This is what I call an eye-catcher of an album cover! A little ant is sitting on the head of an alligator, and the alligator’s mouth can be opened or closed with a zipper. Covers by the well-known artist Hugh Syme are easily recognizable, but to understand the actual idea behind this one, we have to go a little deeper: the alligator-zipper stands for A-Z – so this is nothing but another brilliant interpretation of the band’s name A-Z (Alder / Zonder). The debut album already featured an apple in the mouth of a zebra – the latter even appears again on this album’s back cover and inside artwork. The nucleus of the band A-Z consists of vocalist Ray Alder (FATES WARNING) and drummer Mark Zonder (WARLORD / FATES WARNING), but the remaining members on this album aren’t newbies to the music industry either: keyboardist Jimmy Waldo is a founding member of ALCATRAZZ, bass player Philip Bynoe has (among many others) worked with STEVE VAI, and guitarists Nick Van Dyk and Simone Mularoni are active in the bands REDEMPTION and DGM. Musically, A-Z are first and foremost directed at lovers of Progressive Rock and Melodic Hard Rock / AOR with strong hooklines, and “A2Z²” is the band’s second album – the follow-up to their self-titled debut from 2022. You’ll also find my in-depth review of it on this site, and I could have easily copied that text for this one. Not because the band has repeated itself, but because it is simply equally brilliant! A-Z’s songs may be dominated by the melodic vocals and catchy choruses of Ray Alder, but the drum work of Mark Zonder is so outstanding that it can’t be from this earth! If you’re a music lover and don’t find yourself completely fascinated by everything this man comes up with in each song, you might as well stop reading now. To give you a little overview of what to expect from “A2Z²”, here’s a rundown of the ten featured tracks: The album kicks off with ‘Fire Away’, a fantastic uptempo opener with a typically catchy A-Z chorus, amazing musicianship, and a perfect connection to their debut full-length. It goes straight into ‘Running In Place’, another driving uptempo track that features a great solo section, a surprising shout-along chorus, and – despite its overall catchiness – very complex drumming by the one and only Mark Zonder. ‘Nothing Is Over’ is next – the first video release from the album. It opens with great guitar work and an amazing rhythm section, until Ray Alder takes over with his incredible vocals and a chorus melody line that you won’t be able to get out of your head after hearing it once. The band also made a video for this song and a drum playthrough, which you definitely have to check out to fully understand my enthusiasm for the drumming on this record. Unfortunately, ‘Nothing Is Over’ is one of a few tracks on the album that fade out at the end – which is really a pity. Track # 4, ‘A Wordless Prison’, has a very mellow opening, then develops into a rough-sounding piece of music with complex rhythms – until Ray Alder delivers his great melody lines in the chorus again. Also worth mentioning here is the solo section with some amazing guitar work. ‘Reaching Out’ comes next with a calm opening but quickly ventures into heavier territory, and the chorus once again adds the icing on the cake. ‘The Remedy’ is another song with a video, which surprised me a bit, as it has a rougher overall sound and takes a few listens to fully appreciate. But once it clicks, it turns out to be another fantastic track – combining all of the band’s strengths at their best: exciting drum work, great bass, over-the-top vocals, an amazing lead guitar solo section and a mood and catchiness that no other band can deliver quite like this. ‘I Am Numb’ starts out very uptempo and has an unusual, somewhat complex verse – until it explodes into the chorus again. This was actually the second video released ahead of the album’s release. The beginning of track # 8, ‘This Chaotic Symphony’, has a very orchestral feel and provides the perfect foundation for Ray Alder’s moody vocal performance. It shifts into a rougher middle section, then transitions to a chorus with all of A-Z’s typical trademarks, followed by a great guitar / synth solo section. Unfortunately, this is another track that fades out at the end. ‘Learning To Fly’ features very complex rhythms courtesy of Mr. Mark Zonder. It’s overall mid-paced but includes a lot of great guitar work – both rhythm and lead – and (you guessed it) a fantastic chorus melody. Again, it fades out at the end. The very first seconds of the album closer, ‘Now I Walk Away’, immediately reminded me a bit of Don Henley’s 1984 hit ‘The Boys Of Summer’, but the track quickly evolves in a different direction. It’s very atmospheric, filled with emotional drama, supported by a great rhythm foundation and a powerful Ray Alder. The perfect song to close a perfect album! “A2Z²” is graced by crystal-clear production that sounds powerful but never overly digital, allowing every instrument to shine equally. It was once again handled by Mark Zonder himself, while guitarist Simone Mularoni took care of the mixing and mastering. To sum it up for those of you who don’t enjoy reading long reviews: another fantastic album from a fantastic band! So if you’re an open-minded music lover who already enjoyed A-Z’s debut full-length, you definitely won’t be disappointed by “A2Z²” either! www.facebook.com/athruzband, www.facebook.com/metalbladerecords