Wolfgang Van Halen is the son of legendary guitar hero Eddie Van Halen but make no mistake about it he has a sound all his own. His upcoming album MammothWVH is a nod to one of Van Halen’s early band names but that’s where the similarities stop. Wolfgang wrote all the songs on the album, plays all the instruments, and does the vocals.
He definitely has an ear for writing catchy, radio ready tunes but with a decidedly hard rock edge. The album’s lead off single “Distance” is an emotional tribute to his father. The album is sure to pack plenty of punch as well, “Don’t Back Down” immediately grabs you with its infectious groove and tight rhythm. Wolf’s skills as a drummer really shine on this track.
My personal favorite song so far is “You’re To Blame“. The lyricism, blistering guitar solo, and vocals all shine especially bright on that song. Wolf’s lyricism is great all around.
“Distance” helped me get through the recent loss of my grandfather. “Don’t Back Down” is an anthemic rallying cry. “You’re To Blame” is an easily relatable tale of severing ties with someone.
Above all else I think I’m most impressed with Wolfgang’s voice. His vocal delivery is clean and powerful. The way he conveys the tender emotion in “Distance” with the softness is his voice is incredible while later on in the same song he’s belting out notes without cracking.
MammothWVH drops June 11th. Be sure to join me in grabbing a copy. I assure you that you won’t regret it. The future is bright for Wolfgang Van Halen.