Fetal Blood Eagle – Indoctrinate
Release Date: 25th February 2022
Label: Listenable Records
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Genre: Death Metal
FFO: Aborted, Decapitated, Hideous Divinity.
Review By: Rick Farley
Birthed in 2021, Fetal Blood Eagle are destined to become everyone’s new favourite, most awesomely brutal, unkillable Death Metal band ever. Their unholy alliance of guttural bone-shattering annihilation threatens everything. Ten songs of ferocity, gut-punching you into devastation. Overflowing with ripping solos, blasting rhythms and screeching artery severing vocals Indoctrinate is an insanely good time. Disclaimer: I unashamedly stole some of this straight from their website. I did sort of put it in my own words, so it’s not really thievery. Anyways, there was also something about pooping, tickling loins, and squirrels eating brains (weird) but I’m confident I used the best stuff for my review.
Conceptualized by guitarists Jim Gregory and Ryan Beevers both from now disbanded Solium Fatalis. They created a band that mixes new and old school Death Metal, ingrained with both American and European influences. Intent on ear-raping everyone, they enlisted bassist Lenny Patterson, drummer Kendall Divoll and vocalist Sven De Caluwé (Aborted) to become what’s now known as Fetal Blood Eagle. Which seriously is a kick-ass band name. Side note, the album cover is fucking awesome too.
First and foremost, Indoctrinate is relentless and abhorrently pummelling. This thing spits heavy, tight, fast, groove laden riffs and energetic drums out like it’s just devoured a body and is now disposing the bones. They waste no time, going straight for the jugular with the immediate blasting and fast downbeat of Necromorphic Illumination, mixing tremolo picking with a flurry of notes and tight chugging gives the listener a pay-per-view worthy beating. Hate Fucked Face annihilates everything in sight with a heavy and catchy syncopated rhythm sure to get your half dead by now blood moving. Accented with harmonics, the riffs squeal and chug fiercely. Its undeniable groove incites violence upon first listen, grab a buddy and smash up your living room. Razorwire Communion creates some dark atmosphere upfront with some open chord picking and Sven’s infamous multidimensional screams. It settles in to a catchy as fuck chorus, before battering your brain into a useless squishy organ. Decompression Disembowelment slows things down a bit with a heavy chorded progression and wicked harmonics before the deliberate mid-paced savagery comes. Sven’s instantly recognizable vocals make these songs stand out even more. Not only is the music an all-out assault of ferocious riffery, headbangable hooks and throat chopping mayhem, but Svencho is a madman of veritable badassery. His screams, growls and lows are diverse and otherworldly. His voice is filled with character and charisma, making him one of the very best at his craft. Somewhat unfairly, this will be compared to Aborted, but I assure you the comparison ends at his voice. Fetal Blood Eagle is its own beast.
The guitars are a standout. They’re crisp, tight and modern sounding. Mixing old and new school, the riffs are nasty and guide the aesthetic character of the album. Which is nothing short of a heavy limb breaking, stealing your lunch money and possibly your girlfriend style of Death Metal. Cinder Block Suicide being a great example of this, heavy as fuck mid-paced number with ferocious pinch harmonics, blazing solo and groovy technical drums. It chugs along with auditory dread that marks your oncoming barbaric end. The basslines are deceivingly good as well, matching the guitars with heavy low end and sometimes fluttering along with a flurry of soloed bass notes, such as on the ridiculously catchy Abortion Dumpster Overload. Just buttloads of family fun.
One gripe I do have is the album comes in at a little over thirty-two minutes, which is a bit short for my tastes. My personal limit where I don’t feel a somewhat bummed is forty minutes. Sounds weird probably but figured I should mention it.
Fetal Blood Eagle however are immensely talented musicians aware that the overall song is most important and ensures the sledgehammer always swings in that direction. Indoctrinate is full of insane solos, hyper fast drums and intricate complex guitars. Never hitting the Tech Death realm, this is all about relentlessly bludgeoning the listener with undeniable hooks and badass songs. The purpose is to pulverize everyone, but with brutal catchiness that keeps them mindlessly coming back for more. Terrorize your neighbours with this one immediately! 
(4 / 5)
