“A Different Kind of Truth” is the twelfth studio album by American hard rock band Van Halen. Released on February 7, 2012, by Interscope Records, the record is Van Halen's first full-length album of studio material with original lead vocalist David Lee Roth since 1984. Likewise, it is Van Halen's first studio album since 1998's Van Halen III. Wolfgang Van Halen, the son of guitarist Eddie Van Halen, plays bass on the album, replacing Michael Anthony, who had played bass on all of Van Halen's previous albums.
Reinventing Van Halen proved to be a tricky task, so Eddie Van Halen proceeded to reunite the band…a move so obvious it should have come as no surprise that it was easier said than done. Sammy Hagar was brought in for a 2004 hits album and an accompanying tour, a project that collapsed in acrimony so noxious that founding bassist Michael Anthony left with the Red Rocker. Eddie brought in his son Wolfgang as Anthony's replacement and began a prolonged courtship of David Lee Roth that first led to a tour, and then to this, A Different Kind of Truth, the band's first album in 14 years and their first with Roth in twice that long. That's a long time, but the roots of “A Different Kind of Truth” stretch back even further, with several songs originating from demo tapes Van Halen made before their debut, and the rest consciously written in that style. No synths are to be found anywhere on the record, they've been swept aside along with Michael Anthony's bedrock eighth-note thump and Sammy Hagar's radio-ready pop polish, stripping Van Halen down to their core: a duel for attention between David Lee Roth and Eddie Van Halen. Where Sammy enabled Eddie's ambitions, Diamond Dave unleashes the guitarist's id, taunting him to play faster, harder, tougher, then fighting for space between unwieldy riffs. Certainly, there are hooks here, even some with pop propulsion, but the unexpected signature of “A Different Kind of Truth” is its heaviness, its 13 songs of loud, unrelenting rock. The only time it comes up for air is on "Stay Frosty," with its acoustic intro deliberately evoking memories of “Ice Cream Man.” Of course, the entirety of this comeback is designed to revive the spirit of the first five or six Van Halen records, and building the album upon those old demos turns out to be a savvy move, as they not only saved promising songs, but re-oriented the band, pushing them toward their essence.
“A Different Kind of Truth” was recorded at Henson Recording Studios, Eddie Van Halen's own 5150 Studios, and produced by John Shanks.
Reinventing Van Halen proved to be a tricky task, so Eddie Van Halen proceeded to reunite the band…a move so obvious it should have come as no surprise that it was easier said than done. Sammy Hagar was brought in for a 2004 hits album and an accompanying tour, a project that collapsed in acrimony so noxious that founding bassist Michael Anthony left with the Red Rocker. Eddie brought in his son Wolfgang as Anthony's replacement and began a prolonged courtship of David Lee Roth that first led to a tour, and then to this, A Different Kind of Truth, the band's first album in 14 years and their first with Roth in twice that long. That's a long time, but the roots of “A Different Kind of Truth” stretch back even further, with several songs originating from demo tapes Van Halen made before their debut, and the rest consciously written in that style. No synths are to be found anywhere on the record, they've been swept aside along with Michael Anthony's bedrock eighth-note thump and Sammy Hagar's radio-ready pop polish, stripping Van Halen down to their core: a duel for attention between David Lee Roth and Eddie Van Halen. Where Sammy enabled Eddie's ambitions, Diamond Dave unleashes the guitarist's id, taunting him to play faster, harder, tougher, then fighting for space between unwieldy riffs. Certainly, there are hooks here, even some with pop propulsion, but the unexpected signature of “A Different Kind of Truth” is its heaviness, its 13 songs of loud, unrelenting rock. The only time it comes up for air is on "Stay Frosty," with its acoustic intro deliberately evoking memories of “Ice Cream Man.” Of course, the entirety of this comeback is designed to revive the spirit of the first five or six Van Halen records, and building the album upon those old demos turns out to be a savvy move, as they not only saved promising songs, but re-oriented the band, pushing them toward their essence.
“A Different Kind of Truth” was recorded at Henson Recording Studios, Eddie Van Halen's own 5150 Studios, and produced by John Shanks.
Track listing
01. "Tattoo" (Van Halen/Roth) - 4:44
02. "She's the Woman" (Van Halen/Roth) - 2:56
03. "You and Your Blues" (Van Halen/Roth) - 3:43
04. "China Town" (Van Halen/Roth) - 3:14
05. "Blood and Fire" (Van Halen/Roth) - 4:26
06. "Bullethead" (Van Halen/Roth) - 2:30
07. "As Is" (Van Halen/Roth) - 4:47
08. "Honeybabysweetiedoll" (Van Halen/Roth) - 3:46
09. "The Trouble with Never" (Van Halen/Roth) - 3:59
10. "Outta Space" (Van Halen/Roth) - 2:53
11. "Stay Frosty" (Van Halen/Roth) - 4:07
12. "Big River" (Van Halen/Roth) - 3:50
13. "Beats Workin'" (Van Halen/Roth) - 5:02
Credits
David Lee Roth - lead vocals, synthesizer on "Tattoo", intro acoustic guitar on "Stay Frosty"
Eddie Van Halen - guitar, backing vocals
Alex Van Halen - drums
Wolfgang Van Halen - bass, backing vocals
Production
Produced by Van Halen and John Shanks
Mixed by Van Halen and Ross Hogarth
First engineer: Martin Cooke
Digital editing: Dan Chase
Second engineer: Paul David Hager
Second engineer: Peter Stanislaus
Special thanks: Nigel Lunbeno, Seth Waldman, Matt Linesch, John Douglas
Recorded at Henson Studio
Mixed at 5150
Mastered by Bernie Grundman
Notes
Recorded at: 5150 and Henson Recording Studios, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California
Genre: Hard Rock
Length: 49:58
Label: Interscope Records
© 2012
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