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Every bit of euphoria, spiritual ascent, and intensity in heavy sonic art bursts forth with blinding energy from the sophomore release by this self-described "blissful black metal" ensemble based in Los Angeles.

The Spiritual Sound pairs immense heaviness with creative intricacies. Key track Bodhidharma propels along a guitar motif fit for a biker gang, before a burst of static and screaming introduces a melancholic post-rock bridge section. The maligned art of the virtuosic guitar solo is spectacularly resurrected by guitarist Richard Chowenhill, whose soloing on this track and on standout the song Flea will have you levitating with joy – yet the gentle song Hallelujah showcases descending guitar melodies played with childlike simplicity.

Songs such as Micah (5.15.am) and Serenity are fast-paced hardcore punk, while the piece Dan’s Love Song is drum free and has slow-moving Sunn O)))-style distortion rumbling along underneath its ethereal beauty. Melodies in black metal can often be absent 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 Radiohead.

Listeners who enjoy post-metallers similar artists will likely adore all this dynamic shifting and unabashedly gorgeous noise, particularly since the group also have two divergent vocal styles, divided here across two singers. Dan Meyer contributes sporadic soulful, clean singing, yet the standout is Leah Levinson, her voice quivers on one track but splenetically caterwauling on other songs.

As is common in the genre, it's difficult to discern the words she sings, but they’re worth the effort: the stories she conveys about suicidal friends and social injustice are devastating, as is her quest for purpose in a world that relentlessly trends towards conflict.