For a brief, brief moment in time the spotlight shone on A2Z as they were right in the middle of the NWOBHM explosion. Putting out a live album as your introduction to the world of metal seemed a strange thing to do, but it worked for fellow NWOBHMers, Vardis, so why not.
Looking back after all these years, it’s a very raw recording and maybe they needed a decent producer to work with them on the songs before they put this out. We can even play a fun quiz where you put on the first track, No Fun After Midnight and tell me where that main riff was stolen from. There are a couple of very easy ones to choose from.
It’s definitely of its time and parts of the record sound like they were recorded in ’70 never mind ’80, but it does have an endearing “we gave it a go” attitude to it. The track that stands out to me is Walking The Distance, where they are trying to stretch themselves using early Rush as an influence.
Not a must have, but if you’re a NWOBHM collector then you should have this.
6.5/10 from The Grooveman.
