Innovative Los Angeles, CA-based quartet Agriculture are practicing an uncommon and potentially forbidden technique of black metal: a positive-charged style which guitarist/vocalist Dan Meyer dubs “ecstatic black metal.”
“We chose to deliver our music in an aesthetic packaging that is inspired by some of our favorite tropes in black metal,” guitarist Richard Chowenhill explains, “while hopefully transmitting some of our own feeling that can be summarized by that word, ‘ecstasy.’” Meyer adds, “The ‘ecstatic’ label just indicates that we’re interested in exploring feelings like joy and awe.”
The band make a strong opening statement with their self-titled debut full-length, a July release on what they call their “ideal label,” The Flenser, following a head-turning 2022 debut EP titled The Circle Chant. The group’s name alone automatically grants them their distinction, given the genre.
“Our name is not an endorsement of the Agricultural Revolution,” Chowenhill elaborates, “but rather a signifier for humanity’s ongoing, complex relationship with nature. The human is a product of nature, and yet society often acts against nature. The word ‘agriculture’ is associated with a tradition that prefigures modern society, and therefore the ultimate destruction of our planet. Is agriculture not the most brutal name of all?”
Social commentary isn’t an act that Agriculture shy away from. There is a present-day global issue involving agriculture where billionaires like Bill Gates and federal governments are looking to procure farmland from local farmers in the Netherlands and India, by hook or by crook. Chowenhill remarks, “Corporate ownership of farming land should be illegal. All people should have access to clean, safe food and the means to grow that food, should they choose to do so.”
The rebellious, non-conformist attitude the members possess clearly permeates the material on Agriculture. Much of that can be tied into their influences, as Meyer divulges his affinity for another musical activist. “Last year I was mostly going deeper into Bob Dylan. I’ve always loved his stuff from the early-’60s up to Desire, but I started to go deep into his later output, especially the stuff from the past 20 years or so. Also the way his band (The Band) played in the late-’60s inspires our live show a lot—incredibly loose but so tight. I also love adding and subtracting beats at will like he does.”
It isn’t only artists that inspire the four-piece. “The ocean rules,” says Meyer. “It’s awe-inspiring and incredibly fun. I recommend everyone go as often as possible.” The opening track of Agriculture’s record is titled “The Glory of the Ocean,” revealing a fondness on the band’s behalf for the planet’s large bodies of water. Haug adds, “It’s over 70% of the planet. That’s worth some attention.” Chowenhill dives in on a personal note, “We were all raised on the West Coast, and all share a deep love of—and respect for—the ocean. It is as beautiful as it is dangerous, and most of it is still unknown to us.”
What is known is that Agriculture are brimming with creative ways to stamp their signature on the black metal spectrum. Their version of the genre is one of brightness and exhilaration. “There is more than enough despair to go around,” says Chowenhill, “and there are already plenty of bands that masterfully incorporate that into their music, much better than we could. We just do something different. We’re leaning into our strengths and celebrating the crushing beauty of nature and the fleeting pleasure of existence.”
Photo courtesy of Agriculture
