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All the euphoria, spiritual ascent, and power in heavy sonic art bursts forth with overwhelming energy from the second album by this self-described "blissful black metal" collective hailing from Los Angeles.

This new album combines immense heaviness with creative intricacies. Key track the song Bodhidharma rides a riff fit for a biker gang, then a blast of noise and screaming introduces a melancholic post-rock bridge section. The maligned art of the virtuosic guitar solo is spectacularly resurrected by axeman Richard Chowenhill, whose lead work on this track and on highlight Flea will have you floating in ecstasy – but then the gentle song the track Hallelujah showcases descending guitar melodies played with youthful innocence.

Songs such as Micah and the song Serenity are high-speed punk rock, but 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 absent or too complex, but the band's riffs and hooks are bright and original, and closer The Reply even recalls a much heavier the band Radiohead.

Listeners who enjoy experimental metal acts similar artists will probably love all this dynamic shifting and fearlessly beautiful sound, especially because Agriculture also have two distinct vocal styles, divided here across two vocalists. Dan Meyer adds sporadic soulful, clean singing, yet the standout is Leah Levinson, whose voice quivers on one track but fiercely howling on other songs.

In typical black metal fashion, it’s hard to make out the words she sings, yet they are worth the effort: the narratives she conveys about personal struggles and anti-LGBTQ bigotry are devastating, as is her quest for purpose in a world that relentlessly trends towards conflict.