Album review: NITRATE – Real World

August 2nd, 2018 by jason

MelodicRock Records [Release date 20.07.18]

Nitrate is a new band and the brainchild of Nick Hogg (guitars, keyboards) with his main songwriting partner being Midnite City’s Rob Wylde (lead, rhythm & bass guitars, vocals). The band is completed by vocalist Joss Mennen (Zinatra, Mennen) and drummer Pete Newdeck (Midnite City, Eden’s Curse, Blood Red Saints, Newman). Harem Scarem’s Harry Hess mastered the album.

Nitrate are inspired by up-tempo 80′s melodic rock and they certainly hit the spot on ‘Crazy Like You’ and ‘Hot Summer Nights’, both with a heavy US melodic rock influence in their sound. ‘I’ll Be There’ you could imagine as a soundtrack to an 80′s film with its AOR-tastic chorus and another impressive guitar solo. Just the sort of song the late, great Jimi Jamison would have loved to sing I am sure.

The ballad ‘Breathe’ is suitably grandiose complete with layers of backing vocals and piano, although surprisingly the only ballad on the album.

The title track has a snippet of a riff from UFO’s ‘Rock Bottom’, whilst opener ‘Waiting On You’ features some great 80′s inspired electronic drumming, coupled with snazzy keyboard riffs. Both are songs that once you have heard them you won’t stop humming and singing along with.

The good news is that Nitrate is not a one-off project as album number two is in the works and until then we can enjoy this 80′s flavoured melodic rock treat. ****

Review by Jason Ritchie

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Power Plays w/c 28 October 2024

THE RASMUS Rest In Pieces (Better Noise Music)
THE PLAGUE What Else Can I Do (FiXT)
STAR CIRCUS Turn The Tide (indie)
DEFENCES Breathe It In (Long Branch Records)

Featured Albums w/c 28 October 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)