Oppressor was a

technical death metal Technical death metal (also referred to as tech-death) is a musical subgenre of death metal that began and developed in the early- to mid-1990s, with particular focus on challenging, demanding instrumental skill and complex songwriting. Techni ...

band from

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Rockf ...

, which formed in 1991 and disbanded in 1999. They released three albums. Three of the band's members went on to form

alternative metal Alternative metal (also known as alt-metal) is a genre of heavy metal music that combines heavy metal with influences from alternative rock and other genres not normally associated with metal. Alternative metal bands are often characterized by ...

band

Soil Soil, also commonly referred to as earth or dirt Dirt is an unclean matter, especially when in contact with a person's clothes, skin, or possessions. In such cases, they are said to become dirty. Common types of dirt include: * Debri ...

History

Oppressor was started in May 1991 by Tim King and Adam Zadel. A month later, they found another guitarist, Jim Stopper, and a drummer, 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 Bankruptcy is a legal process through which people or other entities who cannot repay debts to creditors may seek relief from some or all of their debts. In most jurisdictions, bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor ...

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 Agony may refer to: Concepts *Pain, anguish, or struggle, especially precededing death *Suffering of intense degree, relating to physical or mental suffering *Passion (Christianity), also called the Agony of Christ *Agony in the Garden, Christ' ...

'' in 1996. In 1997, three-quarters of the band, bar Jim Stopper, started an

side project called

, with

Broken Hope Broken Hope is an American death metal band from Chicago, Illinois. History Broken Hope was founded in 1988. They were known as an accomplished mid-paced style death metal band with low-pitched growling vocals. As a band, they were active for ...

guitarist Shaun Glass and

Ryan McCombs Ryan McCombs (born July 16, 1974) is an American singer. From 1997 to 2004, he was the lead singer of rock band Soil. McCombs has also served as the vocalist for rock band Drowning Pool from 2005 until his departure in 2011. The same year, McC ...

. 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 2021, vocalist Tim King announced his return to death metal with a new band called Embryonic Autopsy. The Embryonic Autopsy debut album ''Prophecies of the Conjoined'' was released by

Massacre Records Massacre Records is an independent record label based in Abstatt, Germany, that specializes in bands of the heavier genres of metal. The label was founded in 1991 by Torsten Hartmann. Connected to Massacre Records is the marketing and music wh ...

in February 2022.

Musical style

Oppressor played death metal in a style that came to be known as technical death metal. They were influenced by bands like

Morbid Angel Morbid Angel is an American death metal band based in Tampa, Florida, formed in 1983 by guitarist, primary composer and sole remaining original member Trey Azagthoth, vocalist and bassist Dallas Ward, and drummer Mike Browning. Widely considered ...

Death Death is the irreversible cessation of all biological functions that sustain an organism. For organisms with a brain, death can also be defined as the irreversible cessation of functioning of the whole brain, including brainstem, and brain ...

Gorguts Gorguts is a Canadian death metal band from Sherbrooke, Quebec, formed in 1989. The band has been through many personnel changes since its inception; its only constant member has been guitarist and vocalist Luc Lemay, who remains the primary cr ...

, and Suffocation. Their lyrical themes usually centred on conventional themes such as death, suffering, and moral depravity. They were also one of the first death metal bands to incorporate keyboards into their music.

Members

Former

* Tim King - lead vocals, bass, keyboards (1991-1999) * Adam Zadel - guitar (1991-1999) * Jim Stopper - guitar (1991-1999) * Tom Schofield - drums (1991-1999)

Discography

Demos

* ''World Abomination'' (1991) * ''As Blood Flows'' (1992)

EPs

* ''Oppressor'' (1994, Funeral Mask)

Studio albums

* '' Solstice of Oppression'' (1994, Red Light) * ''

'' (1996, Olympic) * '' Elements of Corrosion'' (1998, Olympic)

Compilation albums

* '' Oppression Live/As Blood Flows'' (1995, Megalithic) * ''The Solstice of Agony and Corrosion'' (2009, Mortal Music)

External links

Oppressor at Encyclopedia Metallum
* Oppressor at AllMusic {{Authority control American technical death metal musical groups Musical groups established in 1991 Musical groups disestablished in 1999 Musical groups from Chicago Musical quartets 1991 establishments in Illinois