In the contemporary musical landscape, where homogeneity often reigns supreme, Aiwaz’s latest release, Darrkh… It Is!, offers a refreshing counterpoint. Rooted in melancholic introspection, this album demonstrates a nuanced approach to songwriting, one that blends the grandiosity of progressive rock and the bleakness of doom in equal measure. The band’s stated influences—ranging from Queensrÿche to My Dying Bride—are undeniably present, though the result is thankfully far more than a mere pastiche of its antecedents.

The collection opens with the title track, a piece that immediately evokes the deep, brooding atmosphere for which the artist is certain to become known. Whilst the reviewer is not typically one to draw comparisons, the Public Relations materials provided with the release give a rather apt description, suggesting a mix of Solitude Aeturnus and Ghost among others. In fact, Darrkh… It Is! does manage to amalgamate these influences, weaving elements of each into a rich, atmospheric tapestry that serves as an introduction to the band’s sonic refrerence points.

The Ghost That Once Was I follows, though one might sense a slight plateauing of intensity. Here, it feels as though the band has momentarily played their hand too early. That being said, the track contains moments of subtle brilliance, particularly in its final passages, where the instrumentation reaches a level of complexity that commands attention. The conclusion to this track is one of the album’s finest moments, a reminder of the artist’s ability to create tension and release without the need for excessive bombast.

In This Silence builds upon the emotional groundwork laid by its predecessors, though with a more palpable sense of restraint. This is a track where the band’s progressive inclinations shine most clearly, the intricate guitar work and nuanced layering providing a backdrop for the vocal delivery, which here feels especially poignant. The denouement, a soaring instrumental passage, stands as one of the most effective sequences in the album, injecting an uplifting moment into an otherwise introspective soundscape.

Where the artist truly shines is in their ability to juxtapose these grandiose moments with more emotionally resonant material. Cemetery of Hearts is a prime example. Here, the band strips back much of the sonic overkill in favour of a more open, emotional exploration. The sturm und drang of the earlier tracks is replaced by something far more delicate—well-executed chord progressions that speak to the band’s understanding of how comparative minimalism, when used effectively, can sometimes convey more than the most complex of arrangements.

Garden of Despair offers further departure, developing a more melodic sensibility. This piece, perhaps more than any other, showcases the band’s ability to meld their progressive and melancholic instincts into something that retains a commercial sheen without sacrificing artistic integrity. While some purists may find this accessibility disconcerting, it is difficult to deny the craftsmanship on display here. The melodies are intricate without being overwrought, and the emotional core of the track is consistently engaging.

The album closes with  When Judas Spins the Wheel, a companion piece of sorts to Garden of Despair, though it takes on a darker, more reflective tone. The pacing of the latter half of the album is particularly noteworthy. The artist has front-loaded the album with their more demanding material, saving these accessible pieces for the latter half, and while this could potentially risk losing the listener’s attention, the contrast between the two halves provides a sense of completeness by the time the album reaches its conclusion.

In all, Darrkh… It Is! shows very well how the artist stands in the current musical medium. This is a pair of artists unafraid to explore complex emotions and compositions, yet equally willing to embrace accessibility where it serves their collective vision. If the forthcoming parts of this trilogy are as accomplished as this, we may be witnessing the emergence of a significant force within the broader progressive doom landscape.

Darrkh… It is! releases on October 25th.