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All the elation, spiritual ascent, and intensity of heavy music radiates with overwhelming force from the sophomore release by this self-proclaimed "blissful black metal" ensemble hailing from Los Angeles.

This new album pairs immense heaviness with creative intricacies. Key track Bodhidharma propels along a guitar motif fit for a motorcycle crew, then a burst of static and shrieking introduces a melancholic post-rock bridge section. The often-criticized technique of the virtuosic guitar solo is spectacularly resurrected by axeman the lead guitarist, whose soloing here and on standout Flea will have you levitating with joy – but then the gentle song Hallelujah showcases falling guitar notes played with childlike simplicity.

Songs such as Micah (5.15.am) and the song Serenity are high-speed hardcore punk, but Dan’s Love Song is without percussion and has glacial drone-metal fuzz rumbling along underneath its dream-pop loveliness. Black metal melodies can often be either nonexistent or too complex, but the band's guitar lines and choruses are vibrant and innovative, and final track The Reply even recalls a more intense Radiohead.

Fans of experimental metal acts Deafheaven will likely adore all this contrasting dynamics and unabashedly gorgeous noise, especially because the group also feature two divergent vocal styles, split here across two vocalists. One vocalist adds occasional soulful, clean singing, yet the standout is the other vocalist, whose voice trembling on one track but fiercely howling on other songs.

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 world that inexorably bends towards violence.