Oppressor was a Chicago based death metal band that was formed in May 1991 by Tim King and Adam Zadel. A month later the band was completed with the addition of Tom Schofield and Jim Stopper. They were heavily influenced by bands like Morbid Angel, Death, Gorguts and Suffocation but also Cynic and some new age jazz music. After having recorded two demo tapes they signed a deal with Red Light Records in 1993, a label which eventually went bankrupt and leading up to a new deal with Olympic Recordings. Their second album "Agony" became the real breakthrough for the band and resulted in an opening slot on Cannibal Corpse's American tour. Three of the band members formed a side project called Soil with Broken Hope guitarist Shaun Glass in 1997. By 1999 Soil had become a successful full-time band and this meant the end for Oppressor.
The Polish-based Oppressor that released two demos under that moniker (1992's "Time of Agony" & 1995's "Blasphemous Thoughts").
Vulgar Illusions
Oppressor Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I see through destiny
I am the eyes that bleed
From this disharmony
I am the air you breathe
Reborn in jealousy
Your blinded eyes can't see
I am your misery
Reality...
Insanity...
Born in Disease
Tears they create...
Lives they destroy...
Internal voids
Eternity...
In suffering...
Reaping the seams
Souls start to burn...
Inside of me...
Through broken dreams
Drowning inside of dreams
Hide insecurities
The life you bury deep
So drawn to disbelief
I am the dark caress
Inside the emptiness
Savior of innocence
Victims of life's regrets
The first verse of the song "Vulgar Illusions" by Oppressor is a powerful declaration by the singer who announces himself as the pain, the misery, and the disharmony that people seek. He is the one who sees through destiny, the one whose eyes bleed from the chaos that reigns in the world. He is the air people breathe, but with a tinge of jealousy and resentment. The singer claims that people are blinded and cannot see his presence, which accentuates his power and control over their lives.
The second verse delves deeper into the theme of suffering and its impact on the human psyche. The singer describes reality and insanity as intertwined entities born from disease. Tears, which are a natural reaction to pain and sorrow, create life but can also destroy it. The internal voids that people feel can lead to eternal suffering, which is akin to reaping the soul's seams. They start to burn inside the singer, through broken dreams and shattered hopes.
The chorus of the song speaks of the facade that humans create to hide their insecurities. They bury their pain deep inside and become drawn to disbelief. The singer, who is the dark caress inside the emptiness, offers to save the innocence of people who are victims of life's regrets. The song's theme speaks of the duality of human nature, where people often try to conceal their pain and suffering behind a veil of normalcy.
Line by Line Meaning
I am the pain you seek
I am the embodiment of the pain that you are trying to escape
I see through destiny
I have the ability to see beyond the path that fate has laid out for you
I am the eyes that bleed
I am the source of the tears that you shed
From this disharmony
Caused by the lack of agreement or harmony in life
I am the air you breathe
I am the very essence of your existence
Reborn in jealousy
Revitalized through envy for someone else's possessions, qualities or achievements
Your blinded eyes can't see
You are unable to comprehend the truth because of your ignorance
I am your misery
I am the embodiment of the sorrow, pain and suffering that you endure
Reality...
The state of being real and existing
Insanity...
The state of mental illness marked by severe disorders of thought and behavior
Born in Disease
Created or originating from illness, physical or otherwise
Tears they create...
The act of crying causes a physical reaction that leads to more tears
Lives they destroy...
The impact of excessive crying ruins or damages a person's livelihood
Internal voids
The emptiness and sadness that exists deep within one's soul
Eternity...
The concept of infinity and the concept of timelessness, time without end
In suffering...
In the state of pain and misery, experiencing great harm or distress
Reaping the seams
Facing the consequences and repercussions of one's actions
Souls start to burn...
The intense pain or passion that comes from within one's soul
Inside of me...
Within the deepest parts of my being
Through broken dreams
The process of facing one's shattered hopes and desires
Drowning inside of dreams
Being overwhelmed by false hopes and ideas, losing sight of reality
Hide insecurities
Conceal the vulnerabilities and areas of one's life marked by fear and doubt
The life you bury deep
The parts of oneself that are intentionally hidden or repressed
So drawn to disbelief
The inability or unwillingness to believe something as true or real
I am the dark caress
I'm the one who brings comfort and healing in the form of ethereal embrace
Inside the emptiness
Within the void, the feeling of hopelessness and forsakenness
Savior of innocence
The protector and preserver of the pure and unspoiled parts of life
Victims of life's regrets
Those who suffer and endure as a result of the events and choices made by life itself
Contributed by Matthew T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.