While comparing the X-Dream of yesterday and today is pointless, and impossible to predict what will become of them tomorrow, "Irritant" has proved itself to be the only constant variable in my Rough & Rush equation. There's no other release of theirs that has grown on me so much, let alone that any other album of theirs comes across as fresh seven years after its release.
I guess there's little new to inform you about. X-Dream's vision of psy trance anno 2002 was that of a rotten skeleton getting pulverized and granulated by Robocop's pissed off elder brother on a cocaine overdose. Damn, you have never (I haven't, at least) heard this much pressure released with each track. Trembling bass lines occasionally joined by portentous melodies sounding like a soundtrack to somebody desperately scratching his nails against the walls as they are closing in.
Just listen to either Peter's Hoover, Universal Chaos, Fall Out (Dong Edit) or Rewind - all four roll with visceral percussion, so deep yet so perfectly audiable and clear. And what about Thorazin, the absolute stand out tune? Quite possibly the best track they have ever done, production wise. Such an amazing dosage of energy and creativity through apparently such a scarse source of sounds and effects. Play it loud on a good sound system and just witness how well and precise are all its elements, these guys are really solicitous about details; so harsh yet so accessible. "Irritant" is quite probably the best techno album recorded by non techno artists.

2002 was not one of the best years for Psychedelic trance definitely, but if there’s a release which saves the face to it all is certainly this X-Dream album. Simply said, this album has a unique sound which in my opinion tops even their infamous 1998 album “Radio”. To start with, this is what would be the definition of “psychedelic-techno”. Melodies are very minimal; the bass is deep and rollin’, yet production is crystal clear all the time. The mid-tempo beat throughout continues to add the horror spectrum to the unique sound this album has. Every track is so mean, even the last two “chill-out” tracks carry all the evilness the previous tracks have.

A masterpiece which in my opinion no-one ever reproduced. Get it now if you don’t have!

Irritant is X-dream at their darkest and finest hour presenting the results of a monumental production and ears for collosive arrangements pressing the limit. This is so massive, dark and crystal clear it HAS to become light in your mind, to let you survive. But then!

The more profound deeper meaning of Irritant will only reveal itself once played loud on good headphones or possibly a huge outdoor soundsystem, however. Remember the scene in Jurassic Park where the approach of a Tyrannosaurus Rex is illustrated by showing how rings form in a glas of water with every step the TR comes closer? That pretty much sums Irritant up ...

The best work X-Dream has ever done!

I consider "Irritant" the best X-Dream album because they changed their style in it's entirety, when i first heard this album it made my skin chill from the energy and innovation contained in each track, the 1st track i heard was "Irritant", then it came "Thorazin", and then "Rewind", i will never forget those moments back then in 2002, they were so amazing like if i were dreaming, nowadays this is a true gem and it's even more valuable because you can't find this album anywhere.

Best tracks: 2. Rewind (!),3. No process,4. Thorazin(!!),8. Intercorporal Stimulator.

I don't know why X-Dream releases are still labelled as "trance" and/or "goa/psytrance". This stuff is a lot like the old hardtrance releases from the Frankfurt area - polished, distilled, and carried into the next millennium. Think of Eternal Basement in chrome heavy armor. "Irritant" is a real monster. The production is enormous and shows the extreme skill of the duo - deepest growling bass but crystal clear & always perceptable down to single notes. Unbelievable, I've never heard anything like it (except "Meter" from Pleiadians maybe). If the sound is monster, the arrangements make this record a real killer. If you can listen to "Thorazin" without being totally blown away, you're mental, or on tranquilizers, or both. 'Nuff said. :-)