Masterplan - Novum Initium

Power Metal
AFM Records

2013

1. Per Aspera Ad Astra (Intro)
2. The Game
3. Keep Your Dreams Alive
4. Black Knight Of Magic
5. Betrayal
6. No Escape
7. Pray On My Soul
8. Earth Is Going Down
9. Return From Avalon
10. Through Your Eyes
11. Novum Initium

Masterplan's latest, Novum Initium, is the kind of album that makes me just a little nervous going in. The band has been on shaky ground with the member changes, particularly when it comes to their on and off again experience with Jorn. Mike DiMeo, who I do in fact like, failed to quite fill Jorn's shoes and oddly when Jorn came back he failed to live up to his own previous work too. The bottom line for me is that the past two albums were not as memorable and haven't really stuck with me. Given yet another shakeup in the vocal department here I had to approach this one with a bit of caution. I do like Rick Altzi though so that is a plus.

Novum Initium does start off pretty well with a solid sound that fuses power metal and melodic rock again in a way that is fairly smooth yet heavy. Rick Altzi also seems like a good fit for the band as he has a similar approach and sound to Jorn. In terms of overall sound and first impressions I found myself optimistic about Novum Initium really. The thing is that despite a pretty good sound, the whole thing ended up ringing just a little hollow for me. Something is missing here and I think it's imagination. This is an acceptable Sound, but I found in the end that the song experience blended together and I didn't find myself particularly latching onto the material. It's like the band knew what made the first couple albums good, but they tried so hard to replicate it that they made an album of B grade mimics of what came before. Something's off here and I'm pretty sure what's missing can be chalked up to a really safe album that lacks creativity. Certainly, this could have been worse and the band weathers the storm of member shifts, but the experience viewed as a whole just underwhelmed me.

I guess the verdict on this has to be the band manages to bring the Masterplan sound back together, but there is nothing here that brings anything new or adventurous to the table. I can sort of understand why the band tried to be safe with a new singer and the band on shaky ground, but this is just too safe to be interesting. Novum Initium is just too cookie cutter to be exciting or all that memorable. I have to give this a mediocre rating because really because it's all flash and no substance. A smooth, well produced melodic power metal sound is nice and all, but you have to have more original songs and creative flare to back it up. This just doesn't. This reminds me a bit of a cover band of the Masterplan who put together the first couple of albums and my patience is running a bit thin with the band.

Highlights: Black Knight Of Magic, The Game

Rating - 2.5/5

Masterplan - Time To Be King

Melodic Power Metal
AFM

2010

1. Fiddle Of Time
2. Blow Your Winds
3. Far From The End Of The World
4. Time To Be King
5. Lonely Winds of War
6. The Dark Road
7. The Sun Is In Your Hands
8. The Black One
9. Blue Europa
10. Under The Moon

Masterplan are one of those bands who I enjoyed for a couple albums, but then the frequent killer of bands happened... a vocalist change. This was actually unexpected as I really like the replacement they chose, Mike DiMeo, as vocalist, but something just didn't seem to click when he tried to sing for this band. Something just didn't seem to sync and the chemistry/sound of the band suffered. Basically, the magic of the first two wasn't there.

That being said this album brought the new encouragement of Masterplan putting the last album behind them and getting back together with Jorn Lande. Certainly, this was an encouraging prospect. That being said one did have to wonder on some level if the last album sunk because of the vocals or because the band was just loosing steam. Hard to say until you hear the band back in their original form.

Fans can rest assured that this album does sound much more like the band we know and love. The sound is definitely back in form and Masterplan comes up with a pretty solid release here. Of their other two albums with Jorn, this one probably sounds more like the first release than the second as the guitar is more prevalent and heavy. The music is still melodic and flowing with Jorn being a big factor in that, but the album is not as subdued or AOR sounding as Aeronautics. Personally, I'm a big fan of Aeronautics and the gripping melodies it presented, but I also like the debut so this is not a big deal.

