Album Review: Mammoth WVH - Mammoth II
Reviewed by Tim Finch
Two years ago Wolfgang Van Halen took his first steps outside of the Van Halen bubble with the launch of his solo project Mammoth WVH and their debut album ‘Mammoth’. For a new outfit, no matter the lineage, it was a triumphant debut.
Since that moment Mammoth WVH have sky rocketed to near super stardom, or at least they have sept into the public consciousness. A UK tour with Alter Bridge cemented their sound to the adoring fans in the surroundings of huge arenas. This year they have been brought onboard the Metallica train and are currently playing massive stadiums all over the world, as we witnessed in Amsterdam just a few months ago.
The bands growth has been staggering, but how do they follow up their debut and take things to the next level? Well this week we get the answer in the form of album number two ‘Mammoth II’.
At the forefront of the bands sound has always been passionate rock and roll. The theme continues as the album opens with ‘Right’; a fist pumping banger of a tune that gets the listeners blood pumping. ‘Like A Pastime’ shows the bands ability to switch things up, there is a variation in pace and style throughout, from the softer intro leading into waves of fury before returning again.
The foundations on which the album is built is that of the true rock classics. Wolfgang builds upon the world he was brought up in, the sounds that rang throughout his childhood, but plays this out in his own unique style. If you came here looking for traditional Van Halen it's not what you'll find!
Just as has been evident on stage of late, the bands passion is in your face, in every note of this album, it's hard, nee impossible, to avoid getting full absorbed into this work of art.
With ‘Mammoth II’ Wolfgang and his band have taken their critically acclaimed start and built a monster. In pure rock terms this is a contender for album of the year.
