Agriculture: Their Album 'The Spiritual Sound' Review – Boldly Beautiful Soundscapes from Ecstatic Black Metal Group
Every bit of elation, transcendence, and power in heavy sonic art radiates with blinding energy from the second album by this self-described "blissful black metal" ensemble based in Los Angeles.
This new album combines crushing weight with imaginative detailing. Lead single the song Bodhidharma rides a riff suited to a motorcycle crew, before a burst of static and screaming introduces a sad post-rock middle eight. The often-criticized technique of the virtuosic guitar solo is spectacularly resurrected by guitarist the lead guitarist, whose lead work on this track and on standout Flea will have you levitating with joy – yet the gentle song Hallelujah showcases falling guitar notes played with youthful innocence.
Tracks like Micah (5.15.am) and the song Serenity are fast-paced hardcore punk, while Dan’s Love Song is drum free and has glacial Sunn O)))-style distortion rumbling along underneath its ethereal beauty. Black metal melodies can often be either nonexistent or overly fussy, yet Agriculture’s guitar lines and choruses are vibrant and innovative, and closer 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 fearlessly beautiful sound, especially because Agriculture also have two divergent vocal styles, divided here across two singers. One vocalist adds sporadic melodic vocals, yet the standout is the other vocalist, whose voice quivers on Bodhidharma but fiercely howling elsewhere.
As is common in the genre, it’s hard to discern the words she sings, but they’re worth seeking out: the stories she sings about personal struggles and anti-LGBTQ bigotry are devastating, just like her quest for purpose in a reality that relentlessly trends towards violence.
