For the perpetually busy High Desert Queen, this Midwestern run alongside fellow Austinites Gran Moreno in April will precede a Spring European tour set to take place in May. It’s 12 shows, which I’d call more than a warmup, but you can see that part of the occasion is a slot at the second Midwest Doom Coalition Stoner Doom Festival, to be held in Lawrence, Kansas, and of course at this point, High Desert Queen just go. They don’t really need an excuse. Their latest album, 2024’s Palm Reader (review here), will turn two years old while they do this tour.

Gran Moreno‘s debut album, El Sol (discussed here), on the other hand, just came out this month. They were recently brought under the wing of Lick of My Spoon Management, headed by High Desert Queen‘s Ryan Garney, and so yes, the pairing makes sense across multiple levels. I would expect more dates to come from both of these outfits, but perhaps that’s a no-brainer so early in the year. Nonetheless, here I stand, sans brain.

From social media:

HIGH DESERT QUEEN & GRAN MORENO: MIDWEST TAKEOVER TOUR!

High Desert Queen is getting back on the road and looking to take their “Texas sized riffs” to the Midwest. The band is ready to chase tornadoes with the quickly rising Gran Moreno. What show will be see you at?

“We are excited to finally announce we will be hitting the road with our good friends from Austin @granmorenomusic who are hot off a debut album release! There will be lots of energy, heavy riffs, and free hugs!” -Ryan of HDQ

Midwest Takeover Tour:
4/09 Little Rock, AK Stickyz
4/10 Nashville, TN The 5 Spot
4/11 Indianapolis, IN The 808
4/12 Chicago, IL Reggies
4/13 Detroit, MI Sanctuary
4/14 Madison, WI Gamma Ray
4/15 Milwaukee, WI X-Ray Arcade
4/16 Davenport, IA Raccoon Motel
4/17 Lawrence, KS Bottleneck (MDC Doom Fest)
4/18 Tulsa, OK Whittier Bar
4/19 Fort Worth, TX The Cicada
4/20 Austin, TX Far Out Lounge

http://highdesertqueen.bandcamp.com/
http://www.instagram.com/highdesertqueen
https://www.facebook.com/highdesertqueen/

http://store.merhq.com
http://magneticeyerecords.com/
https://www.instagram.com/magneticeyerecords/
https://www.facebook.com/MagneticEyeRecords

granmoreno.bandcamp.com
instagram.com/granmorenomusic

High Desert Queen, Palm Reader (2024)

Gran Moreno, El Sol (2026)

Austin, Texas-based heavy rockers Gran Moreno will make their self-released full-length debut on Jan. 17 with El Sol. The Mexican-rooted brotherly duo and recent Lick of My Spoon Management pickups first casually dropped “Temple of Fire” as a standalone single earlier this year, and perhaps unsurprisingly given the title, it’s a burner. The album version premieres below, built around an immediately inviting riff with breaks infused with Mexican folk guitar.

I haven’t heard the full record yet, but in other singles like the blues-fuzzy “Huracán,” the organ-inclusive stoner rock shuffle of “La Mentira” or the six-minute closer “Hikuri,” the bilingual-lyric two-piece explore a similar range, if not as starkly. They have the energy of a young outfit and the self-awareness of knowing what they’re about in terms of songwriting, and though it seems weird to say more than a year in advance from when it might be relevant, I’m holding a place in my ongoing notes file for the best debut albums of 2026 for El Sol based just on what they’ve already put out.

A bit of hype? Maybe less so if you call it bookkeeping, but what I’m basing that on is that when I listen to “Temple of Fire” or any of Gran Moreno‘s other tracks to this point, what I’m hearing is that the song is paramount, and everything the band does is in service to the song. Take the acoustic guitar worked into “Temple of Fire,” just as an example, or the pedal steel on “Huracán.” It isn’t an indulgence and it isn’t shoehorned in so that nerds like me on the internet could talk about arrangement depth. It’s there because they knew the song needed it to be there.

That not only are Gran Moreno willing to push themselves to think outside their own box before they’ve really finished building it, but that they’re willing to bring in guest players to help them do it, immediately defying the duo construction of the band, is admirable enough. That the results aren’t self-indulgent slop is where I really hear the potential in Gran Moreno. I’m a big fan of bands knowing what they want to do and doing it. When that happens in out-of-the-gate style, so much the more exciting.

The song is below. I would encourage you to take a listen and see if you hear what I hear. There’s a second player at the bottom with all the other tracks.

Gran Moreno, “Temple of Fire” premiere

Preorder link: https://granmoreno.bandcamp.com/album/el-sol

Austin duo Gran Moreno have announced their forthcoming debut studio album El Sol, and are sharing a new single “Temple of Fire.”

Gran Moreno emerges as one of the most captivating voices in the new wave of psychedelic rock. With a sound rooted in analog warmth and expansive textures, the Austin-based band crafts songs that feel like sonic mirages — equal parts groove, grit, and atmosphere. Their music lives at the intersection of distortion and introspection, where hypnotic riffs, heavy rhythms, and emotionally charged melodies build immersive landscapes that demand to be felt as much as heard.

