VERSUS: Seven Churches vs. Scream Bloody Gore

Welcome to Versus. The series where we look at two albums in metal history, compare them to each other, and see which one was the better record.

In this edition of Versus, we are tackling the origins of one of the most famous subgenres of metal, and my personal favorite, death metal. Tackling two of the quintessential records that are both cited as the origins of the death metal genre itself. Influencing acts like Sepultura, Napalm Death, Morbid Angel, and Cannibal Corpse. One band, took the religious route of death metal and delivered (technically by year) the first death metal album. Combining thrash and death metal, making an influential and impactful record. The other, took the gore route and as a two-man front, delivered one of the heaviest and fastest records in the genre at the time. Take notes, and study these classics in a matchup I'm calling "The Evil Warriors against The Evil Dead".

In this corner, we have Possessed with the band's 1985 debut album Seven Churches. The album is considered the first death metal album, citing the record as an essential listen for not only death metal fans, but metal historians as it is a cornerstone for the beginning of what the genre would become. Considered a band that helped pave the way for the burgeoning 1980's Bay Area Thrash scene. A scene famous for acts like Metallica, Exodus, and Testament. Seven Churches would also feature classics from the band that were covered by well-known acts like Cannibal Corpse, Cavalera Conspiracy, as well as their opponents today. Let's dive into the unholy legacy that this album leaves behind and see how impactful this record is.  

The album opens with "The Exorcist". With eerie ominous synths straight out of the movie bearing the song's title, it builds an ominous and uneasy aura in the song's opening moments. Then, the two-prong guitar attack of Mike Torrao & Larry LaLonde, deliver that punishing aggressive thrash sound. Jeff Becerra's gritty vocals and gurgling bass match the intensity of pacing of the drumming of Mike Sus. High-octane guitar playing, matched by the impressive high intensity drumming of Sus, really drives home the sonic onslaught the band is going for. With a short instrumental section, into fretboard hopping guitar solos, it embodies the thrash scene of the 80's. Becerra's vocals are a combination of Lemmy from Motörhead, combined with a guttural punch in his delivery. Though leaning more towards thrash then the death metal sound it inspired, it doesn't deliver a relentless ferocity for the song's almost five minute runtime.

Opening distorted and demonic back-masking effects open "Pentagram". Becerra's vocals are soaked in reverb, really filling the space of the mix. With his bass playing on the song matching the flurries that Torrao & LaLonde deliver. The manic guitar playing and technicality in the play style is truly invigorating. Especially with the super intricate guitar solo at the halfway mark. The switch-ups from commanding and heart-pounding punk, to thrash and speed metal, truly shows the band were ahead of their times and were on to something with the sound of this album.

"Burning in Hell" opens with another high-impact guitar riff, with speed metal drumming and epic, reverbed percussion before the verse. Becerra delivers a grimy, distorted and guttural delivery throughout the section. As his bass playing also acts as the driving force of the song, especially matching the speed and pacing of the guitars. Which the guitars alone, geez man, its impressive how technical and fast LaLonde is, since he was sixteen years old when the album was recorded. The same can also be said for Becerra's playing since he was the same age as well. Sus brings the track home with ultra-fast drumming and double bass.

"Evil Warriors" opens with bass higher up in the mix as the guitars wail into the verse section. The drumming gives that powerful punch before the short guitar solo at the quarter mark. Guitars are mixed beautifully, and the duel harmony playing with Becerra's bass playing giving that heavy, deep underbelly to it is just so damn good in a good pair of headphones. Becerra belts from the deepest bowels of his gut in his vocals during the closing section. As guitars slide up the fretboard to wrap the song up.

The album's title track opens with a building guitar riff and cymbal strikes by Sus. His double bass comes POUNDING through, along with the aggressive and unrelenting guitars in the verses. Torrao & LaLonde do not give the listener any chance to recover with the continued beating you over the head with their guitar playing. I also like as the guitars sway up and down, Becerra's bass follows along and keeps the driving pulse of the song with Sus. Another headbanger of a track, and possibly my favorite track off the album so far.

Another pedal to the metal opening riff starts "Satan's Curse". Sus is just a machine behind the kit. Matching the unstoppable playing of Torrao & LaLonde. Becerra's cry to the sky vocal delivery before the halfway mark of the song is throat-shreddingly heavy. Guitars go flying all over the place at the halfway mark, with Sus and Becerra just keeping that high-octane pulse going. The wailing, dive-bomb guitar solo into continuously impressive shredding is probably one of the most underrated solos in thrash. The headbang inducing bridge near the close just makes you want to bang your head along with Sus on every snare strike.

Descending bass strikes and tremolo guitars open "Holy Hell". Though still fast, the song is a little slower and more structured in its opening. Still driving and fast, but not shred or solo heavy. More straightforward in nature. The bass leads peaking through above the guitars adds that deep, uneasy feeling and accent the guitars as well. At the halfway mark, the guitars amp up the playing and we get speed metal-esque soloing that would make fans of Cacophony happy. Drums still have that double bass punch to it, but drums are more reigned in and not giving off that "flying over the kit" feeling you get with a lot of thrash at the time.  

