On Homb, Cerberus Shoal return to the beachfront that was the home for all of their records in the late 90's. This time, it's during the hours before a hurricane, where the air is one of uneasy anticipation and tension. The album sounds like a beefier, more delicately crafted version of their previous opus Elements Of Structure/Permanence, but with its own atmosphere. It really helps the album along to have "Omphalos" as its second track, as the song is rivaled in greatness only by the self-titled's "Elena" when it comes to 90's Shoal. The track is an intense ride even at its slower pace because of the urgency heard in every drum beat and the sudden, loud drones that pop in every now and again just to keep you on your feet. The rest of the album is similar, though it unravels itself much slower and more intricately than ever before. While personal affections bind me to self-titled more than this, it's hard to say, objectively speaking, that the definitive Cerberus Shoal record of the 90's is not Homb.
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