It’s been six years since Darkher released 2016’s Realms, but the group’s sophomore album is more or less in line with its predecessor. The Buried Storm sits right on the intersection between ethereal wave and dark folk with the occasional doom crunch for flavor, triggering comparisons to Chelsea Wolfe among others. The vocals have an echoing vulnerability, the acoustic guitar is simple but effective for atmosphere supplemented by the occasional strings and drums, and the heavier sequences make for effective buildups.
While the style stays fairly uniform over the course of the album, the varied pacing makes it feel almost like two halves at play. The opening “Sirens Nocturne” admittedly could’ve benefitted from a trimmed length as its emphasis on faint strings and distant vocals can make for a slow start. Fortunately, “Lowly Weep” sees some heavier dynamics and gradually grimy fuzz work in its favor and I can also get into the haunting lullaby of “Where the Devil Waits.”
From there, the back half is where things really get going. “Love’s Sudden Death” takes an even more sinister turn with a marching pattern building off a subtle heaviness and almost distraught vocal layers. “Immortals” does a splendid job of pairing a ghostly vibe with a comparably straightforward vocal line and ominous percussion while “Fear Not, My King” ends things on an especially doomy note.
Overall, The Buried Storm is a strong effort that should sit well with fans of spooky atmospherics. I do find myself wishing that there were more payoffs to go along with all this tension, but it’s also a definite grower. The music does well to convey a variety of influences and the playing consistently fits the moods at hand. One can imagine even greater things on the horizon with the hope that it won’t take another six years to get there.
