Oppressor
Encyclopedia
Oppressor was a technical death metal
band from Chicago
, Illinois
, which formed in 1991 and finished in 1999. They released three albums. Three of the band's members went on to form alternative metal
band Soil.
in Jim Stopper and a drummer
in Tom Schofield. They recorded their first demo, World Abomination
, in 1991. A second demo, As Blood Flows
, recorded in 1992, got them a record deal with Red Light Records, who released their first full-length album, Solstice of Oppression
, in 1994. Shortly after the album's release, Red Light went bankrupt and the band was forced to find another label. In the meantime, the band released a one-off live album/compilation album with Megalithic Records, entitled Oppression Live/As Blood Flows
. Megalithic, a Milwaukee, WI label, also went bankrupt after a few months of activity. They managed to score a record deal with Olympic Recordings and released Agony
. In 1995, three-quarters of the band, bar Jim Stopper, started an alternative metal
side project called Soil, with Broken Hope
guitarist Shaun Glass and Ryan McCombs
. In 1998, Oppressor released their final album, Elements of Corrosion
. When in 1999 Soil become more popular than Oppressor, the band decided to part ways.
in a style that came to be known as technical death metal. They were influenced by bands like Morbid Angel
, Death, Gorguts
, and Suffocation
. Their lyrical themes usually centred on conventional themes such as death, suffering, and moral depravity.
Technical death metal
Technical death metal is a musical subgenre of death metal that focuses on complex rhythms, riffs and song structures. Technical experimentation in death metal began in the late '80s and early '90s by bands such as Death, Atheist and Cynic...
band from Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, which formed in 1991 and finished in 1999. They released three albums. Three of the band's members went on to form alternative metal
Alternative metal
Alternative metal is a genre of alternative rock and heavy metal that gained popularity in the early 1990s. Most notably, alternative metal bands are characterized by heavy guitar riffs and experimental approaches to heavy music.-Origins:...
band Soil.
History
Oppressor was started in May 1991 by Tim King and Adam Zadel. A month later, they found another guitaristGuitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
in Jim Stopper and a drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
in Tom Schofield. They recorded their first demo, World Abomination
World Abomination
World Abomination is the first demo release by technical death metal band Oppressor. It was released in 1991.- Track listing :# "World Abomination"# "Human Sacrifice"# "Unknown Truth"# "Repository of the Damned"# "Manifestation of Society"...
, in 1991. A second demo, As Blood Flows
As Blood Flows
As Blood Flows is the second demo release by technical death metal band Oppressor. It was released in 1993.- Track listing :# "Intro" – 1:10# "Eclipse into Eternity" – 4:05# "Devour the Soul" – 4:47# "As Blood Flows" – 4:19# "Prelude to Death" – 1:17...
, recorded in 1992, got them a record deal with Red Light Records, who released their first full-length album, Solstice of Oppression
Solstice of Oppression
Solstice of Oppression is the first studio release by technical death metal band Oppressor. It was released on April 9, 1994.-Track listing:# "Seasons" – 5:27# "Eclipse into Eternity" – 4:40# "Devour the Soul" – 5:04...
, in 1994. Shortly after the album's release, Red Light went bankrupt and the band was forced to find another label. In the meantime, the band released a one-off live album/compilation album with Megalithic Records, entitled Oppression Live/As Blood Flows
Oppression Live/As Blood Flows
Oppression Live/As Blood Flows is the first compilation/live release by technical death metal band Oppressor. It was released in 1995. It contained five live tracks, one re-recorded track, one cover track and six demo-tracks.- Track listing :...
. Megalithic, a Milwaukee, WI label, also went bankrupt after a few months of activity. They managed to score a record deal with Olympic Recordings and released Agony
Agony (Oppressor album)
Agony is the second studio album by technical death metal band Oppressor. It was released in 1996.- Track listing :# "Gone" – 3:28# "Suffersystem" – 0:52# "In Exile" – 5:59# "Passage" – 4:31# "Valley of Thorns" – 5:18...
