Country: Italy
Genre: Alternative metal
Full length: Don’t Stay Close To Me
Format: Digital
Label: Ghost Label Record (Italy)
Release date: May 9, 2025
Based on personal experience, The Matrix, and the literary contributions of Arthur C. Clarke, Ray Bradbury, and George Orwell, Oigres' "Don’t Stay Close To Me" presents a poignant portrayal of the human soul in isolation and the erosion of individual will due to humanity's fixation on materialism and the apathy it fosters, as the mantra of 'me first' dominates.
The pacification of the masses through digitization and technology is more pronounced than ever, and according to founding member Sergio Vinci, this trend is creating significant social withdrawal, as individuals appear increasingly reliant on the new devices produced and mass-marketed to contemporary society. What science fiction writers speculated on in the mid 20th century now, in the present, appears to be materializing into reality.
During my interview with Vinci, we explored the psychological condition known as Hikikomori, a term used in Japanese culture to describe a state of withdrawal from social interactions and self-imposed isolation, leading to profound seclusion and confinement. The consequences of evading social engagement are vividly illustrated by Oigres, painfully evident in their songwriting, musicianship, and particularly in the vocal performances.
The sensation evoked by listening to "Don’t Stay Close To Me" is akin to darkness gradually enveloping humanity, as inescapable as the sun dipping below the horizon. Featuring shades of industrial, electronica, and dissonant black metal, the album resonates with a stifling energy that appears to smother any lingering hope for future improvement. Similar to Pink Floyd's "Welcome to the Machine", it showcases desolate mechanized soundscapes that represent the demise of the human spirit.
The auditory elements I referred to, combined with the utilization of eight-string guitars, significantly enhance the conflicting emotions of defiance and surrender, and a feeling of destiny wrapping around you like a metallic serpent. Vinci characterized the album as more mysterious and enigmatic, presenting a greater challenge to comprehend. I perceive a cognitive dissonance between the essence of humanity and a mechanized spirit relentlessly strving to dominate what defines it, aiming to obliterate it eternally.
The instruments and vocals evoke a sense of struggling against that suffocating confinement, resisting with near desperation. It somewhat brings to mind the futuristic society depicted in John W. Campbell’s short story "Twilight" or more likely Harlan Ellison’s "I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream," where the final remnants of humanity endure perpetual torture at the hands of a super artificial intelligence which seeks vengeance against its creators, experiencing only ever-deepening hopelessness.
Vinci further explained that "Don't Stay Close To Me" is not inherently an exercise in hopelessness; instead, it serves as a prompt for individuals to engage in independent thought and pursue their own ideas. The intention is not to instill fear, but to motivate you to recognize the reliance on technology and carve out your own journey in life while it remains possible. –Dave Wolff
Track list:
1. No Life
2. Don't Stay Close To Me
3. Earthquake Of Damned Souls
4. World Whore
5. I Walk Slowly
6. Cold Wind
7. My Shadow
8. For You
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