When Mark Zonder, former Fates Warning and Warlord drummer, started working on an album in early 2020, he had a very clear vision of the band he wanted to form. The result is A-Z, and while Zonder is adamant that this is not a supergroup making a one-off record, but an amazing band featuring 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 musicians creating a very specific magic that cannot be replicated. Each track is an anthem that only the largest venues can contain. The band's name was decided thanks to Alder - A-Z = Alder thru Zonder, and it immediately stuck.