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Every bit of elation, transcendence, and intensity in heavy sonic art radiates with overwhelming force from the second album by this self-described "ecstatic black metal" collective hailing from Los Angeles.

The Spiritual Sound pairs immense heaviness with creative intricacies. Lead single Bodhidharma rides a guitar motif suited to a biker gang, then a burst of static and screaming introduces a sad atmospheric rock middle eight. The maligned art of the widdly-woo solo is spectacularly resurrected by axeman Richard Chowenhill, whose lead work on this track and on highlight Flea will have you levitating with joy – but then the gentle song the track Hallelujah features descending guitar melodies played with childlike simplicity.

Tracks like Micah and Serenity are fast-paced punk rock, but Dan’s Love Song is without percussion and has slow-moving drone-metal fuzz rumbling underneath its dream-pop loveliness. Black metal melodies can often be absent or overly fussy, yet Agriculture’s riffs and hooks are vibrant and innovative, and final track the song 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, particularly since Agriculture also feature two divergent vocal styles, split here across two vocalists. Dan Meyer adds sporadic soulful, clean singing, but the star is the other vocalist, her voice trembling on one track but splenetically caterwauling on other songs.

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