The Band Agriculture: Their Album 'The Spiritual Sound' Review – Boldly Beautiful Soundscapes from Blissful Extreme Metal Band
Every bit of euphoria, transcendence, and power in heavy sonic art radiates with overwhelming energy from the sophomore release by this self-described "ecstatic black metal" collective hailing from Los Angeles.
The Spiritual Sound combines immense heaviness with imaginative detailing. Lead single the song Bodhidharma propels along a guitar motif fit for a biker gang, then a blast of noise and shrieking introduces a melancholic atmospheric rock middle eight. The maligned art of the virtuosic guitar solo is spectacularly resurrected by axeman the lead guitarist, whose lead work here and on highlight Flea will have you floating in ecstasy – but then the gentle song Hallelujah showcases descending guitar melodies played with youthful innocence.
Songs such as Micah and the song Serenity are high-speed hardcore punk, while Dan’s Love Song is drum free and has slow-moving drone-metal distortion rumbling underneath its dream-pop loveliness. Melodies in black metal can often be either nonexistent or too complex, yet Agriculture’s riffs and hooks are bright and original, and final track the song The Reply even recalls a much heavier the band Radiohead.
Listeners who enjoy post-metallers Deafheaven will likely adore all this contrasting dynamics and unabashedly gorgeous noise, particularly since the group also have two distinct singing approaches, divided here across two vocalists. Dan Meyer adds occasional soulful, clean singing, yet the standout is the other vocalist, whose voice trembling on Bodhidharma but fiercely howling elsewhere.
In typical black metal fashion, it’s hard to make out the words she sings, but they’re worth seeking out: the stories she conveys about personal struggles and social injustice are heart-wrenching, just like her quest for meaning in a reality that relentlessly trends towards conflict.
