Grammy Award-nominated songwriter, vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, and producer Wolfgang Van Halen continues to separate MAMMOTH from the pack. The music stands alone on a basis anchored by his spectacular sonic proficiency (throughout drums, bass, keys, and guitar) and hermetic arena-size hooks with unforgettable vocals. He harbors an irresistible signature sound, creative imaginative and prescient, and incomparable id vaunted by a fervent international fanbase. For as distinctive because the music is, his story up to now proves to be simply as unprecedented. That is arguably the primary laborious rock act to genuinely escape from floor zero within the 2020s, producing north of 100 million streams, toppling charts, and promoting out headline excursions lower than 5 years since its debut.
As all the time, Wolfgang pushes ahead on MAMMOTH‘s third full-length LP, “The Finish” (BMG).
“I am continuously striving to be my very own distinctive artist despite the fact that my final identify naturally generates comparisons,” says Wolfgang. “I am pleased with this file as a result of it represents main development in all angles. There is a sense of development to the songwriting. I feel it is a huge turning level.”
He definitely put within the work to achieve this level. Again in 2021, MAMMOTH‘s first providing, “Mammoth WVH”, took flight, bowing at No. 12 on the Billboard 200 and capturing No. 1 on three Billboard charts — Prime Laborious Rock Albums, Prime Unbiased Albums, and Prime Rock Albums. “Distance” soared as the primary of two No. 1 rock radio hits and earned a Grammy Award nomination for “Finest Rock Track”. Two years later, “Mammoth II” solely noticed him choose up the tempo. It debuted within the Prime 5 of the Billboard Prime Album Gross sales chart along with bringing him again to No. 1 on the Prime Laborious Rock Albums chart. Inciting widespread applause from Rolling Stone, Guitar World, Grammy.com, Kerrang! and extra, Traditional Rock hailed it as “a solo second that betters his debut in each division,” and American Songwriter applauded, “‘II’ reveals a better illustration of what MAMMOTH is now and Van Halen‘s dynamism as a musician and as a author.” The band canvased the globe with METALLICA, supported FOO FIGHTERS in North America, supported CREED on their record-breaking tour in addition to filling homes on their very own. They carried out on NBC‘s “Immediately”, ABC‘s “Jimmy Kimmel Stay!” and on the 2024 MusiCares “Individual Of The Yr” profit gala in honor of Jon Bon Jovi. To not point out, Wolfgang shared the stage with Ryan Gosling, Mark Ronson and Slash on the 2024 Academy Awards performing “I am Simply Ken” from the blockbuster “Barbie” film. He additionally joined Maynard James Keenan (TOOL, A PERFECT CIRCLE),Chad Smith (RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS),Robert Trujillo (METALLICA) and producer Andrew Watt for the Rock And Roll Corridor Of Fame induction of Ozzy Osbourne that very same yr.
All through late 2024, Wolfgang constructed the framework for “The Finish”. Relatively than compose demos on his laptop, he took a distinct strategy. Recording at 5150 Studios with longtime producer Michael “Elvis” Baskette, he demoed components by really performing them within the second and actually operating backwards and forwards between devices.
“Up to now, I’d use Logic Professional to take a seat there and sort out a drum half with MIDI drums after which play guitar to it,” he recollects. “This time, I used to be capable of play guitar within the second, run out, and play drums. It was far more enjoyable to take a seat on the equipment and carry out what naturally got here to me. Doing these components again to again in actual time was a recreation changer. We had been making demos dwell, which I’ve by no means accomplished. It was so necessary to this file.”
As such, the music teems with an simple sense of urgency. You may hear it loud and clear on lead single “The Finish”. Frenetic two-hand tapping lights the fuse for the monitor as an equally unpredictable bassline solutions in variety. Surrounded by sonic fireworks, he points an apocalyptically superb invitation on the chorus, “Take your hand in mine and watch the tip with me,” culminating on one final head-spinning solo.
