American death metal pioneers Possessed are often referred to as the godfathers of the genre, having established themselves as such in 1983 with the creation of a three-song demo simply called Death Metal. Distancing themselves from the crowded Bay Area thrash scene with sheer savagery and the distinct, guttural howl of frontman Jeff Becerra, the band blazed a fiery trail for future death metal enthusiasts with the influential LPs Seven Churches (1985) and Beyond the Gates (1986) before disbanding in 1987. They re-formed in the 2010s and eventually returned to the studio and released their long-awaited third full-length effort, Revelations of Oblivion, in 2019.

True to their name, San Francisco’s Possessed seemed cursed by dark and evil forces throughout their troubled career. Formed by guitarist Mike Torrao and drummer Mike Sus in 1983, the group would lose first singer Barry Fisk to suicide before even graduating from garage band status. They persisted, though, and after recruiting vocalist/bassist Jeff Becerra and guitarist Brian Montana, the band was offered a slot on Brian Slagel’s Metal Massacre, Vol. 6 compilation. Possessed’s savage sound immediately stood out from the competition and drew the attention of Combat Records, with which they signed in 1985 after replacing Montana with guitarist Larry LaLonde. Issued later that year, the unwaveringly brutal Seven Churches was arguably the first true death metal album and set the stage for the genre’s breakaway from thrash. Their second effort, Beyond the Gates, was released, fittingly enough, on Halloween 1986. After recording the five-track EP The Eyes of Horror the following year (produced by LaLonde’s guitar teacher Joe Satriani), the band decided to call it quits. Two years later, frontman Becerra was shot during a mugging and left paralyzed from the waist down. He re-formed Possessed in 2007 and played that year’s Wacken Open Air festival backed by members of Sadistic Intent. LaLonde would go on to a long career with bassist Les Claypool’s bizarro funk-metal trio Primus.

In 2017 Becerra put together a new Possessed lineup and inked a three-album deal with Nuclear Blast. Revelations of Oblivion, the legendary group’s first collection of new music in decades, arrived in 2019. ~ James Christopher Monger, Rovi

Pestilence is a legendary death metal institution from the Netherlands; innovators that revolutionized death metal, altered what was considered “progressive” and set new standards with every album they ever released, creating a body of work that cemented the group in metal’s history.
Groundbreaking albums i.e “Malleus Maleficarum”, “Consuming Impulse “, Testimony of the Anicents” and “Spheres” inspired generations of bands all over the world and altered the reality for hundreds of thousands of listeners, while taking them on an audio journey of unprecedented dimensions with every new studio release. The Ancient ones are a testimony of the past, intertwined with the present and the future, imitated through the years by many but never replicated. Pestilence redefined the genre that started to feel monotonous and prosaic in the beginning of the 90’s and continue to do so to this day.
Pestilence is a legendary death metal institution from the Netherlands; innovators that revolutionized death metal, altered what was considered “progressive” and set new standards with every album they ever released, creating a body of work that cemented the group in metal’s history.
Groundbreaking albums i.e “Malleus Maleficarum”, “Consuming Impulse “, Testimony of the Anicents” and “Spheres” inspired generations of bands all over the world and altered the reality for hundreds of thousands of listeners, while taking them on an audio journey of unprecedented dimensions with every new studio release. The Ancient ones are a testimony of the past, intertwined with the present and the future, imitated through the years by many but never replicated. Pestilence redefined the genre that started to feel monotonous and prosaic in the beginning of the 90’s and continue to do so to this day.

Pestilence started in 1986. Initially the band was heavily influenced by American and German thrash metal. By the time of their second album, “Consuming Impulse” from 1989, the band had developed its own style: redefining death metal as we know it. In the years that followed Pestilence became one of the prime bands in the international death metal scene. The group, based around guitarist, songwriter and (then occasional) vocalist Patrick Mameli, toured relentlessly. Especially tours in the US proved to be very successful, where the band toured with CARCASS and DEATH, Sadus and many more.

The band became more skilled over the years, and outside influences crept into the music. This all lead in 1993 to the album “Spheres”, on which Patrick Mameli combined his well loved death metal sound with a new musical passion: fusion. The album was an artistic triumph, but was at the same time many years ahead of its time. In 1994 Pestilence disbanded and Patrick Mameli withdrew from the music scene.
Pestilence returned once again in 2017 and solidified their place among the metal greats once again. The new line-up is the best ever, according to Patrick Mameli and 60 live shows in less than six months in 2018 sure prove that fact! Pestilence is stronger than ever!

Thrashed, Burnt & Branded Seditious, malicious, fiends, the horde of highwaymen ride on! The Black Moriah is influenced by hymns buried deep beneath dried earth, T.B.M. drinks the spirits of past greats Bathory, Kreator, Motorhead, Slayer, Venom, and other Kings as they frequent dens of iniquity, homes of misfortune and girls of ill-repute. T.B.M. was founded by The Mad Arab (Bleed the Son) and Zawicizuz (Absu, Bleed the Son, Infernal Oak, Rape Pillage and Burn) In the Fall of 2011, The Black Moriah entered the studio to record their first effort “Casket Prospects”. Upon completion of the album, these outlaws on the outskirts spread their gallows medicine from Mexico to Canada. With The Black Moriah’s second full-length release, they gear up for a journey of carnage across barren landscapes. “Road Agents of the Blast Furnace” is a never-yielding, all-consuming raid, hell-bent on tormenting every town in its path. For the release of their sophomore effort, T.B.M. has made an alliance with Folter Records. With this mighty underground force, the audio plague known as The Black Moriah will relentlessly spread Vulture Culture throughout the land. Look to the horizon for the demented highwaymen this year. They come to pillage your village and soil your doves. Bring your gold and pay tribute or face the wrath of this desert funeral party.

Noose is a 3 piece Death/Black Metal band decomposed by 3 south side Chicago scumbags. Started in 2016 by The Judge and The Executioner the duo began drinking and working on songs to praise filth and mayhem.

Joined in mid 2017 by The Jury the Noose began to tighten its grip. The filth hounds entered and desecrated Audio Vomit studio in mid October to shit out it’s first release simply tittled Demo 2017.

The conception of Voimaton (VOI‧ma‧tOn) began immediately following the demise of Narcotic in 2016, whose lineup included Dave and Pat. While the project had no official name, and despite numerous false-starts throughout 2017 and 2018, Henry (ex-Sable Beldam) was welcomed into the fold in November 2018 to help bring Voimaton into the physical realm, solidifying the trio.