Music
Press
"Third wave '90s alt-rock had one thing going for it: distortion. Remember that Hum single, the way the first big guitar chord unfurled, wrapped itself around your head, engulfed everything in fuzz and static and thump-a-thump-a noise as singer Matt Talbott murmured, "She's out back counting STAARRRS!" Yeah. That was awesome. Philly kids Hans the Double dug through the dreck of this era to rediscover the goodness overdrive has to offer, using their Vessels EP to rock out Billy Corgan-style, toss off the odd prog solo and show us that loud amps still work outside the stoner metal world."
- John Vettese
http://www.citypaper.net/articles/2008/01/24/soundadvice - Philadelphia City Paper, 1/24/08
"It almost appeared to be a wasted night. The Sobriquets played through an uninteresting, boring acoustic set, and Music for Headphones wasn't much more enjoyable with it's unoriginal blend of clanky, pseudo-retro rock, sung from behind the lead singer's hairdo. It might be a step above the nameless pop-punk or death metal band that shows up for local shows all too often, but then again, that isn't really saying much.
Sometimes it can hard to find good music in one's local scene. Fortunately, last Wednesday's concert at the Khyber was an exception, when local power trio Hans the Double took the stage and brought a brand of heavy fuzz-rock, a style that some of us might have thought died out in after 1999. Apparently it's still around, and it's alive with more force than ever before.
Hans the Double made it's presence known from the very start, opening up with drummer Nick Biscardi chiming in on his xylophone to begin "When the Moors Conquered Sicily," an ultra-heavy instrumental that the band's fans have come to know and love. Though many heavy bands have made the rock instrumental a more pretentious affair, Hans the Double stayed the course with a more straightforward tune. Guitarist Justin Lerner chugged away at a steady beat worth banging one's head to, and Biscardi and bassist Mike DiEva made for the perfect rhythm section.
What followed was more of the heavy distortion-laden rock that the band makes their own. The band recently released an EP, "Vessels." The undeniably catchy "Summersong" and the built-up chorus of "Cotangent" were among the tunes featured at the concert. The band also showcased some new material, and did so to the warm reception of the crowd. Lerner's voice stayed strong as Hans the Double played through their airy-yet-heavy sound with unparalleled dedication throughout the show, which came out best during "Robot Suicide," the band's closing number, in which DiEva continued to play his instrument as he flailed to the floor in true rock-star fashion.
Hans the Double is a band well worth seeing. People should definitely sample the songs on "Vessels" if they haven't done so already. It should be especially interesting to see what the band makes of itself as the time goes by and new material is written."
- Joe McPeak
http://media.www.sjuhawknews.com/media/storage/paper763/news/2008/02/06/Entertainment/Phillys.Hans.The.Double.Brings.fuzzRock.Home-3188834.shtml - St. Joseph's University Hawk News, 2/6/08
"[Hans The Double] exceeded my expectations and then some. Their female guitarist, Gina Fontana, was amazing— probably one of the best guitarists I’ve witnessed. Bassist Mike DiEva found himself playing offstage and wandered around, at times playing and looking out at the street or even wandering over to a couch, sitting down and rocking out. Lead vocalist, Justin Lerner, belted out the lyrics into the mic, his shy persona disappearing during songs, only to re-emerge during the breaks. Then there was the drummer, Nick Biscardi. At one point, a drumstick came flying my way, landing at my feet, along with a piece of the cymbal. His movements were smooth as he pounded the drums, making the whole thing look as if he'd been playing drums his whole life. They played about nine songs, making up the set list as they went along...Their sound was damn well close enough to the CD— although the music may have been a bit loud for the tiny venue. It almost seemed as if the venue was holding them back; their music cannot be fully appreciated in a sit-down venue with a small crowd. They need to be experienced.
"...The show was salvaged by their performance; otherwise, I would seriously have had one word in mind: refund. Despite the mediocre performances from the other bands, I still give them a gold star for the attempt. After all, no band starts off sounding perfect; they all start off small. As for Hans… I’ve developed a great admiration for them and their talent." - ink19.com
Discography
Dossier - 10 tracks, self-produced and released August 2006.
Vessels - 6 track EP, self-produced and released December 2007.
Various tracks have received airplay on: WYSP-FM, Philadelphia; WJSE-FM Atlantic City, NJ; and Y-Rock on WXPN-FM, Philadelphia, in addition to various college FM stations and webcasts, including St. Joseph's, Stockton College of New Jersey, and Rowan University, as well as the Philadelphia City Paper's "Local Support" podcast.
Hans The Double has played some of the most illustrious live music venues in Philadelphia, including the Khyber, the North Star Bar, the Pontiac Grille, the Trocadero, and the Fire, as well as all-ages venues across Southeastern Pennsylvania and South Jersey. The band is beginning to extend their range towards North Jersey and New York City, as well as the Jersey Shore and into Delaware.
Hans The Double draws equally well in all-ages venues or clubs.
Photos
Bio
Formed in Philadelphia early in 2006, Hans The Double has already endured a lifetime of ups and downs. They have played with major-label acts at some of the most infamous music venues in their home city, and they have played in dive bars and coffeeshops across three states, to apathetic crowds of ten. They have met some of the loveliest and some of the most despicable human beings the universe has to offer. They have sent at least a million e-mails, made a thousand phone calls, and slept on a dozen different floors. They have lost a founding member, and found themselves as songwriters and musicians. They have recorded a full-length album and have just released a new EP, Vessels. They have given their all every time, and will continue until they have nothing left to give.
The band plans to sell out in March of 2009.
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