As Agriculture prepare for their album release combining two EP’s— featuring their debut release The Circle Chant and their newest EP Living is Easy (pre-order here)— the ecstatic black metal band have shared the latter’s second single “In the House of Angel Flesh.”
The song, “…builds on themes of community care and interrelation that we’ve explored elsewhere. It’s an opportunity to be more direct both lyrically and musically and represent moments of both care and struggle we see in our daily lives: friends who can’t seem to escape certain negative patterns, friends who help each other get by in material ways, and friends helping friends who can’t see a way forward. Our goal was to excite and uplift while carrying some of the dissonance that comes with living in this world,” Agriculture comments.
Living is Easy represents a significant new statement from Agriculture. With their self-titled debut full-length (released July 2023), Agriculture embarked on a journey to explore how heavy music can provide insights into the joys of life, both everyday and divine. Their extensive touring with this material led to a profound experience of ecstasy, surpassing expectations as they shared the intensity and joy of these songs with audiences worldwide. The experience was a catalyst for Agriculture, inspiring them to delve even deeper into the realm of ‘ecstatic black metal’ music. The band believes that with Living is Easy, they have pushed this concept to its limit, resulting in a transformative explosion of sound and meaning.
The Living Is Easy EP delves into themes of community connection, holiness, violence, and the cycles of life. The title track itself is “centered around a story from one of the Buddha’s past lives: on a walk in a forest, the Buddha came upon a hungry family of tigers. He realized that they would die if they didn’t eat, so he lay down and let them eat his body. He was devoured with a smile on his face,” Agriculture says. This story resonates deeply with Agriculture, reflecting the humility and inspiration they find in their collaboration and echoing the generosity and interconnection they strive to explore through their music.
Are you vibing with Agriculture’s latest, “In the House of Angel Flesh”?
Agriculture on Tour:
April 20 Tilburg, NL @ Roadburn Festival
July 18 San Diego, CA @ Casbah ^
July 19 Los Angeles, CA @ The Lodge Room ^
July 20 San Francisco, CA @ Rickshaw Shop ^
July 21 Reno, NV @ The Holland Project ^
July 24 Eugene, OR @ Old Nick’s Pub ^
July 25 Seattle, WA @ Madame Lou’s ^
July 26 Vancouver, BC @ The Pearl ^
July 27 Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios ^
July 28 Olympia, WA @ The Crypt ^
^ w/ Ragana
