Hermano |Clisson, France |Ripple Music

Release Date February 6^th, 2026
Format LP/CD/Digital
Genre Stoner Metal
Country USA

Hermano formed back in 1998 in a Covington, Kentucky apartment. David Angstrom, Steve Earle, Mike Callahan, and John Garcia got together for a session set up by Dandy Brown in Cincinnati. They tracked a debut album, "Only A Suggestion", originally slated for Frank Kozik’s label, Man’s Ruin Records. The label folded, delaying the release by four years. Over the following decade, the guys dropped three studio albums and a live LP, touring the United States and Europe. Chris Leathers eventually replaced Steve Earle on drums. The guys basically operated on their own terms, putting out music and playing shows whenever they wanted.

Fast forward to the summer of 2016. Hermano booked a reunion gig at Hellfest in Clisson, France, eight years after their previous gig. They just had a couple of hours to rehearse the set. Now, that entire gig is out on Ripple Music. The audio captures the raw power of five guys getting back on stage and tearing through their catalog. The band blasts through twelve tracks, bringing heavy desert riffs to a massive festival crowd.

The audio production on this live document is thick and loud. The bass rumbles straight through the speakers, giving songs like "Cowboys Suck" and "Kentucky" a massive low-end punch. Guitars roar with heavy distortion, throwing out fuzzy riffs. John Garcia’s vocals cut right through the noise, delivering his signature melodic wails. You hear the dust and sweat in the playing. They played the songs slightly faster and rougher than the studio versions. It is a loud, uncompromising set of heavy rock.

There are rough spots, which is totally expected for a band that barely rehearsed before stepping in front of a massive audience. Sometimes the guitars drift slightly out of sync. The backup vocals get completely buried in the mix. The drums blast forward with relentless aggression, occasionally pushing the tempo a little too hard. That chaotic edge gives the performance a real garage-band vibe. You get a genuine document of a live gig, warts and all. The feedback squeals between tracks and the crowd roars in the background.

This live release delivers what a Hermano fan wants from a reunion show. It gives you raw riffs, loud amps, and a band having a blast on stage. The audio mix might be a bit rough around the edges. The playing gets sloppy in a few places. That just adds to the charm of a live gig. Ripple Music put together a cool package for anyone wanting to hear pure desert rock aggression.

Score: 7.5

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