Review: Kurokuma ‘Of Amber And Sand’
A decade after Sheffield’s Kurokuma first appeared in the ever productive UK underground, their second full-length record Of Amber And Sand have moved the band on from their tribute to ancient Mexo-American bloodlust Born In Obsidian and is now facing the full majesty of time itself. Another self-released effort from these sludge doomers, reinforcing their DIY credentials built upon all that has come before it.
I Am Forever has taken a forward step from their last record, taking a sludgy death metal riff and driving that groove deep into the ground. It is a shift in pace and perspective from their last record, but do not fret, those big doom riffs are coming back later on.
A collapsing brutality crushes any traces of the tribalistic pounding that Born In Obsidian had, but these are replaced somewhat by a number of concept-inducing interludes; from dripping water to the rush of sand in an hourglass, to the tolling of a funeral bell. It provides an evocative reminder of the entropic decay of the world around us.
Fenjaan groans and grumbles under smoky, Kylesa-esque lead guitar work while bulldozing doom riffs hammer through the murk on the caustic Crux Ansata, providing all the evidence you’d need that Kurokuma are moving into a new, evolved phase of existence. A band that has always grasped their heaviness in both hands but with a deft touch, now their diversity and dynamic interplay have really shown through.
Kurokuma were no fluke, their musical journey is built on solid foundations, and they are now proving why they are the brightest light in the UK doom/sludge scene…
While their core elements of doom, sludge and death have never moved far, it is how the band have evolved their understanding of atmosphere and the space in between the brutality that has become something much more. For this to happen in a genre so defined and revered for its simplistic, primal strength is always a delight to behold.
When you reach the end of the apocalyptic, mesmerising smothering of closer Chronoclasm, you are reminded once more that the band who made Born Of Obsidian were always destined for greater things. I am a self-professed devotee of their debut, I ranked it very highly in my Album of the Year picks in 2022, but Of Amber And Sand may have just moved beyond even that as an album that will stick with you throughout the rest of the year and beyond.
Kurokuma were no fluke, their musical journey is built on solid foundations, and they are now proving why they are the brightest light in the UK doom/sludge scene. Simply spellbinding.
Label: Independent
Band Links: Facebook | Bandcamp | Spotify | Twitter | Instagram
Scribed by: Sandy Williamson
