There’s been a subtle name change this time around — and maybe that’s telling. No longer Mammoth WVH, just Mammoth. A statement, perhaps, of confidence. Because on “The End,” Wolfgang Van Halen truly stands alone. He plays every instrument, sings every note, and co-produces the whole thing alongside studio wizard Michael “Elvis” Baskette.
It begins with “One of a Kind,” and it lives up to the title. Heavy, modern, and absolutely huge, it’s got a breakdown before the solo that’s just monstrous. The playing throughout is ridiculous, of course, but there’s more to this than musicianship — there’s personality, purpose, and drive.
The energy barely dips across “The End.” “Ready” bristles with pace and punch, while “Same Old Song” grooves with swagger and bite — there’s nothing “same old” about it. Everything feels tighter, leaner. There’s not an ounce of fat on this record; just sharp, focused, modern hard rock.
Tracks like “The Spell” show how far he’s come as a songwriter. He’s always had the weight and the riffs, but here there’s something deeper — a maturity, maybe, or just confidence to do things his way. “I Really Wanna” carries a touch of grunge, with echoes of Soundgarden’s dark, muscular edge, while “Happy” is slower, more ominous, and builds in a way that hints at Nirvana’s brooding intensity before it bursts into life. Both tracks act as genuine centrepieces.
Elsewhere, melody takes a bigger role. “Better Off” has an emotional pull that proves Mammoth isn’t just about power, while “Selfish” and “Something New” push and pull between restraint and release, each one feeling dynamic, alive, and carefully crafted.
And then comes “All In Good Time” — the perfect closer. Reflective and heartfelt, it feels like the curtain call for everything that’s come before. When he sings “I never thought I’d get this far,” it’s a line heavy with meaning, but as the song unfolds, the doubts wash away, replaced by calm assurance. It’s a fitting end to a record that sounds like an artist finally at peace with his own voice.
He’s always sounded big enough for arenas, but “The End” feels like a third album in the old school Bon Jovi or Bruce Springsteen sense. A breakthrough.
It might be called The End, but it feels like the start of something even greater.
Rating: 9/10
