Wolfgang Van Halen is gearing up for the August release of his second Mammoth WVH album, entitled Mammoth II. Finland's Chaoszine caught up with him after his show at Copenhell Festival in Copenhagen, Denmark on June 17th. Check out the interview below.

On performing live with backing tracks:

"I can't make it clear enough: if you're replacing core tracks (with backing tracks), that's dumb. If your laptop goes down you should be able to play. It depends. There's a line for everybody, but if you need a laptop with 60 stems running to play your show, that's not a show. You're miming it. You should be able to play your instrument; you shouldn't be miming anything. It should be an addition, not a replacement."

Mammoth WVH - the brainchild of Wolfgang Van Halen - have released a lyric video for "Take A Bow", the new single from the band's upcoming sophomore album, Mammoth II, slated for release on August 4 via BMG. Watch below.

“Take A Bow” is the longest track on the record and in the Mammoth WVH catalog clocking in at 6:54. The song is anchored by Wolfgang’s memorable lyrics, driving rhythm section and unforgettable guitar solo that was played on the original Frankenstein guitar and through his father’s original amps. The song is available via all digital service providers and anyone that pre-orders the album digitally will receive the track as an instant download.

“It was the last song we finished. It’s officially the longest song I’ve released to date, and I feel the guitar solo is really special. I played the solo on the original Frankenstein guitar and through Dad’s original Marshall head and one of the original cabinets. It’s straight up what he used on the earliest Van Halen records. It makes me happy to capture some of dad’s history on this song forever,” explains Wolfgang.

Recorded at the legendary 5150 studio, the new album was produced by friend and collaborator Michael “Elvis” Baskette. Mammoth II is available for pre-order in multiple configurations here.

Continuing the tradition of writing all of the songs and performing all of the instrumentation and vocals himself, Wolfgang Van Halen set out to challenge himself to expand his sound beyond what people had already come to know him for. From the rocking opener “Right?” to the Beatles-esque fade on closer “Better Than You” Mammoth II showcases the growth of Wolfgang as a songwriter, musician and especially vocalist. Songs like “Like A Pastime,” “Take A Bow” and “Waiting” are all sonically different from each other but unique to what mastermind Wolfgang Van Halen and Mammoth WVH is.

“I knew that I wanted the new album to contain elements of what people heard on the debut, but also give me a chance to branch out a bit. ‘Another Celebration At The End Of The World’ is definitely a song that showcases what people can expect from the new album. It is a high-energy rocker with some fun guitar moments on it. I also pushed myself vocally and it is a song I can’t wait to get out and play live. I can see it being a fixture in our live set moving forward,” explains Wolfgang Van Halen.

Mammoth II tracklisting:

"Right?"
"Like A Pastime"
"Another Celebration At The End Of The World"
"Miles Above Me"
"Take A Bow"
"Optimist"
"I’m Alright"
"Erase Me"
"Waiting"
"Better Than You"

“Like A Pastime” lyric video:

"Another Celebration At The End Of The World" video:

Tickets for all Mammoth WVH appearances can be found here.

(Photo - Travis Shinn)