Inspired by the melodic and hard rock scene of the late 80s with bands like Def Leppard, Europe, Mötley Crüe, Bon Jovi, and GNR, Nitrate is the result of the work of Nick Hogg, a musician based in Nottingham who, after playing in a few bands in the early 2000s, decided to embark on songwriting. He stepped away from the scene for several years until he decided, in 2015, to give songwriting another chance.
Nick worked on Nitrate's first album with fellow songwriter/musician from Nottingham Rob Wylde, with whom he shared the same musical influences. Together, they managed to develop the band's debut album, "Real World," which also features former Zinatra singer Joss Mennen. Praised by many fans and critics as a breath of fresh air for the melodic/AOR rock community, it contains a slew of arena-ready songs that take the listener back to the time when Def Leppard ruled the airwaves. The band's momentum continued with the 2019 album "Open Wide," which features new guitarist and singer Philip Lindstrand and brings Nitrate a more impactful and sharper edge. With tighter songwriting, it was more rock, and there were vast improvements in the production department. "Open Wide" is a tribute to Hogg's influences: a blend of what MTV had to offer at the end of the 80s.