Hard rock band, A-Z, will release their sophomore album, A2Z², on Friday, June 6 via Metal Blade Records. A full album audio stream can be found below.
Spearheaded by legendary drummer Mark Zonder (Fates Warning, Warlord) and along with former Fates Warning bandmate Ray Alder on vocals, A2Z² builds on the groundwork laid on the acclaimed 2022 self-titled debut album. The writing for the album began when Zonder and guitarist Nick Van Dyk (Redemption) started working with vocalist Alder on the album’s first single and de facto statement “Nothing Is Over,” showcasing the band’s commitment to making heavy music that’s sophisticated but hooky and accessible. Helping achieve those aural goals are bassist Philip Bynoe (Steve Vai/Ring of Fire/Warlord), Italian guitarist Simone Mularoni (A2Z² mixing/mastering, DGM) and keyboard player Jimmy Waldo (Alcatrazz/New England).
The band known as A-Z began when Zonder started working on material in early 2020 with a clear vision for the band he wanted to put together: “I was thinking beer commercials, car commercials and Cobra Kai. I wanted a very accessible band that would appeal to the masses,” he says. The band’s name – standing for Alder thru Zonder – was an easy choice that would never pigeonhole the lineup’s sound. “What I liked is that it did not limit what someone would think of the band,” says Zonder. “If we named the band Scary Serpent it would give a certain direction and didn’t want people to prejudge us.”
The band members are legendarily prolific, which allows for an amazing dynamic where, as Zonder explains, “when you find the right guys, you just let them do whatever they want. Everybody’s a seasoned pro and all the different ingredients come together, make it what it is. That live and recording experience allows A-Z to instinctively know how not to step on each other musically.”
“We’re all about the songs, the band, not what each of us does in it. It’s simple,” they all agree. “It’s about the music as a whole,” says Zonder, “I guarantee you everybody’s into something completely different musically, and that’s where the magic to me comes from, taking different influences and everybody doing what they do to create A-Z. We’re not 20-year-old kids. We’re at the point where if you’re gonna go, just go big. And that’s what we’ve done on A2Z².”
Pre-order A2Z² here.
A2Z² tracklisting:
“Fire Away”
“Running In Place”
“Nothing Is Over”
“A Wordless Prison”
“Reaching Out”
“The Remedy”
“I Am Numb”
“This Chaotic Symphony”
“Learning To Fly”
“Now I Walk Away”
Album stream:
“I Am Numb” video:
“Nothing Is Over” video:
A-Z lineup:
Ray Alder – Lead and Backing Vocals
Philip Bynoe – Bass Guitar
Nick Van Dyk – Guitars
Simone Mularoni – Lead Guitars
Jimmy Waldo – Keyboards
Mark Zonder – Drums
(Photo – Stephanie Cabral)
Follow BraveWords on social media… Facebook page, Facebook Group, X/Twitter, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky and YouTube.
Visit https://linktr.ee/bravewords
The post A-Z Feat. FATES WARNING Bandmates Streaming Entire A2Z² Album Ahead Of Friday Release appeared first on BraveWords - Where Music Lives.
Continue reading...
Spearheaded by legendary drummer Mark Zonder (Fates Warning, Warlord) and along with former Fates Warning bandmate Ray Alder on vocals, A2Z² builds on the groundwork laid on the acclaimed 2022 self-titled debut album. The writing for the album began when Zonder and guitarist Nick Van Dyk (Redemption) started working with vocalist Alder on the album’s first single and de facto statement “Nothing Is Over,” showcasing the band’s commitment to making heavy music that’s sophisticated but hooky and accessible. Helping achieve those aural goals are bassist Philip Bynoe (Steve Vai/Ring of Fire/Warlord), Italian guitarist Simone Mularoni (A2Z² mixing/mastering, DGM) and keyboard player Jimmy Waldo (Alcatrazz/New England).
The band known as A-Z began when Zonder started working on material in early 2020 with a clear vision for the band he wanted to put together: “I was thinking beer commercials, car commercials and Cobra Kai. I wanted a very accessible band that would appeal to the masses,” he says. The band’s name – standing for Alder thru Zonder – was an easy choice that would never pigeonhole the lineup’s sound. “What I liked is that it did not limit what someone would think of the band,” says Zonder. “If we named the band Scary Serpent it would give a certain direction and didn’t want people to prejudge us.”
The band members are legendarily prolific, which allows for an amazing dynamic where, as Zonder explains, “when you find the right guys, you just let them do whatever they want. Everybody’s a seasoned pro and all the different ingredients come together, make it what it is. That live and recording experience allows A-Z to instinctively know how not to step on each other musically.”
“We’re all about the songs, the band, not what each of us does in it. It’s simple,” they all agree. “It’s about the music as a whole,” says Zonder, “I guarantee you everybody’s into something completely different musically, and that’s where the magic to me comes from, taking different influences and everybody doing what they do to create A-Z. We’re not 20-year-old kids. We’re at the point where if you’re gonna go, just go big. And that’s what we’ve done on A2Z².”
Pre-order A2Z² here.
A2Z² tracklisting:
“Fire Away”
“Running In Place”
“Nothing Is Over”
“A Wordless Prison”
“Reaching Out”
“The Remedy”
“I Am Numb”
“This Chaotic Symphony”
“Learning To Fly”
“Now I Walk Away”
Album stream:
“I Am Numb” video:
“Nothing Is Over” video:
A-Z lineup:
Ray Alder – Lead and Backing Vocals
Philip Bynoe – Bass Guitar
Nick Van Dyk – Guitars
Simone Mularoni – Lead Guitars
Jimmy Waldo – Keyboards
Mark Zonder – Drums
(Photo – Stephanie Cabral)
Follow BraveWords on social media… Facebook page, Facebook Group, X/Twitter, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky and YouTube.
Visit https://linktr.ee/bravewords
The post A-Z Feat. FATES WARNING Bandmates Streaming Entire A2Z² Album Ahead Of Friday Release appeared first on BraveWords - Where Music Lives.
Continue reading...