The thing with this album for me is that it doesn't have as many big stand out tracks as either album. Neither the heaviness and uniqueness of tracks like Soulburn or the catchy melodies of Enlighten Me present themselves here in as big of a way. Time To Be King sounds like Masterplan, but maybe not quite as strong as either of the other two albums. Certainly, there's nothing here I didn't enjoy and I find this an overall enjoyable listen, but the other two have to be presented as a bit of perspective. This one seems just a wee bit more typical power metal I guess. I would still say that fans will find much to like here... especially after the last album kinda broke the formula and sank. I'm certainly satisfied and consider this one a move in the right direction.

Highlights: Fiddle Of Time, Time To Be King, Lonely Winds of War, The Dark Road

Rating - 3.5/5

Masterplan - MK II

Power Metal
AFM

2007

1. Phoenix Rising
2. Warrior's Cry
3. Lost And Gone
4. Keeps me Burning
5. Take Me Over
6. I'm Gonna Win
7. Watching The World
8. Call The Gypsy
9. Trust In You
10. Masterplan
11. Enemy
12. Heart Of Darkness

Upon hearing Jorn had left this band doubt immediately filled my mind as to Masterplan's future. A well respected and sought after vocalist in metal, Jorn Lande brings a powerful presence to any band with his powerful emotive deliveries. However, when I heard the replacement announced as none other than Mike DiMeo of former Riot fame my doubts were laid to rest as far as the vocals went. A perfect replacement really as Mike DiMeo could practically be Jorn's vocal twin. Very similar stylistically and one vocalist I'd rank just as high in the grand scheme... which there aren't many of. But then of course Uli Kusch also departed, leaving this band without one of it's founders and once again on uncertain ground.

Listening to this album it didn't immediately hook me like the last release did and the musical direction seems to have shifted a bit back towards the first album. The melodic rock hooks that really grabbed me on Aeronautics and those big standout choruses seem absent in favor of more direct and upbeat song structures. It's not really the vocals that have changed in the choruses but more how they're arranged within the songs and most of these songs don't seem to touch those catchy arrangements that largely made the last album for me. There are a few exceptions in the form of Lost And Gone, Keep Me Burning, and the very 80s sounding I'm Gonna Win which reminds me of something that could've been done by Survivor for a Rocky soundtrack. Bit of cheese there maybe but damn powerful in my opinion. All those 3 are very strong and worthy of the last album. Much of the rest of the album though is just kinda samey in their straight ahead nature and similar pace, without much in terms of hooks or power. There are no really weak tracks here I don't think... just less standouts.

If you like sort of happy, uplifting sort of power with a tendency towards being upbeat and melodic than this is good enough to check out, but I'd recommend picking up Aeronautics over this one if you haven't. It is probably worth checking out for DiMeo era Riot fans though since there are some parallels there. Not a bad release by any means as indicated by the rating but, I just can't help being a little disappointed considering the last album. Hope for this band's future certainly does remain as they have found a vocalist who can slide easily into their sound and will deliver for them live.

Highlights: Keep Me Burning, Lost And Gone, I'm Gonna Win

Rating - 3.5/5

Masterplan - Aeronautics

Melodic Power
AFM

2005

1. Crimson Rider
2. Back For My Life
3. Wounds
4. I'm Not Afraid
5. Headbanger's Ballroom
6. After This War
7. Into The Arena
8. Dark From The Dying
9. Falling Sparrow
10. Black In The Burn

With an impressive debut and one of the best vocalists in metal today on board, I think it's safe to say expectations regarding this album were high. The debut received large amounts of critical praise and I see nothing less on the way for this one. Their sophmore release offers no big changes in sound, but why mess with a winning formula so soon? What we end up with here is a very solid collection of melodic, catchy power metal drenched in atmosphere in the same sort of vein. I do think however that the songwriting has improved and shows the band growing further together as a unit. This release says with some certainty that Masterplan is a band that's here to stay. There just isn't a weak track to be found on this release and the musicianship is top notch. I'd be suprised if this didn't end up somewhere high in the best albums of the year... and it's only January.

Highlights: Back For My Life, I'm Not Afraid, Headbanger's Ballroom, Dark For The Dying

Rating 4.0/5