At the core of Gran Moreno is a deep commitment to storytelling through sound. Their upcoming album is a conceptual two-part release: Side A: El Sol and Side B: La Luna. Each side represents a different emotional plane — El Sol radiates urgency, energy, and clarity, while La Luna leans into shadow, mystery, and reflection. The first release, El Sol, captures the band at full intensity, delivering a vivid, unfiltered introduction to their evolving identity.

El Sol will be available on LP and download on January 17th, 2026. Pre-orders are available HERE: https://granmoreno.bandcamp.com/album/el-sol

Artist: Gran Moreno
Album: El Sol
Label: Self-released
Release Date: January 17, 2026

01. Las Montañas
02. Aztlan
03. Huracan
04. Temple of Fire
05. La Mentira
06. Oaxaca – Please Don’t Cry
07. Hikuri
08. California Blues

Produced by Gran Moreno and Ray García

Drums recorded at Electric Deluxe by Will Grantham
Recording Assistant: Ray García

All other instruments and vocals recorded at Exit Disco Studio by Ray García, performed by Gran Moreno

Except:
• Pedal Steel on “Huracán” by Akin Francis
• Backing Vocals on “Huracán” by Sofía Isabel Flores aka (SoDés)
• Piano on “La Mentira” by Will T. Patterson
• Saxophone on “OAXACA” by Juan Pantoja “El Pollo”
• Trumpet on “OAXACA” by Emmanuel “Chobby”
• Percussion on “OAXACA” by Elias Ramírez

Mixed and mastered by Seiji Rafael Hino at SL Studio

Gran Moreno, El Sol (2026)

Gran Moreno on Bandcamp

Gran Moreno on Instagram

Gran Moreno on Facebook

I haven’t sat with the full Gran Moreno album, but January 2026 is far enough away in my head that it’s deep within an unknowable future, rather than three months out and we’re at the start of a reasonably standard prerelease promotional push, and I dig everything I’ve caught thus far from it. To wit, the new single is “Hikuri,” which is listed as the closer on the band’s Bandcamp (in the tracklisting below from the PR wire it has “California Blues” after; may be a difference between versions or pressings, I don’t know), and goes about two minutes before it really hits into its heavier turn to mark it out in the late-album place it occupies. Killer.

On the player, you’ll also find “Huracán” and the driving “La Mentira,” and each one offers something distinct from the others while keeping threads of tone and melody going between them. These guys played Ripplefest Texas 2025 last month, and would’ve been one more reason to go if you did. Seems unlikely given what I’ve heard thus far that it’ll be their last.

From the PR wire:

Gran Moreno share “Hikuri” single from forthcoming El Sol album

Austin heavy psych duo’s debut studio album out January 17th

Streaming: https://album.link/GranMoreno-Hikuri

Austin duo Gran Moreno announce their forthcoming debut studio album El Sol today, sharing a new single “Hikuri” on all streaming platforms. “Hikuri” is now available to hear and share on all DSPs HERE: https://album.link/GranMoreno-Hikuri

Gran Moreno emerges as one of the most captivating voices in the new wave of psychedelic rock. With a sound rooted in analog warmth and expansive textures, the Austin-based band crafts songs that feel like sonic mirages — equal parts groove, grit, and atmosphere. Their music lives at the intersection of distortion and introspection, where hypnotic riffs, heavy rhythms, and emotionally charged melodies build immersive landscapes that demand to be felt as much as heard.

At the core of Gran Moreno is a deep commitment to storytelling through sound. Their upcoming album is a conceptual two-part release: Side A: El Sol and Side B: La Luna. Each side represents a different emotional plane — El Sol radiates urgency, energy, and clarity, while La Luna leans into shadow, mystery, and reflection. The first release, El Sol, captures the band at full intensity, delivering a vivid, unfiltered introduction to their evolving identity.

On stage, Gran Moreno transforms their sound into a full-body experience. Their live shows blend sonic power with visual depth, pulling audiences into a shared trance that feels both personal and communal. As they continue to shape their universe with bold creativity and a fierce independent spirit, Gran Moreno isn’t just making music — they’re building a world of their own.

El Sol will be available on LP and download on January 17th, 2026. Pre-orders are available HERE: https://granmoreno.bandcamp.com/album/el-sol

Artist: Gran Moreno
Album: El Sol
Label: Self-released
Release Date: January 17, 2026

01. Las Montañas
02. Aztlan
03. Huracan
04. Temple of Fire
05. La Mentira
06. Oaxaca – Please Don’t Cry
07. Hikuri
08. California Blues

Produced by Gran Moreno and Ray García

Drums recorded at Electric Deluxe by Will Grantham
Recording Assistant: Ray García

All other instruments and vocals recorded at Exit Disco Studio by Ray García, performed by Gran Moreno

Except:
• Pedal Steel on “Huracán” by Akin Francis
• Backing Vocals on “Huracán” by Sofía Isabel Flores aka (SoDés)
• Piano on “La Mentira” by Will T. Patterson
• Saxophone on “OAXACA” by Juan Pantoja “El Pollo”
• Trumpet on “OAXACA” by Emmanuel “Chobby”
• Percussion on “OAXACA” by Elias Ramírez

Mixed and mastered by Seiji Rafael Hino at SL Studio

granmoreno.bandcamp.com
instagram.com/granmorenomusic

Gran Moreno, El Sol (2026)