by Kyle Graves
There was a time in the early 90s that prog metal architects Fates Warning flirted with the more melodic side of the rock spectrum. That album, Parallels, masterfully mixed complex time signatures & arrangements with shorter, melodic hooks. Fast forward a few decades and A-Z band leader Mark Zonder had a vision for those more concise yet highly melodic songs for his new band. Partnering once again with FW vocalist Ray Alder, they crafted an excellent debut back in 2022 and now, after a lineup change, they are back for a killer sophomore release that brings back a bit more of those proggy ingredients.
The most significant change in A-Z 2.0 is the addition of Redemption mastermind Nick Van Dyk. His excellent compositional skills, combined with Alder & Zonder, have elevated this band in much the same way adding Alder to Redemption on their 2nd record did for that band. The riffs are heavy, biting, edgy, melodic & always memorable. Add to that Alders’ super catchy vocal melodies, Zonders’ complex yet completely accessible drum patterns & fills & you’ve got a killer melodic metal/hard rock release to blast during those hot days of summer.
Rounding out the lineup we have the stellar Philip Bynoe (Steve Vai/Warlord) returning on bass, Jimmy Waldo (Alcatrazz) adding some killer secret sauce on keys & Simone Mularoni (DGM/Sweet Oblivion) laying down some blazing guitar solos and pristine production to the album. Speaking of production, the drums here are easily the most present (& yet not overpowering) I’ve heard on an album in recent memory. At 10 songs & 49 minutes of catchy, heavy hookiness, this album will be on repeat & leave the listener wanting more!
Kicking off A2Z2 we have the absolute barn burner of a track “Fire Away,” quickly followed by “Running In Place” and “Nothing Is Over.” With Zonder’s driving rhythms, I suspect this 1-2-3 punch may be responsible for a few speeding tickets this summer. Fast, heavy, melodic and totally singable, these songs get the blood pumping right out of the gate.
“I Am Numb” reminds me of something from Inside Out/Pleasant Shade of Gray era Fates, but again, more concise & hooky.
Alder shows off a bit of his heavier side vocally, with slight echoes of his early 2000’s band Engine. Melodically, some of these songs might fit in well with repertoire from either of his recent solo releases “What the Water Wants” and “II”. Other highlights vocally are the expertly crafted “The Remedy” and super moody album closer “Now I Walk Away.”
“This Chaotic Symphony,” opens with Waldo’s swirling keyboards, Bynoe on fretless bass and cello and has an almost sleepy/dreamy feel to it before opening into a full-on sing-along anthem. And speaking of anthems, tracks like “Learning to Fly,” “A Wordless Prison” and “Reaching Out” will all have you singing along in your car at full volume.
Once again, Metal Blade Records is releasing this album, although it’s apparent they’ve stepped up their support. They recently united the band (living on different continents) for some music videos to help with promotion. We can only hope some tour dates can be arranged, as the final frontier for these seasoned vets would be playing these amazing songs live. Time will tell. Until then, pre-order, pre-save & support this band by purchasing a CD, vinyl, t-shirt or all of the above. If you like heavy, melodic & memorable music just on the fringes of Prog, this one’s for you!
A2Z2 Tracklist:
1. Fire Away 4:37
2. Running in Place 4:58
3. Nothing is Over 4:18
4. A Wordless Prison 6:04
5. Reaching Out 4:16
6. The Remedy 5:06
7. I Am Numb 4:03
8. This Chaotic Symphony 5:10
9. Learning to Fly 4:38
10. Now I Walk Away 5:39
Ray Alder – Lead and Backing Vocals
Philip Bynoe – Bass Guitar
Nick Van Dyk – Guitars
Simone Mularoni – Lead Guitars
Jimmy Waldo – Keyboards
Mark Zonder – Drums
Pre-order A2Z2 now at: https://www.metalblade.com/a-z
