Even to this day, some metal maniacs get touchy about when death metal began and who made the first album of the genre. Generally, Possessed, Death and Morbid Angel are the three bands that are tossed into the debate.The times that these bands were formed seem to generate some controversy. However, one thing cannot be debated. That is that the copyright year of this album--1985--is earlier than anything that either of the other two bands produced. Heck, the last song on the album is actually titled, "Death Metal." And it is a rip-ride to say the least. So, for a historical perspective, metal enthusiasts may want to consider owning this album because it really is the first death metal album ever released.There are 10 songs on this album, and they are all as brutal as you probably imagine. Yes, they band was surely trying to employ shock rock to sell this album--hence the inverted cross and the devil's tail on the cover. To this day, this sort of thing has a corny, nostalgic feel.Back to the music--the title track, "The Exorcist," "Holy Hell" and "Death Metal" all warrant a 5 star rating. The raw fury of this music aptly qualifies this band to call themselves, "Possessed." It requires little imagination to see that this is perfectly foundational music for a growing genre at the time.