Melodic Rock
Frontiers Music srl
Release Date – October 13th 2023
Line Up:
Alexander Strandell – Vocals
Richard Jacques – Guitar
Tom Martin – Guitar
Nick Hogg – Bass
Alex Cooper – Drums
James Martin – Keyboards
Tracklist:
1 – Feel The Heat
2 – All The Right Moves
3 – Wild In The City
4 – Needs A Little Love
5 – One Kiss (To Save My Heart)
6 – Live Fast, Die Young
7 – Haven’t Got Time For Heartache
8 – Satellite
9 – Strike Like A Hurricane
10 – Big Time
11 – Stay
Having looked back on my previous reviews (sad but I keep them catalogued) I notice that I reviewed Nitrate’s previous record in 2021 and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience judging by what I wrote. Well, here’s another big shiny slab of 80’s melodic rock for you to soak up in the summer sunshine. They have kept the core of Nick Hogg (bass/writer), Tom and James Martin (guitar and keyboards/writing) and the fabulous pipes of Alexander Strandell. Coming in on free transfers in the close season are Alex Cooper (drums) and Richard Jacques (guitar) and a damn fine job they do too!
Siren’s wail and a dancy synth opens ‘Feel The Heat’ and you’re off in a sultry hot night where the neon signs are bright, the humidity is high, the boys are cruisin’ and dealin’ the cops are looking for them and the chicks are scantily clad drinking cheap cocktails. It’s dark and dangerous and right out of an episode of ‘Miami Vice’. Oh the 80’s – if you didn’t live through them, you missed out! ‘All The Right Moves’ brings Journey and Night Ranger to mind and gives me goose bumps just listening to it. Loads of lush harmonies and bright keys weave through the arena sized riff and rhythm. ‘Wild In The City’ has that 80’s synth again and Hogg’s throbbing bass line lets Jacques have some fun over the top. It gets rockin’ straight away with an impressive performance from Strandell who rises and falls with consummate ease then we get the rocky ballad ‘Needs A Little Love’ which has a hook so big you could catch Moby Dick with it! It’s actual ballad time on ‘One Kiss (To Save My Heart)’ – this would have been a massive hit back in the day and features the lovely Issa duetting on vocals. It’s back to the serious melodic rock on ‘Live Fast, Die Young’ which chugs and throbs along with some wonderful keyboard fills before the bigger and badder ‘Haven’t Got Time For Heartache’ where Jacques gives it large and Strandell gives us some real attitude. ‘Satellite’ is simple synth heaven and another sure-fire hit – if it was 1985. ‘Strike Like A Hurricane’ goes full on Sunset Strip hair metal before ‘Big Time’ hits a bit harder. Final number is another wonderful ballad – ‘Stay’ – which again is a keyboard players dream. Strandell shows another side of his voice. I can see this being played at weddings as a first dance for the happy couple.
Growing up in the 80’s I always considered the American music to be far superior. Not my fault. They had the likes of Journey, Boston, Night Ranger who gave us lush harmonies, huge hooks, and expensive crystal-clear productions. Def Leppard flew the flag for the Brits, but they spent so much time over the water people thought they were yanks. Well now we have Nitrate, 40 years late, but they are superb. Great songs, well written and excellently played with a huge production that sounds very expensive making every song a winner. Buy it, borrow it, steal it but you’ve got to hear it because it’s phenomenal.
Written by: Smudge
Ratings: 9/10
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