There was a time when comparing White Lung to, say, Slayer wasn’t too huge a stretch. That’s in large part because the band was known for its intensity, as evidenced on the 2014 breakout Deep Fantasy. With Mish Way’s barking at the forefront and guitarist Kenneth William supplying the face-melting component, the Vancouver band was invigorating and felt unstoppable as a unit. When Deep Fantasy cut out after “In Your Home,” your heart needed recalibrating.

Since Deep Fantasy, White Lung has sanded out their abrasiveness. In an interview with Annie Clark (a.k.a. St. Vincent), William discussed wanting a record that sounded like “it was made in 2016.” This goal when combined with Way’s newfound contentment in her recent marriage equates to less reason to make especially gritty rock music. As a result, the band’s new album, Paradise (Domino Recording Co.), is something far more serene than Deep Fantasy, and so the Slayer comparisons are out the window. William has dropped the slash-and-burn riffs, and Way follows suit, actually singing more often, and in doing so, coming off a tad less punk.

Relative to earlier White Lung recordings, Paradise is noticeably accessible. Album opener “Dead Weight” helps listeners get situated with the fresh approach, serving up a balanced blend of their 2014 signature forcefulness and their new found melodic strength. “Hungry” and “Below” both use clean guitars as their base—firsts for William—which contributes to some of the richest songs they’ve ever crafted. They still retain a knack for speed, but they’ve never been as anthemic as “Kiss Me When I Bleed,” a song about abandoning wealth before love. (Though not biographical, this song coincides nicely with Way’s new place in life.)

White Lung seems to understand that they’re not the same band as at its inception—or even just two years ago—but also hasn’t lost sight of what elements from that era still work. Paradise shows certain finesse and reveals a band with a deep sense of self. For White Lung, it turns out a state of happiness can be just as inspirational as any.