Review: Hermano ‘Clisson, France’
As someone who names John Garcia amongst his top three vocalists, Hermano have always been a project of supreme cool. Not as celebrated as the act that made the velvet-throated singer’s name, but frequently spoken of with the same love as the legendary frontman’s other post-Kyuss projects like Unida and Slo Burn.
After acquiring full ownership of their entire catalogue, the supergroup – featuring Garcia, producer and mastermind Dandy Brown, Mike Callahan (guitar), Dave Angstrom (guitar) and Chris Leathers (drums) – have set about working with the good folks at Ripple Music to sonically update their three studio albums and live material through remixing, remastering, and reissuing via the San Francisco-based label.
This partnership kicked off in 2023 with the reissue of their debut, Only A Suggestion, as the first part of an ongoing series. It was followed in 2024 by the When The Moon Was High EP – their first new material in over fifteen years – which culminated in a stunning headline performance at the 2025 edition of Hellfest.
Now they step back in time to 2016 and treat us to a 10th anniversary edition of when they broke an eight-year live silence for a stirring one-off performance at Hellfest in the titular location of Clisson, France. Responding to impassioned calls from their rabid fanbase, the band delivered a highly spontaneous performance that became an instant classic. It cemented their legacy, showcasing the individual power of the members and the obvious chemistry they have forged.
The fifty-minute set sees them in a boisterous mood, with energy crackling off the stage. With little fanfare and a simple ‘hello,’ they power into the galloping grooves of Left Side Bleedingfrom their third album, 2007’s Into The Exam Room.
The live mix is raw and blunts some of the more melodic side of the band’s delivery. It’s an aggressive, commanding performance that sees them battering the audience as they crunch and pound in lockstep, like it’s as natural as breathing. Leathers beats the drums as if they owe him money, and if you close your eyes, you can picture Callahan and Angstrom’s duelling guitars over the ever-present rumble of Brown’s bass.
Speaking of on top, Garcia soars, snarls, whoops and croons as he holds the crowd in the palm of his hand for the entire set. Sprinkling the performance with humorous banter like ‘Put down your Pentagrams and shit, we just want to fuck this place up together for a little bit’, before tearing into the lurching groove of The Bottle, as the band settle into the show with the ease of consummate professionals.
Garcia’s voice rings out clearly, and the band rock with effortless cool as they rip through material drawn equally from all three of their studio albums. Numbers like the trashy Cowboys Suck and the blues boogie of 5 To 5 nestle alongside deep cuts like My Boy and Kentucky as they balance moments of high-speed barrage and swaggering rock and roll.
Garcia soars, snarls, whoops and croons as he holds the crowd in the palm of his hand…
Over the course of the show, it is possible to pick out highlights from each individual members, the aforementioned The Bottle features blistering wah pedal abuse, and Senor Moreno’s Plan features snaking guitar lines towering over the steady rhythmic thump of the drums. Elsewhere on My Boy, after introducing the band by the locations they travelled from to be there, they playfully tease out the track’s climactic moments with the bounce of Brown’s bass and power into instinctive jamming.
Over the course of the show, it is possible to pick out highlights from each individual member. The aforementioned The Bottle features blistering wah pedal abuse, while Senor Moreno’s Plan boasts snaking guitar lines towering over the steady rhythmic thump of the drums. Elsewhere, on My Boy, after introducing the band by the locations they travelled from, they playfully tease out the track’s climactic moments with the bounce of Brown’s bass and power into instinctive jamming.
The slow-burning, smoky Love – a lost gem that wouldn’t see an official release until When The Moon Was High – is a particular highlight, chock-full of their trademark heavy blues. It’s the kind of sneak peek that has fans salivating for more substantial, contemporary releases from the collective, especially given that this performance took place a decade ago
As a fan, it is easy to grumble at Hermano’s infrequent appearances and elongated gaps in activity. And as frustrating as that may be to swallow when their full magic is on display, it is exactly this kind of performance that cements why the band are so special. Finally getting to see them in London this May is an absolutely unmissable appointment for yours truly
As they head to the finish line with a closing quartet – the low, winding vibe of Alone Jeffe, the smash-mouth Kentucky, the one-two punch of Manager’s Special and a particularly savage Angry American – it feels like a victory lap and an acknowledgement that the festival plays a special part in the band’s history.
At the time, it was judged as a festival highlight, stealing the spotlight on a bill that featured massive names like Black Sabbath, Rammstein, Korn, and Slayer, alongside a host of up-and-comers. Yet, the deafening sound of the rapturous, baying crowd after the final notes fall silent shows exactly how much love is held for them and the music they make.
As we wait with bated breath for the next studio output from the band, praying that schedules and desires align, Clisson, France not only whets the appetite, but reminds the world that Hermano simply make great fucking music. Given the calibre of the performers, how could they not?
Label: Ripple Music
Band Links: Spotify
Scribed by: Mark Hunt-Bryden
