Earlier this week, Wolfgang Van Halen sat down for an exclusive chat with Guitar Interactive Magazine editor Jonathan Graham to discuss the new record from MAMMOTH WVH. Titled Mammoth II, the upcoming album from the band helmed by Wolf, is the follow-up to 2021’s self-titled effort, and is scheduled to be released on 4 August 2023 via BMG.
In this interview, Wolf gives us some incredible insight into the making of the new record, including which track he used the original Frankenstrat and Van Halen 1 "rig" for—recording at 5150 studios—how his uncle features on MAMMOTH II (but it might not be who you think)—and even shares his thoughts on the likelihood of a tribute concert for his Dad, Edward Van Halen.
As part of his promotional trip to the UK for MAMMOTH II, Wolf also treated us to an acoustic performance of new tracks "Another Celebration At The End Of The World" and "Like A Pastime" as well as a cover of Foo Fighters fan favourite "My Hero."
Continuing the tradition of writing all of the songs and performing all of the instrumentation and vocals himself, GRAMMY Award nominee Wolfgang Van Halen set out to challenge himself to expand his sound beyond what people had already come to know him for. From the rocking opener “Right?” to Beatles-esque fade on closer “Better Than You” Mammoth II showcases the growth of Wolfgang as a songwriter, musician and especially vocalist. Songs like “Miles Above Me,” “Take a Bow” and “Waiting” are all sonically different from each other but unique to what Mammoth WVH is. The debut single from Mammoth II is the upbeat rocker “Another Celebration at the End of the World” that is currently in the Top 15 at US Active Rock radio.
With the recent excitement around the announcement of MAMMOTH II and the success of the current single “Another Celebration at the End of the World,” Mammoth WVH's “Like a Pastime” is a superb follow-up from the upcoming second album slated for release on August 4 via BMG. The song is available via all digital service providers, and anyone that pre-orders the album digitally will receive the track as an instant download.
“It centers around a 4/4-time signature, but with a polyrhythm on top. I was teaching my fiancé what a polyrhythm is, and I stumbled upon this idea. The kick drums are accentuating it. It’s certainly one of my favorites and a completely different vibe than anything on the first album,” explains Wolfgang.
Mammoth II is set for release on August 4th via BMG. The upcoming album was recorded at the legendary 5150 studio, the album was produced by friend and collaborator Michael ‘Elvis’ Baskette. Pre-orders are available now
MAMMOTH II Track List:
1. Right?
2. Like A Pastime
3. Another Celebration At The End Of The World
4. Miles Above Me 5. Take A Bow
6. Optimist
7. I’m Alright
8. Erase Me
9. Waiting
10. Better Than You
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