A-Z – A-Z (Black LP)

When Mark Zonder, famed former Fates Warning and Warlord drummer, started working on material in early 2020 he had a very clear vision for the band he wanted to put together. The result was A-Z, and while Zonder is adamant it is not a supergroup that is doing a ‘one and done’ record it has a stellar lineup, reuniting him with Fates Warning vocalist Ray Alder, Warlord/Steve Vai/Ring of Fire bassist Philip Bynoe, guitarist Joop Wolters and keyboardist Vivien Lalu, the combination of these players stirring up a very specific kind of magic that could not be replicated. The results are undeniable, from the high octane stomper “The Machine Gunner”, to the gorgeous sway of “Rise Again” or the towering “Stranded”, every track an anthem that sounds like only the biggest venues could contain them. The band’s name came courtesy of Alder – A-Z = Alder thru Zonder – and it fit straight away. “What I liked is that it did not limit what someone would think of the band. If we named the band Scary Serpent it would give a certain direction and I did not want people to prejudge the band and record,” Zonder says. 180g Black Vinyl

Track List