to coincide with the 25th anniversary of each album's release, although accurate release dates from 25 years ago can be hard to come by.
This installment commemorates Beyond the Gates, the second and final full-length album by Bay Area thrash legends Possessed. Possessed's 1985 debut, Seven Churches, is frequently hailed as a metal milestone and was arguably the first death metal album ever released, but Beyond the Gates has always been overlooked (if not outright dismissed) by critics and fans alike.
Why all the hate for Gates? The production was -- to be kind -- a little on the muddy side, and the album didn't display the same raw aggression that Seven Churches did, but c'mon, nobody shits on Slayer for slowing things down on South of Heaven. When you release an album as fast and heavy as Reign in Blood or Seven Churches, what's the point in trying to replicate that? You're pretty much doomed to fail. Slayer recognized that, and so did Possessed.
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