"Twisted Minds" and its opening, heaviliy distorted and ringing riff, get a little extra heft with the bass of Becerra. Drums are back to the full speed, matching the guitar pacing and flying bass speed. The song really gives off Venom vibes to me. Maybe it's the guitar playing or the vocals, but it instantly reminds of Welcome To Hell-era Venom. The halfway mark shows guitars and bass slow the pacing down a bit to a chuggy, breakdown-esque section while a shred-tastic guitar solo wails over it.

"Fallen Angel" opens with haunting and foreboding church bells, that feature the band syncing up with every bell chime. Creating an eerie, heavy metal sound you'd hear with Mercyful Fate. Then, the fire burns bright as the guitar and bass amp up the speed and drums keep time as the guttural, reverbed vocals of Becerra add to the haunting nature of the song's aesthetic. I love the drum roll combo, mixed with the guitars heading into the bell/band strike combo at the halfway point. The thumping kick drum, into the bridge, instantly just made me headbob along with the guitars as the solo takes a hold of the listener as the bass matches the drum rolls on the song.

The album closer is "Death Metal". Which some historians cite this song title as the origin of the genre's title. Opening with pounding double bass and dynamic percussion, the riff kicks the door in with such force. Musically, it does have that death metal sound (probably now called Old School Death Metal in the modern day). The vocal effects and delivery by Becerra sound inhuman at one point, with his vocal distortion and studio effects adding a darker tone to the song's impact. The wind down to wind up guitar effect at the halfway mark was such a nice fake-out, before the double bass and heavy guitars bring the pace back up. Another wailing, shredding and heavy as all hell guitar solo hits the listener. Giving the listener one last hit of shred before the band sprints to the finish line as this unholy classic comes to a close.

Their opponents, is Florida legends Death, with the band's 1987 debut album Scream Bloody Gore. Another release considered one of the blueprints of the death metal genre. It would not only be the band's debut, but the start of a series of diverse and complex records in the band's discography that was put them at the pinnacle as one of the greatest death metal bands of all time. Death's front man Chuck Schuldiner played guitar, bass and vocals on the record. Showing his talented musicianship and proficiency with Death's music. With the album's release, it would help create and launch the Florida death metal scene. Where bands like Deicide, Morbid Angel, and Obituary would help build the legacy and impact of that scene. How does Scream Bloody Gore compare to their opponents debut?

Album opener "Infernal Death" opens with haunting and distorted strums, into a groovy, midtempo riff with pounding kick drums from Chris Reifert. Schuldiner's iconic high shrieks ring loud as the guitars and bass hit the ground running. I love the bass being higher in the mix, adding that undertone and presence to the guitars. At the three quarters mark, Schuldiner shreds his heart out as Reifert keeps that manic and chaotic pace of the song going. A strong and great opening track for this classic.

"Zombie Ritual" opens with Egyptian-sounding distorted guitars that any Nile fan loves to hear. Drums are louder in the mix and have more reverb with every strike. Also, adding more power and weight, especially when the drumming intensifies. Schuldiner resorts to a short burst, almost barking/growl vocal hybrid on the track. Before his shrieking highs close out the chorus to let Reifert command the troops with his call-to-arms drumming. I was headbanging along with Reifert's snare hits, almost hurting my wrist trying to air drum along to his playing.

Aggressive bass strums and tremolo guitars open "Denial of Life". Drums are thrashy and fast, with super-fast double bass. Schuldiner delivers heavy, tremolo guitar playing, interspersed with some moments of groove and his trademark screams. The thrash metal presence on the song is top-notch. Guitars are heavy and complex in the speed and precision. Drums are commanding, but also are all over the place with the playing in both fills and drum arrangements. The closing quarter section, especially with Reifert's tom fills into the main riff almost double-timing into the guitar solo is just chef's kiss good.

"Sacrificial" opens with a more slower, ominous guitar build. With drums hitting like a ton of bricks, the song has a slower, groovier opening into the verse section. Reifert's double bass has SO MUCH PUNCH when he does flurry hits at some parts. Schuldiner teases turning on the gas and speeds up the riff at some parts, before returning back to that midtempo dirge. Something different compared to the rest of the record's unrelenting speed so far.

Another speed metal heavy riff and d-beat like drumming starts "Mutilation" off. We are off to the races right when the song starts. Double bass is loud and present, while Schuldiner shreds and plays pretty fast bass along with it as well. Going right for the throat in it's heaviness, drive and overall aggression. I also like the double bass and bass guitar becoming VERY present at the halfway mark. Really filling the space of the mix, along with the guitars coinciding with the drumming of Reifert. Schuldiner shreds in heavy distortion as Reifert keeps the pulse of the track going after Schuldiner screams like a banshee as the song goes for the jugular near the close. My favorite track off the album.

