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A-Z "A2Z2"
A-Z "A2Z2"
By Colonel Angus
Back in 2022, this band’s first release snuck by me and it wasn’t until months later that I discovered its existence. From that point on, it has been played at least once every couple of weeks and I’m still not tired of it. Thankfully, that wasn’t a one-off and they bestowed upon us another scorcher of an album. For those of you who don’t know who this is, it is Ray Alder and Mark Zonder from FATES WARNING. I have been a fan of Alder since “No Exit” and Zonder since his days with WARLORD so it was a surprise that I missed the first album when it was released.
Just like the debut, this one features songs that nod a little to their FATES WARNING days but move towards a straight forward metal song direction. That’s not to say that any of this is formulaic or boring. Quite the opposite in fact. Some of the tunes venture in new territory like moody intro of “This Chaotic Symphony”. Zonder adds some really interesting drumming to that section that slowly builds and builds until it explodes into a full-on metal workout. Elsewhere, you get the hit “Nothing Is Over” which I think was their first single off the disk. From the very first drum roll, this track manages to hit on a winning formula that has brings together melodic riffing and an infectious chorus. Alder really shines here (as he does on the whole disk) by putting in a powerful vocal performance while leaving room for everybody else to create their magic.
The proggy elements do show up on “A2Z2” and none more so than on “A Wordless Prison” which starts off some cool bass but at about a third of the way through turns into this heavy prog exercise with a catchy chorus. This song is probably the closest that this band gets to the prog metal that Alder and Zonder are known for. “Reaching Out” is another track that moves effortlessly between highly melodic choruses and heavy riffing that creates this great light and shade component to a majority of the tunes on offer here.
I’m picking out just a few songs to feature in this review but quite honestly this disk is great from start to finish. There is not one bad tune or even a part that brings down the quality of this whole record. I thought the first one was amazing but I think I might just like this one better. Being that it is new might have a something to do with that but I find “A2Z2” a more even and consistent listen. I can’t recommend this disk enough and it works for fans of FATES WARNING and non-fans alike. There is so much to like here that you will find it hard to decide which song is your favorite.
For those of you who have purchased the first album, the band has changed a bit. Obviously Alder and Zonder are the main focus (hence the band name) but current WARLORD member Philip Bynoe returns for this disk. Bringing another WARLORD member along for the ride, Jimmy Waldo adds his keyboard talents to “A2Z2”. The last record only had one guitars but on this latest one, Nick Van Dyk and Simone Mularoni supply the crunching riffs and soaring solos. With a band this solid, and a couple of records under their belt, I hope A-Z does some touring because these track were built for the stage.
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