Given their metal pedigree, you’d be forgiven for bracing yourself and preemptively putting in some earplugs before pressing play on an ISON album. But the Swedish duo of Daniel Änghede and Heike Langhans exchange blast beats and tremolo picking for sweeping, spacious sounds culled from the realms of ambient and shoegaze, and combine them with existential lyrics inspired by the depths and wonders of outer space.

Although all of Inner-Space is a moody masterpiece, “Isae” is particularly powerful, with Langhans singing “I don’t know where I came from/I see it when I’m dreaming/Another time and space” with all of the melancholy longing of someone cast adrift between the stars. Meanwhile, synth arpeggios and solemn guitars swirl around her like a majestic cosmic vista.

Langhans left ISON shortly after Inner-Space’s release, with Änghede continuing the band with other vocalists including Lisa Cuthbert, Cammie Gilbert (Oceans of Slumber), and Tara Vanflower (Lycia). But Inner-Space remains ISON’s most powerful work to date.