If his name rings even the smallest of bells, Ben Chasny might be best known as a member of the Sub Pop-signed psych-rockers Comets on Fire. However, while the generally heavier textures of that group are what folks remember him for, they’re actually just a diversion from the softer project he’s pursued since 1998 — Six Organs of Admittance.

For his ninth full-length in as many years under that moniker, Chasny is joined by such luminaries as Chavez guitarist Matt Sweeney, Magik Markers singer (and Chasny’s girlfriend) Elisa Ambrogio and shredder and producer Tim Green of The Fucking Champs. If you’re not a fan based on those names alone, the subdued sounds of Shelter from the Ash likely won’t convert you. But if you already count yourself a follower, these eight exquisite songs will certainly please.

“Alone with the Alone” showcases Chasny’s signature finger-picking abilities on the acoustic. Just below the surface, some wordless chanting and an unsettling drone swell, until Green’s spidery electric solo squirms its way to the forefront.

“Strangled Road” maintains the feeling of impending doom, this time with help from Chasny’s vocals, which sound like a more laid-back Wooden Wand. Ambrogio is here as well, harmonizing in the same style as this year’s surprisingly mellow Magik Markers track “Empty Bottles.” The lyrics here warn of spiritual attachment to material things, as Ben intones poetically, “The trinkets that you keep/ are just made of dirt/ and coloured gold/ by the very men that you hate.”

Although the guitar chords and bowed cymbals that spiral throughout “Jade Like Wine” are similarly minimal, they provide this song with a strangely peaceful quality. Chasny’s words tell the tale of an outcast, offering the same hopeful sentiment as Gang of Four’s “To Hell with Poverty.” “Last night I was sleepin’ with the worms and the crickets,” he whispers, “drinkin’ jade like wine.”

Both the six-minute Sun City Girls tribute “Goddess Atonement” and the hypnotizing, nearly nine-minute epic “Final Wing” feature the fantastic sounds of Green on Wurlitzer electric piano. Following these extended jams is the title track, which finds Chasny breaking out his effects pedals for a carefully controlled freak-out. Finally, Ben and Elisa softly hum and strum their way through closer “Goodnight.”

Like any Six Organs release, Shelter won’t snag you right off the bat. Let it seep into your ears slowly, and you’ll find yourself submitting to its charms.