Wolfgang Van Halen‘s Mammoth WVH now goes by just Mammoth.
The band introduced the shorter name while releasing a new single called “The End.” The track, which is out now via digital outlets, opens with a tapping guitar part that will surely remind listeners of Wolf’s late father, Eddie Van Halen.
“I’ve had the tapping idea on the intro for ‘The End’ since before Mammoth,” Wolf says. “I was able to fit it into this world. It’s still over-the-top and shreddy, but it’s also melodic and controlled.”
“Overall, I was doing some different things on the record, and I knew this was going to be a big step,” he continues. “Once we finished ‘The End,’ it felt really special to me.”
“The End” is accompanied by a video co-directed by Robert Rodriguez and is described as a “modern-day interpretation” of the filmmaker’s 1996 vampire movie, From Dusk till Dawn. It features cameos from Slash, actor Danny Trejo and Wolf’s mom, Valerie Bertinelli.
Also in the video is a shot of Wolf walking down a stage while shredding the song’s solo using a camera angle very reminiscent of Van Halen‘s “Hot for Teacher” video. You can watch it on YouTube.
Along with the new tune, Mammoth has announced a U.S. tour, launching Halloween night at an as-yet announced location. The run will feature support from Alter Bridge frontman Myles Kennedy.
Presales begin May 5, and tickets go on sale to the general public on May 9. For the full list of dates and all ticket info, visit Mammoth.band.
