Having recorded two powerful heavy metal albums (2003's self-titled debut and 'Aeronautics' [2005]), shocking news of two members lost reached the metal world. When the band lost their godly vocalist Jørn Lande and drummer extraordinaire Uli Kusch (ex-Helloween), I thought this was the end of Masterplan. However, The Masterplan MK II was conglomerated, and the album titled 'MK II' was recorded.

Guitarist Roland Grapow (ex-Helloween), bassist Jan S. Eckert and keyboardist Axel Mackenrott are the core of the band. Heavy riffing and emotional leads (plus great soloing and guitar meowings, hehe) of Mr. Grapow shone on Helloween's 'The Dark Ride', after which he was "removed" from that legendary band. But he continued on Masterplan, and this is another great darkened heavy metal riff-o-rama. Well, at least partly, as driving positive energy is still the another side of the band. After epic (pompous as only Germans can do) intro, 'Warrior's Cry' is such a positive power surge, delivered with kick-ass energy, that one knows Masterplan aren't surely dead, not even badly injured by the member changes. Ex-Riot pipes Mike DiMeo stepped on the mic. To tell the truth, I didn't know what to expect, before I heard a short sample. My first impression was, that his vocals are very similar to Lande's. But closer inspection shows that as good as singer he is, his register isn't as wide as his predecessor's. Mr. DiMeo's vocals are soaring, but his voice doesn't go very deep. He doesn't have that whiskey rasp Lande has. But, it's listener's ears that decide, because Mike DiMeo is a helluva great vocalist! Just check out his more angrier side on 'Masterplan'. New drummer Mike Terrana stepped in from Rage, so many of you know how powerful drummer he is. He really bashes them skins, and definitely throws in some great beats every now and then. Marvelous. Bass is roaring and keyboards not that foreseeable.

Anyways, the song material is not as varying as on 'Aeronautics', which remains Masterplan's most progressive work to date. The band have always created catchy songs, and 'MK II' ain't a change in that department. Partly still inspired by Helloween, out of the blue it's rather the Finnish heavy heavy metallers Thunderstone that Masterplan remind me of more than anything else. Masterplan kick up some real energetic boosters, darker songs and then quasi-ballads. Whatever is their style, it's heavy-sounding stuff. Generally, the song material is very good, with one real exception; 'Call the Gypsy' sounds bit "old" in the band's repertoire, and its chorus isn't that good, as isn't the following song's chorus. Somehow this album sounds a bit too samey, even though mostly great. The closer, massive and slower 'Heart of Darkness' is a really nice change from more familiar formula that the most of the album follows. My advice is: Let it grow, because a lot of it was saved by repeated listenings, as there's quite a many masterpieces on 'MK II'.

Two previous Masterplan albums have sounded magnificent, something like the genre leading production work, and this does exactly the same. Mr. Grapow recorded this, and it was mixed and mastered at Finnvox Studios by Mikko Karmila ja Mika Jussila, who have been busy "lately"... The cover artwork is a bit lame, though (even though the digibook edition looks great). Lyrics are about heartaches, metal spirit and the state of the world. Most of the lyrics don't raise any feeling in me, though.

I definitely like the album, but maybe not that much as the first two ones. The album's a grower, though. If you want heavy German heavy metal, grab this now! Want to test whether you like this or not? Then listen to 'Masterplan' and if you aren't shouting "Masterplan" on the song's chorus, then forget this.

Rating: 8 (out of 10) ratings explained

Reviewed by Lane
04/10/2007 22:46