Some would call Hermano a supergroup. The guys in the band would call Hermano a group of friends who get together every now and then to play music and hang out with people they love.
There is no real master plan for Hermano; when the moons align and the band can get together to play, they make it happen. Whenever that is, it is always magical for the fans of a band that is insanely influential to what the stoner rock scene is today.
I say no real plan, but with their recent signing to Ripple Music, Hermano has begun to empty the vaults as they say, with repressing’s/remasters and a bit of new material that we have seen or will soon see via the best label in heavy rock.
This includes Clisson, France, Hermano captured live at Hellfest in 2016. The guys all flew in from different parts of the US, had about two hours to practice after not playing with each other as a band for years, and proceeded to rip the place up and tear the place down with their blend of heavy blues stoner rock and roll.
Clisson, France is somehow a band hitting on all cylinders playing their first show in years. John Garcia is one of the best frontmen ever and he is in top form, both in voice and in banter (he’s not a huge banter guy, but whatever he says is always perfect for the vibe). The dual guitar attack of Mike Callahan and Dave Angstrom pair perfectly and destroy the 10,000 -plus crowd with a mountain-load of riffs.
The rhythm second of Dandy Brown and Chris Leathers settled in like they have been playing on the regular daily, with the latter showing zero rust after not playing drums for something like eight years before the show. The songs on Clisson, France are a smattering from their three records from the 2000s, a pretty much perfect setlist for a Hermano fan to see them play at Hellfest.
Opening with Left Side Bleeding and closing with Angry American is perfect, and my favourites, Senor Moreno’s Plan, Alone Jeffe, and Cowboys Suck all being represented amongst the twelve tracks included on the vinyl, so, yeah, this rules.
Hermano is a unique band in all possible ways. Let’s all celebrate these guys by grabbing Clisson, France, turning it up, putting your pentagrams down, and rocking the fuck out. 9/10
Predatory Void – Atoned In Metamorphosis (Pelagic Records) [Mark Young]
And now here’s February, after what felt like the longest month in the history of the world, we say hello to a short but very sweet EP, courtesy of Predatory Void. It’s a 4 track EP that clocks in at just under 14 minutes but don’t let that fool you. They leave a mark.
It follows on from their debut album Seven Keys To The Discomfort Of Being, and this is being touted as a more focused and direct set of songs. Make Me Whole is their lead off track, starting with a stripped back sound, a repeated vocal line that expands, guitar stabs in the background.
It’s the sort of song that could kick off any live show, that gradual build suddenly deploying itself and then spools into New Moon, this is more direct with melancholic cleans morphing into death growls.
The tonal shift is welcome, with certain aspects changing shape but not the guitar. Rather than drop into standard territory, it keeps its eye on maintaining the melodic line. They blur the lines between the light and dark without sounding forced, and the music itself is brought together so well. The fall into discord in its final act doesn’t sound out of place with what has come before, and in all honesty its one of those songs that move between lanes with ease.
Peeling Cycle is a beautiful piece, Lina R’s vocals are haunting and weary, set perfectly against the jarring melody before burning up with a guttural attack that flips the coin once more. It doesn’t go for the traditional approaches, its subtle in its heavy moments but still hits hard.
The final entry is Contemplation, and reminds me of gaze/grunge from the early 90’s. This is not a diss on their song at all, its more that the initial build just evokes that response in me, until they go on the attack once more.
It’s build is quality, an arrangement that doesn’t rely on having the most bottom end or double bass to move it along. It simply breathes, and by doing so moves at speed. In the space of those scant minutes, Predatory Void serve up 4 good songs and manage to say a lot more than some bands manage with 10 or more.
Its driven by purpose, each song landing almost on top of the one before so that there is no time to settle. January was by and large a bit flat, with Predatory Void, February is looking better! 8/10
Epimetheus – Perseus 9 (Self Released) [Matt Bladen]
Throbbing, hypnotic, meditative and grooving are all words you can use to describe the music of Bristol trio Epiemtheus. In the accompanying blurb all is explained as Cillian Breathnach “plays a self-assembled baritone aluminium-neck guitar tuned to drop F” while Ben Price’s “bass is in C standard.”
Both facts are important when understanding the music of Epimetheus, it’s rare that a guitar is tuned lower than a bass but because the baritone guitar, often used in place of bass, gives the record a low end that lets them manoeuvre their way through corridors of sludgy distortion and experimental noise.
All guided by the percussive rudder of drummer James Jackson. A band focussed on tone, their music undulates with repetition, a style that could only have been born in the accepting and encouraging Bristol artistic environment.
