X is LOADED
'Trench' 
(Sugar Shack)
7/10
The good news is that after three long years X is Loaded are back. The even better news is that they’re still producing some of the rawest, most explosive indie-rock around. Though it’s not perfect, there’s no denying that second album ‘Trench’ has its share of brilliance. ‘Sick Sickness’ buzzes with Nirvana-style rebellion,’ To You The Spoils’ swaggers to the tune of the Stone Roses, and there’s edgy pop aplenty in ‘Set It Off’ and ‘Skeletons’. The Bath boys occasionally punch above their weight with more musically – involved songs like ’Momentum Fails’, which risk sounding overblown and vague. However, when their ambition finds direction it’s like listening to Muse playing through a blender, and judging from ‘Mass Exit’ that’s no bad thing.
VICTORIA DURHAM
ROCKSOUND 


X is LOADED
'Trench'
(Sugar Shack)
5/5
'Return and a return to form for XisLOADED'
Bath rock warriers XisLOADED have been pretty....well, quiet as the grave might be a cliche but it's fairly accurate in this case to describe the band's absence recordings wise since 2004's ace 'Raw Nerve'. Now they are back with 'Trench' a stunning tour de force of a rock album that whacks you bang on the chin like your name's John Terry. Holding a lot in common with Biffy Clyro and Oceansize in their gleeful experimentation, 'Trench' is the sound of a band not only revelling in the studio but also stepping confidently into 'their sound', a shiver-inducing horns-waving rock behemoth at that.
TIM GRAYSON
BIG CHEESE 


"XisLOADED vs I AM THE DOOR (Ltd Edition Split on Red Vinyl)" 
We rate this: 7 out of 10 
For those of you who are too young to remember the Seattle sound of bands such as Nirvana, Mudhoney and the Melvins (Are there people that young?), XisLOADED give a fair account of what grunge was to people of my generation. Typical sludgy guitars and simmering vocals provide a glimpse of the past overlaced with melodic moments that show both tenderness and musical maturity.

It’s easy to see why this lot have gained support spots with bands such as Biffy Clyro and Million Dead. If this song is symptomatic of their live performance and upcoming album then watch out world…music is back!

Take the Atari’s, add copious amounts of pure adrenacrome and let them loose and you have a vague idea of the sound of IATD. Despite showing distinctly emo tendencies at times these lads aren’t all doom and gloom and show with ‘Our Own Radio’ that they know how to party with the best of them.

With a myriad of influences allowing this to break clear of all the generic rock currently polluting the scene, Justin’s vocals are just as happy with soulful moments of calm as they are screaming out at the world to listen.
Ian Atkinson.
DIE, SHELLSUIT DIE!


XisLOADED Vs I Am The Door - Split Single
The XisLoADED track lasts three minutes, features a fantastic guitar sound, wanders through a fantastic arrangement that blazes a hardcore trail through nu-metal and comes out winning. The song is deliciously complex while at the same time driving a rocket fuelled path through the twists and turns of the song. The spirit of early FFAF in there, only this is more distilled, urgent, tighter and sheer enjoyment. I Am The Door's track is similar, only here the vocals are more upfront and laden with angst, the arrangement more dynamic but no less powerful, here with harmony vocals next to the passionate lead vocals as a truly emotive slice of heart-core rock unfolds to effortless degree, the band surging forward and the guitar chiming out above the solid rhythm undercurrents. Two bands who promise much and deliver more - I can't wait to hear a lot more from each of them.
DEADERNEST


XisLOADED vs. I Am The Door
Sugar Shack Records
Labelmates I Am The Door and a returning XisLOADED go head to head on an energetic limited edition 7" single. XisLOADED's 'Momentum Fails' is a blistering track, full of fire; almost spoken word verses break up squalls of sprawling guitar, their sound veering towards a catchier At The Drive-In. Having been away for three years and with a touring CV that can boast names as diverse as Kasabian, Million Dead and Easyworld, with more numbers like this they could impress with upcoming album 'Trench'. Despite beginning in a way that is barely discernable from how the last track ended, I Am The Door's 'Our Own Radio' soon branches out into some fantastic musicianship; driving rhythms, infectious bass and lead guitar lines that soar and shimmer in a way that could make The Edge envious. It is insanely catchy, but marred by some poor lyrical content, reminiscent of something off Lostprophets' 'Liberation Transmission' album. However, much like the aforementioned, you'll find it popping back into your head for weeks to come, whether you want it to or not!
Rating: 3/5 by Phill May
ROCK MIDGETS


XisLOADED - TRENCH
Released: 23rd April 2007
Label: Sugarshack Records The album contains 14 tracks and I find myself skipping songs like Penetration, Momentum Fails, Carousel, Out of Shape and Surrounded. These songs seem to drone on and I get bored of the riff vocabulary, the lyrics, the beat of the drums, they seem cloned from everything I’ve already heard, MUCH unlike the songs I hear from the start of ‘Trench’. 

