Black metal band Agriculture channels polka, Buddhism and Slipknot

Episode notes

(Photo: Daniel Speer)

Agriculture pushes the boundaries of what it means to be a black metal band. You’ll hear several elements in their music, from shoegaze to folk to even a sax solo. And in a culture where genres are defined with the same rigid definitions as Kobe beef or champagne… that’s not easy to do.

Each member of Agriculture brings something different to the table: Dan Meyer, the singer and guitarist, previously played in noise and indie rock bands. Leah Levinson, the singer and bassist, has a punk rock background. Drummer Kern Haug likes metal well enough, but if you ask him, he’s really more of a jazz guy. And Richard Chowenhill, the guitarist, is the only member with a resume of playing in metal bands.

Late last year, Agriculture released their second album, The Spiritual Sound. It appeared on many best-of-2025 lists, and you don’t have to listen to much of it to figure out why. The band joins us to talk about the record, how they preserve their vocals after doing a lot of screaming, and much more!