Topics › All Forums › General › Wolfgang Van Halen News › Reviews: Mammoth
| June 8, 2021 at 10:49 pm Quote #64194 | |
 ron (11778) | http://www.blabbermouth.net/cdreviews/mammoth/ MAMMOTH WVH (EX1) 01. Mr. Ed RATING: 8/10 When you’re the son of arguably the greatest heavy metal guitarist of all time, pursuing a career in music will always occur under unimaginable pressure. No one could criticize Wolfgang Van Halen for taking so many years to finally feel able to unleash his singular creativity, and any residual doubts will vanish quickly when people actually hear this thing. “Mammoth” is neither in thrall to its creator’s illustrious heritage, nor guilty of the timidity that could easily have held him back. Instead, Wolfgang’s first full-blown musical statement is a joy from start to finish and coins a wholly individual take on modern heavy/alternative rock in the process. Of course, the untimely passing of his legendary dad has lent the first MAMMOTH WVH album plenty of extra emotional oomph, but “Mammoth” thrums with sincerity and warmth anyway: these are big-hearted songs, powerfully played. An understated songwriter and endearingly un-flashy multi-instrumentalist, Wolfgang Van Halen played every instrument and wrote every song. As a result, the whole thing truly swings; his fabulously belligerent drumming is a particularly thrilling revelation. Meanwhile, with a subtly diverse array of styles that encompasses everything from bullish, straightforward, FOO FIGHTERS-style hard rock to hazy, psychedelic Americana with lovable TOM PETTY vibes, “Mammoth” is quietly adventurous and wonderfully dynamic. It begins with the absurdly catchy “Mr. Ed”, wherein Wolfgang delivers a powerhouse vocal over some irresistibly gritty radio rock, setting a bright and thunderous tone for everything that follows. Although still melodic to its core, “Horribly Right” showcases a gnarlier edge to the MAMMOTH WVH sound, juddering, sludgy riffs battling it out with another supremely memorable chorus; “Epiphany” is a shuffling, sky-punching, arena rock explosion; “Don’t Back Down” is balls-out stoner rock, with a particularly mighty vocal from the man himself, and riffs that gleefully twist the SABBATH-ian blueprint. There are more mellow moments too, all underpinned by the sturdiest of rhythm sections. “Resolve” is a loose-limbed, bluesy sprawl; “Circles” is a sun-scorched drift across some shimmering desert plain, with a wildly dramatic final crescendo; “Think It Over” is exquisite and oddly timeless power pop with a faint AOR sheen; epic closer “Stone” is downbeat but dreamlike, switching from a tense, ghostly creep to billowing waves of overdriven pomp, stopping off for some angular doom riffing along the way. Elsewhere, those craving some nuts-out hard rock will be well served, particularly by the sharp and snotty “You’ll Be The One” and the strutting blues metal of “You’re To Blame”. Throughout it all, a strong impression is given of a musician with a very clear idea of what he wants to do and all the requisite skills to make that vision real. “Mammoth” exists in no one’s shadow. This is a bold and eminently lovable debut, full of great songs and electrifying performances. A chip off the old block, then, but this is the start of a new legacy. ronQuote |
| June 10, 2021 at 7:21 am Quote #64202 | |
| ron (11778) | http://ultimateclassicrock.com/mammoth-wvh-album-review/ Mammoth WVH, ‘Mammoth WVH’: Album Review Wolfgang Van Halen successfully lives up to his family name while carving out a separate identity and sound on his debut album, Mammoth WVH. This is quite a narrow needle to thread, at an undeniably difficult time for the younger Van Halen, whose guitar-hero father Eddie died in October 2020. In addition to his personal grief, the reverence and protective bubble surrounding the elder Van Halen’s legacy was at a fever pitch. Some online critics even accused Wolfgang of capitalizing on his dad’s death with the tribute-paying debut single “Distance.” But one listen to Mammoth WVH makes it clear he isn’t trying to hop on the Van Halen nostalgia train. Apart from a sly lightning-quick quote from Fair Warning’s “So This Is Love?” at the end of “Don’t Back Down,” there’s no obvious trace of his family’s band here: no flashy guitar solos, none of David Lee Roth or Sammy Hagar’s vocal swagger and no winking sexual wordplay. There is a clear family connection to be found in the high level of musicianship on Mammoth WVH, on which Wolfgang handles every vocal and instrumental part. But he’s pulling from a different and newer set of influences, with more earnest and emotionally open lyrics. “The Big Picture” channels prime Alice in Chains, the unabashedly catchy “Think It Over” reveals the influence of pop-punk band Jimmy Eat World and a love of Queens of the Stone Age shines through on “Don’t Back Down.” The songwriting is sharp and admirably varied throughout Mammoth WVH, with the churning bass, chiming acoustic guitars and yearning vocals of “Resolve” and the epic metallic closing track “Stone” adding to the album’s display of creative range. There are plenty of clever, complex instrumental bits to reward repeated listens, but they never detract from the disciplined focus on structure, hooks and melodies. It’s going to be fascinating to hear how Wolfgang’s music evolves on future albums. Mammoth WVH was completed nearly three years before its release, and it arrives before he’s even served as a bandleader in front of a paying audience. But it’s hard to ask for a more promising start. ronQuote |
