Album Review: Nitrate - Feel The Heat
Reviewed by Lana Teramae
Nitrate is a British AOR / melodic rock band that was formed in 2015 in Nottingham, England by bassist Nick Hogg. The band is heavily inspired by the ‘80s hard rock scene. Think Def Leppard, Journey, Europe, and Bon Jovi. Nitrate have gone through a few lineup changes over the years, including two different lead singers for their first two studio albums, ‘Real World’ (2018) and ‘Open Wide’ (2019). While those two albums have plenty of commercial appeal already, it was the addition of vocalist Alexander Strandell for their third album, ‘Renegade’ (2021), where Nitrate dug deeper into the AOR sound. Their fourth studio album, ‘Feel the Heat,’ continues down that same path.
‘Feel the Heat’ was produced by Tom and James Martin; both produced the previous album, as well. The lineup that plays on the album includes Hogg on bass guitar, Strandell on lead vocals, Tom Martin on guitars, James Martin on keyboards, Alex Cooper on drums, and Richard Jacques on guitars. ‘Feel the Heat’ comes out on October 13, 2023 through Frontiers Music Srl.
“There is a real buzz of excitement within the Nitrate camp like never before! We can’t wait for the album to finally hit the stores. This is ‘hand on heart’ the best album we have written and recorded, and Tom and James have devoted every waking moment over the past year to make the production the very best it can be,” said Hogg in a press release.
The album kicks off with the title track, a throwback to the ‘80s glam metal scene, especially with the cowbell. “All the Right Moves” is simply one of the best songs on the album because of the insanely catchy chorus, the modern appeal, the big backing vocals, and Strandell’s soaring lead vocals. “Wild in the City” resembles Bon Jovi’s ‘Slippery When Wet’ era, which is not a bad thing at all. Jacques and Tom Martin even channel their inner Richie Sambora for the scorching guitar parts. “Needs a Little Love” grabs listeners with big pop hooks, pounding drums, atmospheric keyboards, and a great chorus.
Another highlight of the album is “One Kiss (To Save My Heart),” a duet with female rock singer Issa and is essentially the album’s big power ballad. With the angelic keyboards, perfect harmonies, and a lot of melody, it would’ve been perfect for MTV’s heydays. “Satellite” is a slow headbanger, which is more soothing than the rest of the songs, but it’s far from being any less powerful, thanks to Strandell’s emotive vocals. “Big Time” has a riff similar to Scorpions’ “Rock You Like a Hurricane,” but then again, who doesn’t take inspiration from their favorite artists these days?
One of the things that Def Leppard’s ‘Hysteria’ and Europe’s ‘The Final Countdown’ have in common is the big production. The ‘80s glam metal scene wouldn’t have worked with raw and dry production of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal scene. Tom and James Martin understood this, and as a result ‘Feel the Heat’ has huge production, where everything is bigger and better.
‘Feel the Heat’ takes listeners back to the simple times where life wasn’t taken so seriously. The songs are about partying, romance, and having a good time. Instead of stressing over unpaid bills, just relax and let the music do the talking.
