MAMMOTH The End

Any fears that Wolfgang Van Halen blew all his good ideas on his first two albums are squashed within seconds of The End. Once again recorded in 5150 studio, with copilot/Alter Bridge producer Michael 'Elvis' Baskette, The End finds Eddie's all-singing, all-playing son challenging himself with his biggest songs yet. The result sounds immense; modern hard rock with brains, warmth and a soulfulness that sets it apart from so many of its contemporaries.

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While Mammoth I and II were about proving Wolfgang could make records (and write music for the enormous number of gigs he's been playing with his live band over the past couple of years), The End is about upping the ante. Taking ingredients that worked before and running fearlessly with them. Once again he sings and plays every single part. Initial demos were recorded live, instead of straight into Logic software, as he'd previously done. It's left raw kicks and a sense of expansiveness in the final track-list.

Thematically it started with a massive panic attack experienced by Wolfgang - a lifelong anxious soul, subject to public scrutiny since joining Van Halen at 14. It sparked something off inside him. Different ideas of how 'the end' might look began to emerge, with melodies and instrumentals to match. That huge, clever yet instant, feel-it-in-your-chest quality that's become a real WVH trademark.