. In 1995, three-quarters of the band, bar Jim Stopper, started an alternative metal
Alternative metal
Alternative metal is a genre of alternative rock and heavy metal that gained popularity in the early 1990s. Most notably, alternative metal bands are characterized by heavy guitar riffs and experimental approaches to heavy music.-Origins:...
side project called Soil, with Broken Hope
Broken Hope
Broken Hope was an American death metal band that was founded in 1988. They were known as an accomplished mid-paced style death metal band with low-pitched growling vocals...
guitarist Shaun Glass and Ryan McCombs
Ryan McCombs
Ryan McCombs is a heavy metal vocalist. From 1997 to 2004 he was the vocalist of the hard rock band Soil. Since 2005, however, McCombs has served as the vocalist for Drowning Pool.-1997-2004: Soil:...
. In 1998, Oppressor released their final album, Elements of Corrosion
Elements of Corrosion
Elements of Corrosion is the third and final release by technical death metal band Oppressor. It was released in 1998.- Track listing :#"Corrosion" – 3:04#"Kingdom of the Dead" – 3:36#"Blinded" – 3:50#"I Despise" – 3:52#"Through Their Eyes" – 3:19...
. When in 1999 Soil become more popular than Oppressor, the band decided to part ways.
Musical style
Oppressor played death metalDeath metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, minor keys or atonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....
in a style that came to be known as technical death metal. They were influenced by bands like Morbid Angel
Morbid Angel
Morbid Angel is an American death metal band based in Tampa, Florida. UK music magazine Terrorizer ranked one Morbid Angel album in its “Top 40 greatest death metal albums”, with their 1989 debut Altars of Madness appearing at number 1...
, Death, Gorguts
Gorguts
Gorguts is a technical death metal band from Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada. The band's only constant member is Luc Lemay.-History:Gorguts were formed in 1989 by Luc Lemay , Sylvain Marcoux , Éric Giguère and Stephane Provencher...
, and Suffocation
Suffocation (band)
Suffocation is an American death metal band that was formed in 1989 in Long Island, New York. The band comprises vocalist Frank Mullen, guitarists Terrance Hobbs and Guy Marchais, drummer Mike Smith and bassist Derek Boyer. Suffocation rose to prominence of death metal and created a blueprint for...
. Their lyrical themes usually centred on conventional themes such as death, suffering, and moral depravity.
Discography
- World AbominationWorld AbominationWorld Abomination is the first demo release by technical death metal band Oppressor. It was released in 1991.- Track listing :# "World Abomination"# "Human Sacrifice"# "Unknown Truth"# "Repository of the Damned"# "Manifestation of Society"...
(Demo, 1991) - As Blood FlowsAs Blood FlowsAs Blood Flows is the second demo release by technical death metal band Oppressor. It was released in 1993.- Track listing :# "Intro" – 1:10# "Eclipse into Eternity" – 4:05# "Devour the Soul" – 4:47# "As Blood Flows" – 4:19# "Prelude to Death" – 1:17...
(Demo, 1992) - Solstice of OppressionSolstice of OppressionSolstice of Oppression is the first studio release by technical death metal band Oppressor. It was released on April 9, 1994.-Track listing:# "Seasons" – 5:27# "Eclipse into Eternity" – 4:40# "Devour the Soul" – 5:04...
(Album, Red Light, 1994) - Oppressor (7", Funeral Mask 1994)
- European Oppression Live/As Blood Flows (Compilation album, Megalithic, 1995)
- AgonyAgony (Oppressor album)Agony is the second studio album by technical death metal band Oppressor. It was released in 1996.- Track listing :# "Gone" – 3:28# "Suffersystem" – 0:52# "In Exile" – 5:59# "Passage" – 4:31# "Valley of Thorns" – 5:18...
(Album, Olympic, 1996) - Elements of CorrosionElements of CorrosionElements of Corrosion is the third and final release by technical death metal band Oppressor. It was released in 1998.- Track listing :#"Corrosion" – 3:04#"Kingdom of the Dead" – 3:36#"Blinded" – 3:50#"I Despise" – 3:52#"Through Their Eyes" – 3:19...
(Album, Olympic, 1998)
External links
- Oppressor at Encyclopedia Metallum
- [ Oppresor at Allmusic]
- Oppressor at MySpace (Fan-made)