Masterplan - Masterplan (2003)^{Release ID: 7678}

Masterplan didn't start off as an unknown band. The members were already in more famous bands. Most notably, founding guitarist Roland Grapow and drummer Uli Kusch were in Helloween before they were fired. Other members at the time included vocalist Jorn Lande from Ark, bassist Jan S. Eckert from Iron Savior, and keyboardist Janne Wirman from Children of Bodom and Warmen. Wirman would then be replaced by current keyboardist Axel Mackenrott who has toured with Gamma Ray.

The album this lineup would make is an essential masterpiece! Pretty much all tracks are top-notch with great production. Heavy guitars/drums and melodic vocals are in the right balance. There's really nothing weak about this offering.

Opening track "Spirit Never Die" starts with soft bass that then rises into guitar melody and drumming speed. We're already at an amazing start. So heavy and beautiful! "Enlighten Me" is another one of my favorites here, really enlightening me with the melody of the music. "Kind Hearted Light" is a true anthem of power metal, showing Grapow and Kusch taking notes on what made Helloween big. There's some powerful aggression in "Crystal Night", particularly in the vocals.

We have a beautiful ballad-ish track in "Soulburn". Then we have the kick-A "Heroes". The first time I heard Jorn Lande and guest vocalist Michael Kiske together was in one of Avantasia's tracks. This clearly shows the heroic side of power metal, and a heroic side that I love! Definitely has some Stratovarius vibes here. Speeding things up is "Sail On". After that, "Into the Light" breaks the structural mold as an intriguing ballad. The lyrics depart from the usual "lost love" theme heard in other ballads. I would recommend that highlight for what a true power ballad should sound like.

We head back into heavy/power metal in "Crawling From Hell", though the riffing is heavier and tougher. The "Monsters and demons, crawling from hell" refrain has power and audacity. Going slower and darker is "Bleeding Eyes" which reaches Dream Theater levels of progressiveness. The spoken vocals sound a bit rap-ish, but I don't mind. "When Love Comes Close" was originally meant to be an instrumental, but ended up being a nice soft ballad.

I decided not to talk about the bonus tracks because they're weaker than the rest, and this review is for the 5-star perfect standard edition. Masterplan's 2003 debut is for anyone wanting a continuation of Helloween's late 90s era and Ark. Check this awesome offering out to witness these heavy/power metal masters in action!

Favorites: "Spirit Never Die", "Enlighten Me", "Kind Hearted Light", "Heroes", "Into the Light", "Crawling From Hell"