Hard rock band A-Z returns with their sophomore album ‘A2Z²‘ out on June 6th, 2025 via Metal Blade Records. 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 title “Nothing is Over” – the first single from A2Z² – serves as a de facto statement announcing the quintet’s 10-song sophomore effort and musical M.O. It’s the initial track Mark Zonder and guitarist Nick Van Dyk (Redemption) wrote when they began working on A2Z² with vocalist Ray Alder. Music trends may be ever-changing, but classic rock ‘n’ roll is indeed never over, and A-Z remains committed to 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 James Waldo (Alcatrazz/New England). “Nothing is Over” is heavier and deeper than what the band explored on their debut LP, with a bit more prog playing, but still featuring a big chorus hook and plush vocals. Alder’s lyrics were inspired by H.P. Lovecraft‘s short story The Outsider.
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.“
A2Z² Tracklist:
01. Fire Away (4:37)
02. Running in Place (4:58)
03. Nothing Is Over (4:18)
04. A Wordless Prison (6:04)
05. Reaching Out (4:16)
06. The Remedy (5:06)
07. I Am Numb (4:03)
08. This Chaotic Symphony (5:10)
09. Learning to Fly (4:38)
10. Now I Walk Away (5:39)
Pre-order A2Z² now at: metalblade.com/a-z
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
A-Z online:
http://www.a-zband.com
https://www.facebook.com/AthruZBand
https://twitter.com/AthruZBand
https://www.instagram.com/athruzband
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