X-SIZE is a Hard Rock / Metal band from Cartaxo, Portugal, formed in 1998.
In 1998, a rock band called Excise emerged, formed by schoolmates Pedro Bívar (guitar) and Pedro Almeida (drums). After several concerts, demo tapes, and lineup changes, the band decided to release their first studio work, Back To The Oldschool, in 2004, by which point drummer Pedro Almeida had already departed.
After sharing stages with artists such as Tara Perdida, EasyWay, and ASide, the band split up due to disagreements between its members.
In 2012, the group resurfaced under the name X-SIZE, led by founding member Pedro Bívar (guitar), alongside Daniel Saldanha (bass), Alex VanTrue (vocals), and Robert Kudlek (drums). Together they released the EP Some Kind Of Reason, which was well-received by fans and motivated the band to move forward with new material.
In 2015, the band released Nobody Cares, a title serving as a critical allusion to the lack of market space and projection for rock and metal. The tracks “Hot Jesus” and “Never Deny” garnered positive reviews and received airplay on several influential radio stations in Portugal. The album was launched live as the opening act for Heavy Metal legend Paul Di’Anno.
Along with the album, the band released a music video for the track “Never Deny,” which earned a mention on SAPO.PT, the country’s most prominent internet portal.
The song “Hot Jesus” also received a video in an acoustic format, featuring the young Portuguese guitar prodigy Ricardo Gordo.
That same year, the band reached the national finals of the “Hard Rock Rising” contest, which featured 60 Portuguese bands. Delivering a strong performance, they were praised by a jury that included the renowned Portuguese musician João Pedro Pais.
In 2016, vocalist Alex VanTrue left the band due to disagreements with the other members. Following this, the band released the single “Some Kind Of Reason” featuring guest vocals by Johnny Icon (Icon and the Black Roses). The track was well-received, gaining airplay on both national and international radio stations.
The band eventually found the necessary voice and experience to replace Alex VanTrue in vocalist Leonel Silva. With this new lineup, they moved forward to record the album Back to Clay, preceded by the release of the single “Hands.”