| June 10, 2021 at 2:01 pm Quote #64206 | |
 jorge (454) | |
| June 11, 2021 at 3:00 pm Quote #64214 | |
| ron (11778) | Mammoth WVH — Mammoth WVH Wolfgang Van Halen’s debut under the Mammoth WVH moniker, on first listen, has the straight ahead rock of a Velvet Revolver, Daughtry, or Shinedown record. However, there are a lot of progressive rock elements under the hood. Lot of energy too. It feels like a radio rock album in that regard, but it’s one that would shake up the format, which is welcomed. ronQuote |
| June 11, 2021 at 5:01 pm Quote #64215 | |
 Vince G. (2261) | My entire order won’t arrive until next Thursday, but my red vinyl versions will be here tomorrow. I’m headed to an indie record store tomorrow for RSD and they just told they’ll have an “indie exclusive” version on black ice vinyl. Vince G.Quote |
| June 11, 2021 at 9:52 pm Quote #64217 | |
| ron (11778) | http://bravewords.com/reviews/mammoth-wvh-mammoth-wvh MAMMOTH WVH — Mammoth WVH (EX1 Records/Explorer1 Music Group) Sydney Taylor Rating: 8.0 When you hear the words “Van Halen”, you can’t help but think of hard rock’s ultimate party band that brought songs like “Ain’t Talkin ‘Bout Love”, “Unchained”, and “Hot For Teacher” to the forefront of popular culture, as well as the innovative musicianship of two of rock’s most iconic musicians: Eddie and Alex Van Halen. Apart from the two Van Halen’s whose talents defined a generation of good times and debauchery; another Van Halen came onto the scene in 2006, when Eddie’s own flesh and blood Wolfgang Van Halen replaced original bassist Michael Anthony, and made the decade-spanning legacy of Van Halen a true family affair; with the exception of legendary frontman David Lee Roth of course. After almost a decade of re-creating some of hard rock’s most memorable bass lines (even laying down a few of his own on the band’s 2007 release A Different Kind Of Truth) as well as appearing on two studio recordings for the band Tremonti, Wolfgang Van Halen has bared his heart and soul in his self-titled debut record, Mammoth WVH. In a statement on his website, it’s revealed that the name of Wolfgang’s solo project is a tribute to his dad’s original choice for a band name pre-Van Halen: Mammoth. “The name Mammoth is really special to me,” says Wolfgang. “Not only was it the name of Van Halen before it became Van Halen, but my father was also the lead singer. Ever since my dad told me this, I always thought that when I grew up, I’d call my own band Mammoth, because I loved the name so much. I’m so thankful that my father was able to listen to, and enjoy the music I made. Nothing made me happier than seeing how proud he was that I was continuing the family legacy.” He has definitely succeeded in doing so. Mammoth WVH’s debut is a true testament to the seemingly unlimited talent of the Van Halen bloodline. But despite Wolfgang’s namesake and the ever-present expectation that comes with being the son of a true hard rock and heavy metal pioneer, he has managed to walk away with a final product that is entirely and uniquely his own. The entire record consisting of 14 tracks is solely written and recorded by Wolfgang himself; although Van Halen has an accompanying band joining him for live performances, including his tour with Guns ‘N Roses that kicks off this summer. The world was moved to tears upon the release of the album’s first single, “Distance”, a tribute to Wolfgang’s late father Eddie Van Halen who passed away in October of 2020. Since the record’s first single release in November, Wolfgang Van Halen has released additional singles from the record and has shown hard rock and heavy metal fans alike that he can not only master a powerfully personal ballad, but also lay down heavy, guitar-focused tracks like “Don’t Back Down” and “You’re To Blame”, or the album’s opener – the riff-oriented “Mr. Ed” – the title serving as an homage to his late father. The entire length of Mammoth WVH seems to have a pulse that beats to the same rhythm of artists such as the Foo Fighters or Alter Bridge. A personal favorite is the record’s fifth track, the melodic “Resolve” that leads us in with resonant acoustic guitars and breaks into a catchy chorus with soaring, harmonic backing vocals. Mammoth WVH exudes creativity, flair, craftsmanship, and Wolfgang’s personal and long-awaited stamp on what will become his own legacy. It’s not easy to follow in the footsteps of a guitar-hero, but Wolfgang Van Halen has managed to do so with ease. With an entrance such as this into the spotlight, Mammoth WVH is bound for success. ronQuote |
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.