First song entitled ‘Heroin’ starts the album off with palm muted chords, reminding me of sleazy rock bands from the 80’s. Reading up to now, it seems I didn’t like the song, but after this bare beginning the band that I’ve heard so much about come out! They’ve put on their glad rags, and they sound amazing. This is why I’ve heard their name before. 

The heavy riff that followed the bleak introduction seduces me into the glam-rock stylings of XisLOADED, a high pitched guitar piece accompanies the heavy riff that stands out from most songs on the album gleaming in my ears, it sounds like a drug trip from the stage point of view (in a good way!) 

XisLOADED will definitely keep you interested though the guitar work, and following with the song 'Sick Sickness'; they'll make you wanna take your shirt off, put sunglasses on and drink your body weight in beer - which will fuel your embarrassing pre-hangover dance moves and furious heavy rock sumps to the drums. Containing a chorus that fans can shout along to, ‘Sick Sickness’ reminds me of the cocky band Towers of London, XisLOADED’s glam-punk style shows through this song and the next, ‘Set It Off’. 

This album will sure put a smile on the nu-punk fans, and for potential listeners with different musical interests songs like ‘Dead Room’ and ‘Mass Exit’ ending the album will impress. These songs are put together very well, and would fit in perfectly in a muse set, with the soft vocals in parts and then the heavy mind-bending guitar chords. ‘Trench’ is an album you have to listen to more than once to hear everything, some tracks need not be there though and i think the best caption for the album that springs to mind is ‘Less is More’.

For more information you can visit: xisloaded.com
Review by: Chris Williams
GLASSWERKS.COM


XisLOADED vs. I Am The Door
Sugar Shack Records
XisLoaded / I am the Door 'Split' (Sugar Shack). A blistering face off that sees Bath's finest XisLoaded square up to Bristol's best - I am the Door for what is a must have limited to 500 copies red wax 7" release - which by rights should fly out of the distribution depot before it's ink has scarcely had a chance to dry. 'Momentum Fails' is XisLoaded's first recorded outing in three years culled as it is from their forthcoming long player 'Trench' a copy of which landed on our door mat a few days back and which on initial peeks we can heartily state without fear of recrimination that it's gonna put a few noses out of joint just by its melodic ferocity alone. Embarrassingly 'Momentum Fails' and the aforementioned forthcoming full length are the first things we've heard by XisLoaded and what a beautifully scorched racket they make. In terms of intensity both bands come out even Stevens packing what can only be described as a colossal rumble of some note. XisLoaded's 'Momentum Fails' is a primed and loaded three and a half minute heavy bearing bastard of a cut replete with searing riffs and the kind of ravaged sinew snapping apocalyptic edginess that pays subtle nods to Killing Joke while simultaneously grabbing you by the throat and playfully throttling you to within an inch of your life. I am the Door found over on the flip serve up the equally engaging 'Our own radio', festooned with a frontline assault of stellar ripping tightly honed quickly drilled angulated early U2 / Edge riffmanship that literally punches huge holes in the skyline this frenetic babe - whilst ever alert to its rock pedigree is built upon a rampant post punk styled disco-fied foundation which if your not careful will irresistibly club you into submission without so much as a by your leave. A brutally essential release in our book. 

mark@losingtoday.com
losingtoday.com


XisLoaded - Trench
Even in the world of rock there aren’t many nameable ‘X’s’. So calling yourselves XisLoaded, slotting neatly into an underrepresented area of the musical dictionary, is a marketing stroke of genius. However, if you turn out to be ineXcusably awful you’ll be consigned to the X band shelf. Luckily XisLoaded have a wee bit of the X factor (ohhh no, I can’t believe I just went that low) and by that I don’t mean that they wear their pants round their nipples and churn out 5 minute wonders. I mean that they write fully charged, exciting tracks with metal’s energy and pop pleasing melodies. Treading the line nicely between loud and listenable, ‘Trench’, the second album from the four piece has a definite agenda to rock hard, whilst still showing its soft underbelly. With the likes of ‘Penetration’ and ‘Surrounded’ being the more reflective end this may not yet be shoe-gazing, but it’s certain studded-platform-boot-gazing. Whilst ‘Heroin’ and ‘Dead Room’ take on the role of more hardcore older brothers, and give the album something to grunge to. ‘Carousel’ is musical onomatopoeia; it’s twisting and turning leaving you feeling that the track is actually rotating, as well as the room. But the standout track is ‘First Reaction’ with its beautiful opening guitar riff slowly building into the anthemic chorus bringing with a faint whiff of summer headiness. The album’s largely deep, layered sound perfectly takes the edge off the slightly harsh vocal style to leave a well balanced mix of rawness and production polish. Occasionally you get the feeling that Xisloaded are trying a little too hard to be angry, whilst hiding their sing-along tendencies but other than that this is an Xhilirating an energetic album. 
Released on Sugar Shack Records 23rd April 
8/10 
23 Apr 2007 by Claire Elshaw