Does Wolfgang Van Halen djent? It turns out the musician's highly anticipated sophomore album will feature some Meshuggah-inspired songs, according to a new interview Wolfgang did with TellUs Rock.
After finding success with Mammoth WVH's self-titled debut album, which peaked at No. 12 on the Billboard 200, Wolfgang's band signed a major label contract with BMG for its sophomore effort. The album is expected to come out this summer, and it will be partially inspired by some of modern metal's heaviest and most rhythmically complex bands.
When asked about what music he's currently listening to, Wolfgang told TellUs Rock, "Meshuggah. I love Meshuggah. I tend to listen to, at least recently, more heavier music. Like all the new stuff that's come out. Animals as Leaders had a new album come out this year, and so did Meshuggah. But Meshuggah is one of my favorite bands. [They're] nothing like Mammoth."
"On the next album, there actually is some Meshuggah-inspired songs," Wolfgang added, as transcribed by Blabbermouth. "Just through the lens of Mammoth, though. So it's not as super heavy."
Wolfgang also shouted out Gojira and Periphery during a 2021 interview with RockSverige, and claimed he could play Meshuggah's mind-bending "Bleed" on drums. "Oh, yeah. I can play it," he said. "As a drummer, Meshuggah is just like my favorite because it's like a math problem, as a song. As a drummer, it's really fun to figure out the polyrhythmic stuff going on in each song. It's a treat, and I love it."
