by James Christopher MongerFormed in 1999 around the talents of Randy Butman, Jay Fossen, and ex-Morbid Angel guitarist Richard Brunelle, Florida-based heavy metal outfit Paths of Possession produce a punishing mix of classic Bay Area thrash and melodic Scandinavian death metal. The band's first disc, Legacy in Ashes, was released independently in 2000, followed by a split EP called Crypts of Madness with fellow southeasterners Dark Faith in 2003. The band signed with Metal Blade in 2004 and was joined by Jack Goodwin, Nick Goodyear, and Cannibal Corpse vocalist George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher, all of whom appeared on 2005's Promises in Blood and 2007's The End of the Hour.