Review: Double Experience – 721835
Artist: Double Experience
Album: 721835
Remember when video games had memorable soundtracks? There’s nothing better than fighting, racing or having an adventure with a good soundtrack. Has that time disappeared? Of course not! In fact, today’s games have some of the best soundtracks out there but what happened to all the rock music in games? Why have video games been over-run by rap and pop? Well, whatever the answer may be, Ottawa’s Double Experience is here to bring it back! Falling somewhere between He Is Legend, Fall Out Boy, Queens of the Stone Age and Helmet having a illegitimate lovechild, these guys are putting the Rock back in “Rock N Roll”. Their new album, 721835, unites two of my favorite things: great rock music with a relatable message and all things nerdy. The first thing you will notice about this album when you pick it up from the shelf is the beautiful, yet nerdy, artwork accompanying it. Don’t let that plain red CD design fool you, once you pop it in… you’re in for a hell of a ride!
The opener, “Gambit”, starts off with a southern rock riff and slams you in the face before vocalist, Ian Nichols, blows you away with his unique voice. This track would fit nicely right alongside the likes of Maylene and the Sons Of Disaster (who, coincidentally, they just announced they’ll be supporting on tour). It’s got a gritty southern vibe but keeps true to the soul of Rock N Roll and sets the stage for these nerds to drop your jaws. The next track, “Strange Acquaintance” is a song about the struggle of addiction. This one has more of an essence of hard rock, driven by fast-paced drums and guitar solos. “Addiction is a bitch but know you’re not alone. Dependence is the norm, everything we own deforms our minds”. What does this mean exactly? Well, as with most lyrics, it’s up to interpretation but mine is that everything has the ability to rot your brain. Be it video games, TV, food, vanity… it all has the propensity to destroy your mind and become an addiction. The addiction can be overpowered by mind over matter, don’t let that which you enjoy overtake you so much that it clouds your perception and becomes harmful, rather than a helpful outlet. The lyric video for this track (which you can see below) depicts the ever-popular “Mario Bros”. Then we’ve got “Horror Beyond Imagination” which reminds me heavily of Fall Out Boy. This is a track that teaches you not to believe in everything that you see. For example, we see things on the internet every day that seem absolutely absurd. Are they true? Well, most times, they are well-thought out hoaxes that were carried out to get a reaction out of people. You must “separate the fiction from the fake” and “forget about the world that we suspend in disbelief, it’s not the truth but an illusion that your eyes receive. Misappropriations all caused by design”. Meaning simply… just because your eyes see it, your mind may believe it but you know better deep down. Two more songs I’d like to talk about from this album before we wrap it up. The first being “Here’s Y” which is the most slow-paced song on the album and, as such, of course one of the most meaningful. It’s more or less a track about how the horrible things that this generation continues to do. “My generation wants life after death, don’t give a damn bout the one they have left”. What’s the one thing that is most celebrated in this world? Religion. We’re all taught “there is a Heaven and Hell” or there is a life after death but until we die, no one truly knows. We can believe the teachings of books that were written thousands of years ago or we can go the scientific route. Whatever the case, this generation cares little about what happens to our world and it will be our downfall. This track, laced with acoustic guitar and minimal percussion really hits home if you listen to it closely. The final track I want to speak about is “Who the Hell?” which is accompanied by a hilarious video which shows the band performing and some BTS stuff, really bringing out their nerdy side. It’s a track that is telling you that no one will believe in you if you don’t believe in yourself. So do what you do best, practice your hardest, prove that you’re worth remembering and, most of all, have fun doing it!
Double Experience isn’t typically a band I would see myself listening to but from first listen, I have been hooked. For them to be able to wrap all of that nerd into a big ball, throw some killer rock into the mix and play their hearts out… I respect the hell out of that! Their album 721835 has been out for 3 months today and I’ve been jamming it since I received it shortly after it’s release… trust me when I say it’s every bit worth the 33-minutes you will spend listening. Be sure to pick up your copy after checking out the videos below by using the links provided and let them know we sent you! Also give a shout out to Jon Asher of Asher Media Relations who is doing a killer job promoting these guys!
“Gambit” (Official Music Video)
“Strange Acquaintance” (Official Lyric Video)
“Horror Beyond Imagination” (Official Lyric Video)
“Here’s Y” (Official Music Video)
“Who the Hell?” (Official Music Video)
