THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Their new album When The Moon Was High… brings the various moons of Hermano back into orbit and alignment.
As they set out to remix / remaster / reissue their entire back catalog, the band formed by John Garcia (Kyuss) on vocals, bassist Dandy Brown, guitarists Mike Callahan (Disengage) and David Angstrom (Supafuzz), and drummer Chris Leathers (Supafuzz) uncovered some valuable material while revisiting tapes, drives, and cherished memories accumulated over their 26 years of friendship. Taking back claim to the territory they had charted years ago, When The Moon Was High… features their first new music since 2007’s …Into The Exam Room, introducing two new studio tracks and four live songs (including a never-released track), showcasing the sticky-sweet and heavy blues riffs and tones that are unique to the veteran quintet.
The first single Breathe was recorded in 2023 and travels back to the band’s first release, filled with the same swagger and heavy hand as the band’s initial offerings, reinforcing the band’s undeniable impact upon modern heavy rock, stoner rock, and driving blues genres. Written for the first Hermano sessions, the second track Never Boulevard was tracked during the last few hours of recording in Cincinnati during 1998. Rediscovered while organizing the master tapes for their reissues and utilizing the original core tracks, the band has finally brought the song to completion 26 years later.
Rounding out the limited-edition are four never-before-heard live tracks that again underline the unique place in heavy blues music Hermano occupies. Brother Bjork serves as more evidence to the band’s stellar performance at the Willem Twee Poppodium in 2004, a show that continues to be hailed as one of the finest the venue has ever hosted. Taken from the last time the group came together to perform, Senor Moreno’s Plan, Love and Manager’s Special all give a special glimpse into their lauded reunion at Hellfest in 2016. After eight years of not performing together, John, Dave, Mike, Chris and Dandy arrived a couple of days before the festival, rehearsed for a few hours, and came with a head of steam that left those who witnessed the event both touched and amazed. When The Moon Was High… not only features a small sliver of that legendary performance but also introduces the only existing audio recording of the band’s song Love.
“We are so incredibly thankful to be able to bring new music to both new fans and those who have followed Hermano for the last 26 years,” they say. “We are looking eagerly forward to continuing this reissues and special editions journey… so hang onto your hats because we have a lot more coming and a long way to go.”
