In the myth of Castor and Pollux, the mortal and immortal twins, we see a tension that transcends ancient lore—two halves of a whole, each navigating the struggles of their respective realms. This duality, so central to their story, resonates deeply with Oscar Herrera’s latest musical offering, Castor and Pollux. In an age where myth and reality are often blurred by digital filters and social expectations, Herrera’s music explores what it means to reconcile the divine and the earthly within ourselves.
Following last year’s impressive retirement years debut, Songs For The Fallen Mountain King, Herrera turned once again to the collective power of his musical court—and to the crowd itself. As the fallen king rose through the collective power of fans and music lovers, the mythical twins shall as well.
Herrera, a veteran of the American darkwave scene, drawing on his decades of experience with bands like Black Tape For A Blue Girl, El Duende, and The Sleep of Reason, has found his groove as a solo artist—and he’s not holding back. If anything, the gift of time most people mishandle during retirement has become a boon of creativity for him.
Where Songs For The Fallen Mountain King was a grand tapestry of layered styles and lush instrumentation, Castor and Pollux channels a more direct energy—less baroque, more bombastic. As Herrera puts it, “For Castor and Pollux I wanted to make it more streamlined and make it sound more like one band. It rocks a little harder.” Most of side one revives tracks once performed live with The Sleep of Reason, while side two features all-new compositions, a reflection of a man both honoring his past and forging new ground.
The record is a collaboration of trusted allies, each adding their own spark to the project. Longtime partner George Berkowitz once again takes up the mantle of drummer and co-producer, while musicians like bassist Greg Young and guitarist Alex Sanchez—veterans of Herrera’s earlier bands—return to the fold. Also involved are former El Duende bassist Yovannis Roque, saxophonist Richard Rosales, Thomas Gumino on keys and strings, vocalist Tamika Tyan, and the horn section of Sergio Wagner, Ramiro Flores, and Juan Canosa.
“All of us carry the seed of the divine,” Herrera muses. “But at the same time, we answer to earthly desires. It’s this struggle between how far we’re willing to conform and how much we hold ourselves back to fit into society’s evolving views of success. That’s the tension I find fascinating—and it’s all over this album.”
With Castor and Pollux, Herrera answers the question so many creatives grapple with as they grow older: do I still have it?
“My goal is a record a year and I’m aiming for the next record to have all brand-new songs. The other thing that drives me, and I think this is a question many creative people have as they grow older, can I still create? Obviously, I’m not aiming to be a rock star, but I still have something to say, and I can still enjoy the process of making music. My soul is as young as ever.”
Check out Oscar Herrera’s Kickstarter campaign by clicking here.
