POSSESSED 40th Anniversary Seven Churches Tour 2025 Croxton Park Hotel, Melbourne | 31 October 2025 PICS BY DAN MCKAY AND WORDS BY MARK

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 POSSESSED
40th Anniversary Seven Churches Tour 2025
Croxton Park Hotel, Melbourne | 31 October 2025
Support: In Malice's Wake

The unholy trinity of Halloween, death metal's founding fathers, and the Croxton's sweat-drenched walls converged on October 31st for a ritual forty years in the making. Possessed rolled into Melbourne to celebrate the four decades since Seven Churches scorched its way into existence, and they brought the kind of fury that reminds you why they coined the term "death metal" in the first damn place.

In Malice's Wake



Melbourne's own In Malice's Wake tore open the night with the precision of a band that's been sharpening its blades in the underground for years. 

These local legends didn't just warm up the crowd—they ignited it. Their brand of savage thrash-death set the perfect bloodthirsty tone, proving once again why they're Melbourne metal royalty. The newer tracks have more bite and venom; this were one of the best performances I have seen by them. By the time they wrapped, the Croxton was already a pressure cooker ready to explode.



Possessed


When Possessed hit the stage, it was immediate devastation. Jeff Becerra, anchored behind the mic with that unmistakable command, led the charge through "The Eyes of Horror" and the room went absolutely feral. 

This wasn't some nostalgia trip with a rusty band going through the motions—this was Possessed in full possession, crushing with the intensity of demons denied their due for too long.


The Seven Churches segment hit like the apocalypse it was always meant to be. "The Exorcist," "Pentagram," "Burning in Hell"—each track is a testament to the album's untouchable legacy. When "Seven Churches" itself erupted, the title track's sinister groove had bodies moving in ritualistic chaos. This is the album that created the template, and hearing it live was like witnessing the birth of darkness all over again.

"Satan's Curse," "Holy Hell," "Death Metal"—Possessed didn't let up for a second. The latter is more than just a song title; it's a declaration, a manifesto, and hearing Becerra bark those words into the Melbourne night felt like reclaiming sacred ground. "Fallen Angel" brought melodic menace before "Graven" and "Seance" dragged everyone deeper into the abyss.

By the time "Swing of the Axe" closed the decimation, the Croxton looked like a war zone. Shirts soaked, necks sore, ears ringing—exactly how it should be. Possessed proved that forty years haven't dimmed their flame; if anything, it's only made them more essential. This wasn't just a celebration of Seven Churches—it was a reminder that death metal has never been in better, more blasphemous hands.


Rating: 5/5 Pentagrams

For the faithful, for the freaks, for those who still believe metal should hurt—this was church. And we all bore witness.

Setlist:

The Eyes of Horror

Tribulation

Demon

The Exorcist

Pentagram

Burning in Hell

Evil Warriors

Seven Churches

Satan's Curse

Holy Hell

Twisted Minds

Fallen Angel

Death Metal

Graven

Seance

Swing of the Axe

THANKS TO HARDLINE MEDIA FOR THE ACCESS!!!

GLORIOUS PICS BY https://www.instagram.com/dannomc/




(This is a non-ad, we just adore this shop)

Blacksound Records is a record store, gallery and community space located in Melbourne, Australia. We specialise in radical outsider music, and dedicate significant space to new and archival recordings on vinyl, CD and tape formats from notable extreme, experimental and noisy outsider music labels releasing metal, punk, harsh noise, weird jazz, avant-garde, electronic, ambient, hardcore, free improv, minimal, maximal, modern classical and other off-kilter music.



They have sick musical stock, gigs and events, and Lewis, the owner, is a legend.


https://blacksound.com.au












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