Darkher / Unitarian Church / Todmorden

“I would walk 500 miles, and I would 500 more”….. Well maybe….. but I was definitely up to the 300 mile round trip up the M1/M62 for this one ! Tonight was going to be a very special night, I just knew it, and we were heading into Calderdale, West Yorkshire and to the Unitarian church in Todmorden to see Darkher perform.

Built in 1865 by the three Fielden brothers in honour of their late father MP ‘Honest’ John Fielden, the local mill owner who was responsible for the 1847 Ten Hours Act, which limited the working hours for women and children in the textile mills. It’s tower standing 192 feet tall, is a wonderful example of Victorian gothic architecture and worth a visit in it’s own right.

Tonight though, it provided the glorious gothic background to a musical experience like no other.

The church is wonderful with a high oak ceiling and magnificent arch at the entrance to the sanctuary. And it was here the musicians would be placed.

First up we were treated to a solo acoustic set from Simon Smith, aka Carcass of Sighs. Simon is also the singer for the band the Damn Craters. A 30 minute set of LoFi songs and vocals, delivering a cathartic experience through distorted poetry and melancholic torment. With his features obscured under a hood and with big white frames sunglasses, Simon cut an impressive sight as he delivered a quiet, dark, deep and moody set. The sound was excellent, and the simple voice/guitar set up filled the place. Brooding and menacing…. Lovely stuff. Simon made me smile with perhaps my favourite line to a crowd at any gig ever, as at one point he softly said “It’s only when you play in a place like this, you realise just how blasphemous the lyrics are”. A great set and the crowd really enjoyed it.

Half an hour to set up for the main act, and for folks to grab a drink from the church café and use the facilities and we were ready for the main act to begin.

Darkher is the project of Northern singer, guitarist and composer Jayn Maiven, previously of The Steals, a band delivering haunting folk music, which drew comparisons to the likes of Sigur Ros and Sarabeth Tucek. Darkher was created in 2012 Jayn delivers a dark and melancholic, and surprisingly heavy sound.

Darkher reminds me of a mix of things, from the ritual/ancient folk music of Heilung & Wardruna, through the exquisite vocals of Eivor, the doom metal of Pallbearer and Elder to the talents of AA Williams.

Releasing her debut EP "Darkher" in 2013 a record deal soon followed and the release of "The Kingdom Field" EP in 2014, and her first album “Realms” in 2016 via Prophecy Productions. This was followed in 2022 by her follow up album "The Buried Storm" which perfected her unique brand of delicate and eerie sonic storytelling.

The church lights dimmed, the only lights remaining, being candles around the stage and along the sides, and some lights highlighting the arch and sanctuary.

Taking her place at the front of the stage, Jayn has an enigmatic and eerie vibe, in long dark dress and her trademark long red hair. The set kicks off with Foregone from The Kingdon Field EP (2014) followed by Hollow Veil from her debut album “Realms” and then Ghost Tears from the first EP.

Darkher’s slower and expressive brand of doom is just made for a venue such as this. The crisp guitar tones seem to fill every nook in the church, the beautifully melancholic music creates moody soundscapes which seem to swirl and dance round the pews and the lofty rafters. The drum beats bounce from the walls are reverberate filling the whole space.

Next up are three of my favourite tracks from 2022’s “The Buried Storm” firstly with Lowly Weep, followed by Unbound and then the brilliant Loves Sudden Death. With the stone church walls and statues bathed in reds, blues and white light the music creates an emotive textured pattern, enthralling, and yet also almost hypnotic. Loves Sudden Death is one of my favourite Darkher tracks. There’s an All About Eve feel to the vocal delivery, but much much darker, the guitars on this one in particular create a sinister almost thunder storm-like heavy atmosphere, the vocals adding that colossal sense of doom. It’s doom laden with dissonant guitars layered with Jayn’s enchanting and ethereal vocals.

With Gareth Hodgson and Daniel Land on drums and guitar adding to the depth of the experience and as the main set draws to a close with Lament, from 2016’s “Realms” and Immortals from “The Buried Storm the audience are silent and just in awe of the experience. On Immortals the first part of the track sounding dark and forlorn, before it develops and builds in intensity becoming heavier in the closing few minutes. There’s something so unique about Darkher. Jayn doesn’t move much, and there isn’t much interaction and talk with the audience, letting her stage persona deliver emotion in bucket loads through her beautiful, sinister, ethereal lyrics and delivery.

As the set ends the crowd Darkher a rousing round of applause before they return for a two song encore of The Seas and Where the Devil Waits both from “The Buried Storm”. The Seas is a delicate number on acoustic guitar is a truly amazing haunting masterpiece, Jayns vocals reverberating round the high ceilings creating an almost other-worldly feel. It’s beautiful and evocative with an ambient splendour - somehow both tender and powerful.

The final number Where the Devil Waits is just as good, dripping in emotion. The lyrics dark and foreboding “Will I ever forget, as night falls. Take my heart from the sword, in the still of winter. When the rapture is breaking, with your burning arms around me, I can’t breathe. Where the Devil waits to capture, all of me”. Beautiful, sensual and scary in equal measure.

As the music fades away, the audience rose as one for a well deserved standing ovation. As we stepped out of this gothic church into the dark night, and cool air, I feel happy and at ease. It’s as if something of the surroundings and the music has rubbed off on me.

Darker live is an incredible experience, so don’t miss out, it’s a sublime experience ! Darkher will be performing at the Dareshack in Bristol on 30 September, and at the Fulford Arms in York on 1st October.

Her latest single Like Suicide is out now, check out the video below.

Set List

Foregone (The Kingdon Field EP 2014)

Hollow Veil (Realms 2016)

Ghost Tears (The Kingdon Field EP 2014)

Lowly Weep (The Buried Storm 2022)

Unbound (The Buried Storm 2022)

Loves Sudden Death (The Buried Storm 2022)

The Dawn Brings a Saviour (Realms 2016)

Wars (Realms 2016)

Moths (Realms 2016)

Hung (The Kingdon Field EP 2014)