Few cities in the world would be tolerant of a band coming on with this sonic discordance, but if you’ve ever been to Bristol then you’ll know at any given moment you could have a harsh noise show, down the road from hardcore and across the way from dream pop. The baritone guitar bleeds into the bass and vice versa, both laden with effects to make a homogenous soundscape where cavernous riffage is the end goal.
Just check out the massive groove on the title track and you’ll get an ear ringing insight into Epimetheus, the lack of overdubs or additions keeping them true to how they perform live, their tracks crated to be performed by three players and all the limitations and benefits that has, recorded and engineered in one room along with Stan Braddock, they tapped Chris Fielding to master the record and he has given it his filthy overhaul. Incidentally Epimetheus will play an album launch show at Exchange in Bristol on 7th February, so I urge you to pick up this album before going to see if you can spot the difference.
Let’s talk about the record though and it’s inspired 70’s science fiction novels, where dystopia and grief are key themes (Terraform for instance), the loss of humanity or of loved ones all reflected through the soporific quality of their music. I defy you not to nod your head along to these tracks, Epimetheus have a way of swaddling you in their riffs, no matter how harsh of distorted they get, the reverbed vocals cutting through the circumvallation of sound, like a distant voice from beyond the stars.
Few bands can sound this primal and progressive at the same time, but Epimetheus manage it on Perseus 9. Born in the fertile Bristol scene but poised to go further, Epimetheus should be on your heavy radar for 2026. 9/10
Phendrana – Cathexis – (Independent Release) [Rick Eaglestone]
There are moments in progressive metal that transcend the mere assemblage of notes and rhythms, where atmosphere becomes architecture and emotion becomes entity. Phendrana’s Cathexis is one of those examples.
The album opens with Lamento, a haunting instrumental introduction that sets the tone for the entire journey. This atmospheric prelude weaves delicate piano melodies with subtle orchestration, creating an air of melancholic anticipation.
It’s a bold choice to begin with such restraint, but it proves masterful – the track establishes the album’s emotional landscape before the storm arrives. Chamber music influences blend seamlessly with prog-rock sensibilities, hinting at the sonic diversity to come.
The title track explodes into being with visceral intensity. At over eight minutes,
Cathexis showcases Phendrana operating at their most ambitious – the lyrics explore themes of arms eloping away and bodies suspended in time, painting vivid imagery of existential dread. Anuar Salum’s vocals shift effortlessly between soaring cleans and guttural roars, while the instrumental arrangement builds from delicate passages into crushing walls of sound.
Sentience represents the album’s emotional core, a nine-minute epic that explores the ominous presence of despair and listlessness. The lyrics are profoundly introspective – lines like “I am the emissary of despair, no matter the prayer, you’ll remain, forever marked with hidden stigmata under the cloth” reveal a songwriter unafraid to confront the darkest corners of the psyche.
Musically, the track demonstrates incredible dynamics, moving from atmospheric keyboards and gentle acoustic passages to explosive progressive metal assaults.
Mafoo’s lead guitar work shines throughout, delivering solos that feel both technically impressive and emotionally resonant. The interplay between Ana Bitrán’s ethereal female vocals and Salum’s harsh delivery adds another layer of complexity, creating a dialogue between hope and desperation. This is Phendrana at their most Opeth-like, channeling that band’s mastery of contrast while maintaining their own distinct voice.
The album concludes with its most ambitious statement yet. The Effigy & The Titan brings together all the threads woven throughout Cathexis – the chamber music elegance, the progressive metal intensity, and the raw emotional honesty. Daniel Droste of Ahab lends his distinctive doom-laden vocals to the track, adding gravitas and depth that perfectly complements Salum’s performance.
Gabriel Bitrán’s piano solo provides a moment of stunning beauty amidst the chaos and as the final notes fade, there’s a profound sense of catharsis, as if we’ve completed a journey through the states of the soul that Phendrana promised to explore.
Born from the ashes of a long and painful process of introspection, Cathexis truly embodies the existential journey through the states of the soul. Phendrana has created an album where the mind becomes a battleground for oneself, exploring themes of despair, isolation, and the search for meaning with unflinching honesty. The musical evolution on display here is remarkable. Retaining the raw emotion and dynamism from their previous work.
Phendrana has crafted something rare – music that sounds like the work of seasoned veterans while maintaining the hunger and innovation of artists with everything to prove.
A sprawling and ambitious odyssey. 9/10
When did you get the idea to build this new music project called Malforce?