“I’ve had the tapping thought on the intro since earlier than MAMMOTH,” he divulges. “I used to be capable of match it into this world. It is nonetheless over-the-top and shreddy, nevertheless it’s additionally melodic and managed. General, I used to be doing a little various things on the file, and I knew this was going to be a giant step. As soon as we completed ‘The Finish’, it felt actually particular to me. I knew it needed to be the title of the album. It has duality. It may be a superb factor or a nasty factor — the tip of excellent instances or the tip of unhealthy instances.”
It additionally set the tone for a free thematic thread throughout the file. He goes on, “Writing is a therapeutic expertise, and it helps me cope with many issues emotionally. I had a nasty panic assault that fucked me up final yr. So, ‘The Finish’ represents the way it feels just like the world is over in my mind throughout any second of trial or tribulation. Even when it looks as if the tip, there’s all the time a solution to get via it and a lightweight on the finish of the tunnel. It isn’t an idea album, however all the subjects are intently associated.”
Elsewhere, a palm-muted groove units “The Spell” in movement. The incisive riff ping-pongs throughout an off-kilter drumbeat. Within the eye of the storm, he assures, “No matter spell your underneath, bleeding your surprise, we will work this out.”
“‘The Spell’ lent itself to extra of a woozy seventies rock vibe, and I acquired snug with vocal runs I would not have accomplished earlier than,” he states. “It is a good-feeling tune. For those who aren’t hip to musical technicality, you’ll be able to get pleasure from it. For those who’re tremendous into cool riffs and drum fills, these are there too. My M.O. in MAMMOTH is to have enjoyable musically, however by no means let it get in the way in which of the tune.”
Then, there’s the swaggering stomp of “Similar Previous Track”. In between blinking piano keys, overdriven chords underline an unshakable chant, “Why’d you must be the identical? I feel you misplaced your self alongside the way in which. You sit and sing the identical previous tune like everybody.”
“It is acquired the traditional MAMMOTH fuzzy guitar,” he says. “It is virtually just like the sequel to ‘Do not Again Down’. It is the identical kind of ‘Do not fuck with me’ enviornment tune, nevertheless it looks like an evolution. For those who like MAMMOTH already, you are going to dig it. Nevertheless, it is rhythmically fast and swaggy, which I would not usually do. You do not develop with out difficult your self.”
“Egocentric” goes proper for the jugular. Its breakneck drum roll collides right into a walloping punch of distortion delivered with the drive of an off-the-rails freight practice. In the meantime, he warns, “Due to your selfishness, every little thing you reside for, every little thing you like will all be gone.”
“It is one of many heavier songs we have accomplished,” he notes. “It is tremendous aggressive. The tempo actually ramps up simply earlier than this final exhale.”
Increasing the world of MAMMOTH, a bit of artwork by Moon Patrol adorns the duvet, depicting a person on fireplace. Plus, Wolfgang co-wrote the music video for “The Finish” with none apart from legendary filmmaker Robert Rodriguez (“Desperado”, “Sin Metropolis”, “Spy Youngsters”) who acquired behind the digital camera for the visible. Collectively, they throw it again to Rodriguez‘s cult favourite Quentin Tarantino collab “From Nightfall Until Daybreak”. Greg Nicotero (“The Strolling Useless”) offered the make-up in addition to cameos by Danny Trejo, Slash, Myles Kennedy and his mom, Valerie Bertinelli. It is Wolfgang such as you’ve by no means seen him.
“The Finish” additionally sees Wolfgang embrace the identify “MAMMOTH” with out the preliminary “WVH” that beforehand adopted.
“I’ve needed to be simply ‘MAMMOTH‘ for the reason that starting,” he says. “We put in a loopy quantity of labor to get right here, and we have been capable of embrace this identify. It is also our first titled album and not using a quantity. It looks like a rebirth.”
In the end, MAMMOTH will all the time stand alone.
“That is every little thing to me,” he leaves off. “It is much more particular and necessary that individuals world wide have discovered which means in it and derived enjoyment from listening to it and coming to reveals. I might be doing this regardless. It brings my life objective and happiness. It helps me course of feelings and life. When it reaches another person, it is probably the most superb feeling. That is my important precedence. It is all I need to do.”
Photograph by Travis Shinn
