Review Summary: Fates Warning’s Ray Alder and Mark Zonder team up with exceptional results.
So, Fates Warning apparently called it quits. There wasn’t some giant fallout or anything. Like everything else Fates Warning-related, it was a calculated decision – there was simply nothing left to say. As far as I can tell, there wasn’t even a press release about it (I discovered the news through the Fates Warning retrospective
Destination Onward). Regardless, it didn’t take long for the members to move on. Guitarist Jim Matheos and Bassist Joey Vera recorded an album under Kings of Mercia, and vocalist Ray Alder re-teamed with ex-Fates Warning drummer Mark Zonder on A-Z. The promo blurb for A-Z’s self-titled album described the album as having, “a melodic, progressive and deep sound, bringing to mind the classic era of Fates Warning albums like
Parallels and
Pleasant Shade of Grey while recalling the hooks and melodies of Journey.”
While there is some Fates Warning influence in the riffs, A-Z is more steeped in the modern rhythmic prog of bands such as Caligula’s Horse. The first three tracks open the album in fantastic fashion. Opener “Trial of Fire” is probably the most “Fates Warning” of the songs. The opening riff is very similar to “Down to the Wire” from
Inside Out. Despite the initial similarity, though, it very quickly comes into its own with an energy and edge “Down to the Wire” was lacking. Also, it is readily apparent that Mark Zonder hasn’t lost a step since those classic Fates Warning releases. The next two tracks blend a modern prog sound with big classic choruses, and really set the standard for the album.
Unfortunately, from that point on, the standard is rarely met. Instead of the big, energetic, direction of the first three songs, most of the album consists of predictable song structures, huge choruses, and a glaring lack of edge. In an interview, Mark Zonder said, ““I was thinking beer commercials, car commercials, and Cobra Kai. I wanted to have a very accessible band that would appeal to the masses and would lead to the ability to tour larger venues and build a second and third record off the success of the first. I did not want to hear things like, ‘I don’t hear a single, it is too proggy, I just don’t get it, let me listen to it a few more times’. I knew from myself and the others that I would recruit, it would have some sophisticated music parts but the big hook was the main priority.” For better or worse, that quote pretty much sums up the album.
Don’t get me wrong, there isn’t a single bad song on A-Z’s debut; they’re just not as exciting as the album’s first three tracks. The band’s steadfast commitment to accessibility simply bogs down the album with an underlying sense of predictability. Songs such as “Rise Again” with its dreamy swagger and rhythmic undercurrent features a chorus that will stick in your head, but then there’s also “Stranded” and “Sometimes” that occupy the same atmospheric ballad-ish space. Even more lively tracks such as “Run Away” and “At the Water’s Edge” end up suffering simply because their placement later in the album makes them feel less exciting than they would be on their own. The only track (after the first three) to really stand on its own within the framework of the entire album is “Borrowed Time”. It features what is easily the bands heaviest riff, their most urgent vocal delivery, innovative percussion, and a few surprise tangents – but even it suffers from a jarring switch to a big chorus.
A-Z never hid the fact that huge choruses and accessibility were going to be the main facets of their debut album; with the progressive tendencies included only where appropriate. That steadfast dedication may lead them to a larger audience, but it’s also the album’s most glaring weakness. Each song features enough highlights to hold its own, but the big choruses and moderately conventional structures begin to kill the momentum as the runtime increases -- fortunately, the individual performances and quality of specific tracks is enough to overcome a little predictability. Depending on where you stand, A-Z’s focus on accessibility could either be seen as a hindrance or a perk. However, even if you believe the accessibility to be a limitation, there is still plenty on A-Z’s debut album to make it enjoyable to anyone already missing Mark Zonder’s style and Ray Alder’s vocals.