"Regurgitated Guts" has another opening midtempo riff. With Schuldiner's vocals heavily reverbed. Drums are also more restrained, with only certain moments of the guitars picking up, does the drum pick up as well. I love the gurgly bass throughout. Adding that little feature that I loved in that era of death metal, that I think a lot of bands don't really do anymore. The drumming intensifies near the three quarters mark, as Schuldiner delivers a short guitar solo before the band shreds and hits every note as the track concludes.

A very, bass-heavy lead opens "Baptized in Blood". With the banshee shriek of Schuldiner, the speed kicks into high gear with tremolo guitars and thrash/crossover drumming. Bass gets little moments to peak through the high-octane tremolo playing and thundering drums of Reifert. I love the band playing with the slow down, sprint, slow down sections of the song. Showing some creativity and progressive elements that later records would make the band famous for.

"Torn To Pieces" has a heavy as all hell opening riff and bass combo. The riff does give me a classic/traditional heavy metal vibe, but in a lower tuning and a lot more distortion. Drums have a more simplistic pattern, with simple drum fills throughout the opening moments. Speed increases and accents the drumming as well as the band again teasing the higher speed playing. Before slowing down a bit to add a bit of groove and complexity. Schuldiner's banshee screams never get old, no matter how many times I hear it on this record. And it goes perfectly into when either himself or Reifert want to push their playing to a whole other level.

"Evil Dead" and it's eerie, almost syncopated guitars creates a really creepy vibe that matches the horror movie the song is based off of. Especially with the hammer-on section leading into the main riff. The song flies by in the pacing. Bass gurgles throughout the opening as guitars ring through driving and impacting drums. I was headbanging along with the snare strikes of Reifert, as the tremolo guitars and screams of Schuldiner hit a fever pitch as he shreds like there is no tomorrow.

The album's title track closes out the album. A very Slayer opening riff, switching up to a more creative and thrashier sounding riff. Reifert and Schuldiner go for the gusto on this album closer. With every drum strike hitting hard and heavy, while Schuldiner's screams and guitar playing just doesn't let up. And that's not even the halfway mark yet. Pacing intensifies, especially on drums, with Reifert pummeling his kit. In a riff, similar to the opening song of the album, it creates a groove while also brutal in the guitar playing style. Reminding me of Beneath The Remains-era Sepultura, before the drumming double-times and Schuldiner begins to go complex and technical in his soloing as the album closes.

Listening to these classic records, and further understanding the origin of the genre and my favorite genre of metal, who stands a top of the mountain as the winner of this matchup? This was a REALLY tough one for me. I am a fan of both bands, and both records delivered a punishing, historical significance with these debut albums. Both brought unique elements to each of their records. Possessed brought the occult and thrashier elements, while Death brought the thrash, but also played around with progressive and technical death metal pacing. By a hair, I would declare Possessed Seven Churches the winner of this matchup. I love Death, and they truly have an almost perfect discography, but Possessed at the end of the day, made me hit repeat once the album concluded. The impressive musicianship on the guitars, the bass matching that speed and the darker, more creative influences on the album put that just over the edge of their opponents today.

Possessed would follow up Seven Churches one year later with their second album Beyond The Gates. The album leaned more in the technical realm, but unfortunately had a muddy sound in the album's production. Though it received mixed reviews from critics upon release, the album would grow a reputation of being an underrated classic from the band. The Eyes of Horror EP in 1987, produced by Joe Satriani, showed the band abandon the satanic themes and would lean more towards a thrashier sound. In 1986, Becerra was shot twice in an altercation, leaving him paralyzed from the chest down. Becerra would continue to sing, but the band would have Robert Cardenas join the band to perform bass. Seeing Becerra perform live, in a wheelchair, would make him an inspiration for many handicapped or disabled metalheads. Showing that no matter what adversity, metal can be an outlet and not a hinderance to performing or making metal music. Guitarist Larry LaLonde would leave the band in 1987 and join the alternative band Primus. Possessed would release Revelations in Oblivion in 2019. Their first album in 33 years. Becerra said in a 2024 interview with Blabbermouth that Possessed has begun working on a new album. No album title or release date has been announced at time of writing.

Death would have a legendary career in death metal. Changing their death metal sound with almost every release. Continuing the death metal sound on their second album Leprosy in 1988. Heading into the technical death metal realm on their third album Spiritual Healing, before becoming fully progressive and technical death metal on Human, Individual Thought Patterns and Symbolic. The band's final release was 1998's The Sound of Perseverance, before Schuldiner would pass away in 2001 from cancer. He was 34 years old. Schuldiner also formed the progressive/power metal project Control Denied. That project would release only one album, The Fragile Art of Existence, in 1999.

In 2023, Death To All, a Death tribute act was formed. Featuring former Death members drummer Gene Hoglan, bassist Steve DiGiorgio, guitarist Bobby Koelble and Max Phelps of Obscura on vocals and guitar. Continuing Death's legacy and paying tribute to Schuldiner with every performance. Celebrating and remembering the legacy and influence that he had in the death metal genre.

Do you agree with my decision? Who do you think should have won? Leave your comments on our social media, and your suggestions who you think should step in the ring next. I’m Justin, your friendly neighborhood metalhead, for This Day in Metal and this has been Versus.