What feels ‘dark’ to one person might feel scholarly or even light to another. I think that’s why we have the thread on popular decks and not the “best” deck because it is highly personal.
Maybe the Hermetic’s black and white aesthetic actually strips away distraction rather than adding darkness. There could be something to be said for a deck that makes us work a little harder - might that discomfort we initially feel actually be the deck pushing us to grow as readers?