Mammoth WVH (album)

Mammoth WVH is the debut studio album by American rock band Mammoth. The album was released on June 11, 2021, by EX1 Records.^[1][2]

Mammoth WVH
Studio album by Mammoth
Released	June 11, 2021
Recorded	2013–2018, 2020
Studio	5150 Studios
Genre	Hard rock alternative rock
Length	58:08 62:45 (Japanese pressing)
Label	EX1
Producer	Michael Baskette
Mammoth chronology
Mammoth WVH (2021) Mammoth II (2023)
Singles from Mammoth WVH
"Distance" Released: November 16, 2020 "You’re to Blame" Released: February 11, 2021 "Don't Back Down" / "Think It Over" Released: March 26, 2021 "Feel" Released: April 23, 2021 "Mammoth" Released: May 21, 2021 "Epiphany" Released: December 7, 2021 "Talk & Walk" Released: September 16, 2022 "Goodbye" Released: November 11, 2022

Background

The album's origins can be traced back to 2013 after Wolfgang Van Halen finished the A Different Kind of Truth Tour with Van Halen and began working on his own music.^[3] The album was completed in 2018.^[4]

For the opening track, "Mr. Ed", Wolfgang used the original Electro-Harmonix Micro-Synthesizer that his father, Eddie Van Halen, used for the 1981 Van Halen track "Sunday Afternoon in the Park".^[5]

Wolfgang used his father's original Frankenstrat guitar for the solos on "Mammoth" and "Feel".^[6]

The album cover features a painting by American painter John Brosio of a giant crab terrorizing a parking lot. When asked about the significance of the crab, Wolfgang Van Halen responded on Twitter with a screenshot of the synonyms of the word "mammoth", further stating that "We all know it takes being a Van Halen to understand that the word mammoth means 'big.'"^[7]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	79/100[8]
Review scores
Source	Rating
Consequence	B+[9]
Kerrang!	3/5[10]

Mammoth WVH received generally positive reviews from critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from critics, the album received an average score of 79, which indicates "generally favorable reviews", based on 4 reviews.^[8]

It was elected by Loudwire as the 28th best rock/metal album of 2021.^[11] In 2021, the single "Distance" was nominated for Best Rock Song for the 64th Grammy Awards.^[12]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Wolfgang Van Halen^[13]

Mammoth WVH track listing

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Mr. Ed"	3:44
2.	"Horribly Right"	3:39
3.	"Epiphany"	4:28
4.	"Don't Back Down"	3:45
5.	"Resolve"	5:03
6.	"You'll Be the One"	3:01
7.	"Mammoth"	4:30
8.	"Circles"	3:58
9.	"The Big Picture"	3:15
10.	"Think It Over"	3:55
11.	"You're to Blame"	4:06
12.	"Feel"	3:57
13.	"Stone"	6:33
14.	"Distance"	4:12
Total length:		58:08

Japanese bonus track

No.	Title	Length
15.	"Talk & Walk"	4:37
Total length:		62:45

Digital deluxe edition

No.	Title	Length
15.	"Talk & Walk"	4:35
16.	"As Long As You’re Not You"	3:41
17.	"Goodbye"	4:20

Personnel

Credits for Mammoth WVH adapted from liner notes.^[13]

Mammoth

• Wolfgang Van Halen – lead & backing vocals, lead & rhythm guitars, keyboards, piano, bass guitar, drums, percussion

Production

• Michael Baskette – production, mixing
• Brad Blackwood – mastering
• Josh Saldate – engineering
• Jef Moll – engineering, editing
• John Brosio – artwork
• Chuck Brueckmann – art direction, design
• Travis Shinn – photography

Charts

Weekly charts Weekly chart performance for Mammoth WVH Chart (2021) Peak position Canadian Albums (Billboard)[14] 53 Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[15] 91 Scottish Albums (OCC)[16] 15 Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[17] 18 UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC)[18] 2 US Billboard 200[19] 12 US Independent Albums (Billboard)[20] 1 US Top Hard Rock Albums (Billboard)[21] 1 US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[22] 1

Year-end charts Year-end chart performance for Mammoth WVH Chart (2021) Position US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[23] 86

Singles

Title	Peak chart positions
	US Main.
"Distance"	1
"Don't Back Down"	1
"Epiphany"	9