“The Exorcist” by Possessed

What do Joe Satriani, Rush, and the supernatural horror film The Exorcist have in common? The genre forming band Possessed. All were prominent influences, especially on future Primus guitarist Larry LaLonde, who performed and recorded on their first three records.

“The Exorcist” is the first song from their debut album Seven Churches and opens with a tribute to Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells, a song now synonymous with the famed film. It’s a frantic, schizophrenic track, with darker lyrics and demonic imagery that slips away from its hardcore punk rock and thrash metal roots.

Over the years, Possessed have been accused of blasphemy and been a target for both the extreme Christian right and PMRC (Parents Music Resource Center), but founding member Jeff Becerra has always maintained that the group’s darker imagery and lyrical content are for shock purposes only, and that the lyrics actually support Christian ideals and denounce Satanism.
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Regardless whether you like this type of music or not, Possessed are a historically relevant group that fought for their art and freedom of speech.