ALBUM REVIEW: Of Amber And Sand – Kurokuma
Adorning its cover is a mantis trapped in a piece of amber, frozen in time, as the sands of the world shift and move with each passing age. This is the core concept of KUROKUMA’s highly anticipated sophomore album Of Amber And Sand. After quickly making a name for themselves with their crushing debut album Born Of Obsidian – based on the history of the Mesopotamian peoples of Central America – the now UK/Europe-based trio explore the colossal concept of the ebbing and flowing of time. They tackle this mighty concept with their trademark heavy riffing, which has been freshly imbued with the rhythms and melodies of the Balkans and the Middle East.
The album artwork embodies what the music is about, with ‘sand’ and its endless abundance representing infinite time, while the ‘amber’ represents one moment frozen in time. When civilisations have risen and fell, people have come and gone, the mantis in the amber has been trapped in a moment of time for potentially millions of years. KUROKUMA utilise the concept of time as a vessel to explore the human condition, our ambitions, contradictions, and the constant fight against nihilism in the face of all things that are destined to end.
With that in mind, KUROKUMA have also evolved musically, Of Amber And Sand is not sludge, doom or even death metal, but a visceral amalgamation of brutal riffs and hallucinogenic psychedelia. Digging into death, groove and nu metal-oriented bands such as MORBID ANGEL, BOLT THROWER and KORN, the trio have moved away from the traditional confines of doom and sludge. Alongside this is an international folk flavour, bringing in the sounds of the Balkans and the Middle East has given the trio’s sound an added dimension. This was spearheaded by Jake Mazlum (vocals, guitar) whose recent relocation to Bulgaria and exploration of his Armenian heritage has enabled the landscape and the music of the region to leave an indelible mark on the band’s songwriting.
Musically, Of Amber And Sand is several steps above their debut album. With more precision in its production and tighter, more cohesive songwriting, KUROKUMA have once again pushed their boundaries to achieve something truly remarkable. Laced with atmospheric intervals and flurries of CONAN-esque riffing that leave you beaten and bloodied, Of Amber And Sand is an example of finely tuned dynamics that deliver the biggest possible impact when required. While Born Of Obsidian was an all-out riff fest, Of Amber And Sand shows a refinement of their sound. Cutting away the need to fill the space with constant guitars, instead the band opt to build their songs gradually – enabling them to build ominous, intense and interesting atmospheres which help showcase the more nuanced areas of their time based concept.
KUROKUMA are masters of the unconventional, and when you listen to the album with the amber picture in mind, you can’t help but feel like a squashed bug on the boot of time as it marches relentlessly on. However, the album is intended to inspire wonder at the magnitude at the sheer might of time, looking at the beauty of degradation and decay and how everything we know and love will eventually fade into oblivion. So, in a rather stoic sense, there is an air of ‘Memento Mori, Memento Vivere’ entwined into the fabric of the album – which is something we can all explore in our own way.
The album opens up with the ruthless I Am Forever, as a cockerel calls KUROKUMA launch into a BOLT THROWER-esque riff that’s packed with groove. This melts into the album’s first interlude, Sandglass, which begins to introduce the Balkan and Middle Eastern vibes and textures to the proceedings. Death No More opens with a solemn Middle Eastern guitar melody and swung groove, slowly building into a chaotic death metal fuelled track that crushes your skull with impunity. This transitions into Clepsydra, which evolves into the next track Fenjaan, which is led by a mystical sounding bass groove and guitar lead.
The atmospherically ominous Bell Tower opens up the second half which gives way to Neheh which is an instrumental track that explores Eastern melodies before being punctuated with a sludgy riff towards the end. Timekeeper melts into Crux Ansata, a bruising, slow and doomy track that uses unusual grooves to disorientate you and fills you with a foreboding sense of doom. Awakening is the final interlude which features a modern day alarm clock that announces the album’s cataclysmic closer, Chronoclasm – ten minutes of intense riffing and brooding atmospheres that leave you breathless and bludgeoned.
KUROKUMA have once again demonstrated that heavy music can be a catalyst for opening up new perspectives and ideas. As a result, Of Amber And Sand is a brilliantly crafted and thought-provoking album that isn’t afraid to get heavy conceptually or musically – simply put, its essential listening.
Rating: 9/10
Of Amber And Sand is out now via self-release.
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