The title “Nothing is Over” – the first single from A-Z‘s second album, A2Z² – serves as a de facto statement announcing the quintet’s 10-song sophomore effort and musical M.O. It’s the initial track drummer Mark Zonder (Fates Warning, Warlord) and guitarist Nick Van Dyk (Redemption) wrote when they began working on A2Z² with vocalist Ray Alder (Fates Warning, Redemption).
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 allows Alder to show a different side to his stellar voice. “I’ve been doing this a long time, and I’m known mostly for my clean vocals. But with A-Z, I work on different approaches with my voice. I sing much rougher than I normally would, a lot harder, tougher,” the singer says. “This music lends itself to that, and it’s an opportunity to show a different side to my vocal personality.” Alder is known for dark lyrics, but the music on the new record inspired him differently. “It’s not uplifting, they’re not love songs, but it’s definitely different. I think a lot of people will find something to relate to.”
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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 we 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‘s to instinctively how not to step on each other musically.”
Bynoe initially opted for a “less is more” foundational role for his bass. But Zonder told him, “‘go crazy.’ I ended up having a lot of fun playing with ways and things that I thought at first might have been too much.” Bynoe also plays cello on the song “Chaotic Symphony” and fretless bass on both “Chaotic Symphony” and “Now I Walk Away.”
Legendary keyboard player Waldo‘s time with Yngwie Malmsteen and Steve Vai in Alcatrazz gave him an appreciation shredders, but he’s all about the song. “Ray is really commercial, and that’s not a dirty word,” he says “The choruses and hooks, and what I call sub hooks-Ray‘s b sections leading into choruses-are way better than the choruses in a lot of bands’ songs. Lyrically, he’s really interesting without being outrageous or over the top.” While some technically prolific bands are stunning to see, you can’t go away singing a song. Not so with A-Z. “Ray‘s stuff just sticks with you. That’s what it’s all about, so playing with these guys is a real treat for me.”
Van Dyk, a Harvard Business School graduate who has been called “pure fire” and a “guitarist extraordinaire,” plays rhythm guitar in addition to sharing songwriting duties with Zonder. His axe role was foundational for A2Z², utilizing a Kemper for heavy tones and a Fractal unit for cleaner notes on his Conklin guitar. It was Van Dyk who recommended Simone, calling him “one of the greatest guitar players I’ve ever seen. He’s mixing the record; we should definitely use him.”
Mularoni was thrilled to contribute leads-and eventually become a full A-Z member. Playing a Telecaster and a Stratocaster, he began with standard, classic solos, and then added layers of atmosphere. “I started to experiment with pedals and weird guitar sounds,” he explains, knowing that he could remove what didn’t work as the record was being finalized.
For added favor, vocalist Robbie Wyckoff, who has toured and sung with Roger Waters, Diana Ross, Keith Emerson, and Barbra Streisand, adds harmonies to “Fire Away” and “Now I Walk Away.”
“We have great backing vocals, but Robbie can come up with harmonies that are not predictable; a strange note, which complements the song,” Mularoni says. Linda Chase, a Boston-based multi-instrumentalist and Berklee professor, lends her voice to “I am Numb” and “Learning to Fly.”
A-Z will certainly appeal to fans of progressive rock, not that they’re like Dream Theater; rather, the band has a progressive feel and a boundary-pushing musical intent while retaining a sing-along character.
The second album is sure to garner equally high praise, A-Z fully locked into a sound that’s commercial and memorable, while bold and never sterile. You could look at the lineup as a “supergroup,” however, they’re truly a band of brothers hungry to make it together. “We look at the big picture. 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.”
