A hushed prayer – “Make my aim true and steady” – followed by three gunshots opens this album. And what follows is truly punishing in sound and, particularly, in concept. The concept behind Indoctrine is that of a man's revolt against the system and organized religion finding salvation and vengeance at the barrel of a gun. A controversial and unsettling subject, with a sound reminiscent of the Zorn/Patton/Baron Moonchild project, this is an album that will no doubt instil discomfort and unease in the listener.

The backdrop to this controversial subject is a militaristic and martial sound of chainsaw guitars and ruthless drumming that draw on every extremity of metal to provide the soundtrack to schizophrenic. The sudden shifts between slow sections and blast beats capture the violence, the doubt, the helplessness, and the desperation, of the anti-hero and the situation he has created. Nemtheanga’s vocals are the highlight of this record. From the narcissistic spoken word of the religious fundamentalist to the tormented cries of the psychopath at variance with an indifferent and amoral world, his theatrical performance evokes the anti-hero of Greek tragedy that, due to inherent flaws in his character, is destined to fall. As with his work in Primordial, instead of the detached recital of events removed from direct experience, Nemtheanga inhabits the character, breathing life and genuine emotion every line. Check the delivery of the line “I am still human” in the title track or the venom in the opening line of “Bite the Hand, Purge the Flesh”. Sophocles would be proud.

It’s not without its flaws however. At times the drums trample over sections where subtlety could have been best utilised in some of the slower sections. In some of the faster moments, the vocals seem to lag behind and become completely detached from the music. Though this may have been intended, given the unbalanced mental state of the protagonist, it seems to have been taken too far. And the backdrop can be one-dimensional, overstated to the point of tedium.

However, the dark three-piece that is Blood Revolt have delivered a fully formed entity. The raw production augments this twisted journey through retribution and isolation made the more poignant by the white noise and sound of approaching police cars that close the album. Theatrical, cinematic, absolute; this album deserves to be appreciated not just for its sonic brutality but to embrace the concept and to experience the overall aesthetic. This is a stunning debut that begs the question, where do they go next?

3.5 out of 5