Agriculture: The Spiritual Sound Album Analysis – Boldly Beautiful Soundscapes from Blissful Extreme Metal Group
All the elation, transcendence, and power in heavy sonic art bursts forth with overwhelming energy from the second album by this self-described "blissful black metal" ensemble based in Los Angeles.
The Spiritual Sound combines crushing weight with imaginative detailing. Lead single Bodhidharma propels along a riff suited to a motorcycle crew, then a blast of noise and shrieking introduces a sad atmospheric rock middle eight. The maligned art of the virtuosic guitar solo is brilliantly revived by guitarist Richard Chowenhill, whose soloing here and on standout the song Flea will have you floating in ecstasy – but then the gentle song Hallelujah showcases falling guitar notes played with childlike simplicity.
Songs such as Micah and Serenity are high-speed hardcore punk, while the piece Dan’s Love Song is drum free and has glacial Sunn O)))-style fuzz rumbling underneath its dream-pop loveliness. Black metal melodies can often be either nonexistent or overly fussy, but the band's guitar lines and choruses are bright and original, and closer the song The Reply even recalls a more intense the band Radiohead.
Fans of experimental metal acts Deafheaven will likely adore all this contrasting dynamics and fearlessly beautiful sound, especially because the group also have two distinct vocal styles, divided here across two singers. One vocalist contributes occasional melodic vocals, but the star is Leah Levinson, her voice trembling on Bodhidharma but splenetically caterwauling elsewhere.
As is common in the genre, it’s hard to discern her lyrics, yet they are worth the effort: the stories she sings about suicidal friends and anti-LGBTQ bigotry are heart-wrenching, just like her search for purpose in a reality that relentlessly trends towards conflict.
