Colloquially, when one thinks of Van Halen, they think of Eddie Van Halen, the groundbreaking, incredibly talented and intrepid guitarist. However, the name of Van Halen has taken new meaning with Wolfgang, Eddie’s only son, who finally has his chance to stand out from not only the crowd, but from his father’s incredible legacy.

A career in music was not unexpected for the young Van Halen, whom was given the chance to shine on stage with his father’s eponymously named band. Wolfie had the opportunity to shine on bass with Van Halen, but Mammoth WVH is truly a Wolfie experience. The talented instrumentalist recorded every guitar, bass, drum and vocal track on his first solo album.

When “Distance” debuted late last year, with the video showcasing sound clips of EVH talking to Wolfie, and video clips of the family as he grew up, it was barely a taste into what was written and put to disc. To be honest, I still can’t listen to that song without tearing up; it’s such a beautiful tribute to his father. Musical influences range from his time playing with Tremonti, to Jimmy Eat World, and even a little bit of Sevendust (from what I hear on “You’ll Be The One“.

“Resolve” is a track that has some grittiness to it while giving WVH the chance to showcase his vocals, with an incredible falsetto that ends phrasing in the chorus. Easily one of my favorite tracks on the entire album. The acoustic intro to “Circles” with a reverbed guitar behind it is absolutely beautiful, and stands out sonically from the entire album.

Each song is a testament to the raw talent that WVH has. Yes, anyone will probably argue that shouldn’t be expected given who his father is, but one cannot take for granted how un-Van Halen-like this album, and his music is. One shouldn’t expect another Eddie performance, especially coming from Wolfie. His music is equally beautiful, thoughtful, and cerebral. This is definitely one of the most impressive debuts I’ve listened to in YEARS.

Final Thoughts

Wolfgang Van Halen has put together probably one of my favorite albums of the year. Radio-rock ready, but thought-provoking and deep musically, this album showcases the pure and raw talent that is WVH. I’m looking forward to hearing more from him in the future. A new era of Van Halen has arrived, and I think people will be pleasantly surprised.

Overall

100

Vocals

95

Mix

100