Release Date October 4, 2024

"when the moon was high..." brings the moons of Hermano back into alignment. As we embarked on the remix/remaster/reissue Ripple series of our catalog, a new song emerged. During this process, we uncovered some valuable discoveries while revisiting tapes, drives, and cherished memories accumulated over our 26 years of friendship. We collectively thank our good friend Todd Severin for opening the door that brought "when the moon was high..." to life.

Breathe

Taking back claim to the territory they had charted years ago, Breathe, the upcoming limited-edition release from Hermano, features the first new music released by the band in fifteen years.

While the band had continued to write and perform on each other’s individual projects during the last decade and a half, Breathe showcases the sticky-sweet and heavy blues riffs and tones that are unique to these five musicians when they come together under the Hermano banner.

The title track, Breathe, travels back to the band’s first release, filled with the same swagger and heavy hand as the band’s initial offerings, reinforcing the impact the band has had upon modern heavy rock, stoner rock, and driving blues genres.

Written for the first Hermano sessions, Never Boulevard was tracked during the last few hours while recording in Cincinnati during the winter of 1998. Rediscovered while organizing the master tapes for the Ripple catalog reissues and utilizing the original core tracks, the band has finally brought the song to completion twenty-six 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. Breathe 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 twenty-six years. We are looking eagerly forward to continuing this reissues and special editions journey with Ripple . . . so hang onto your hats because we have a lot more coming and a long way to go. Breathing new life into our catalog and having the opportunity to release special collections like Breathe, well, it is an especially 'dream-come-true' time for all of us. For that, and to all who have continued to stay interested, thank you.”
John, Dave, Mike, Chris, and Dandy

**Even though these records are pristine. please be aware we DO NOT issue refunds or replacements for minor cosmetic damage, such as corner dings, bends, split inserts, split covers, and so on. We pack our vinyl very securely and carefully but in some cases this type of wear is simply unavoidable in shipping. We can not be held accountable for how the Post Office handles your items. Please allow 10-14 days (usually) for order processing and shipping**

***GDPR NOTICE - BY PLACING AN ORDER IN THE RIPPLE MUSIC BIGCARTEL STORE, YOU AUTOMATICALLY ACCEPT BEING ADDED TO OUR NEWSLETTER MAILING LIST, WHERE WE REGULARLY WILL SEND OUT EMAILS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE LABEL’S ACTIVITIES SUCH AS INFO ON PRE-ORDERS AND UPCOMING RELEASES. YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS IS STORED SECURELY BY US AND IS NOT EVER SHARED, SOLD, OR DISTRIBUTED TO THIRD PARTIES, NEITHER WILL IT BE USED FOR OTHER COMMERCIAL USE OR UNRELATED ADVERTISING. WITH EACH NEWSLETTER THERE IS AN OPT-OUT UNSUBSCRIBE OPTION THAT CAN BE USED AT ANY TIME.*