A new slab of metal bursts out of the cocoon.
Among the pivotal bands that shaped the European power metal sound in the 2000s, Masterplan holds an especially unique place in history. Originally conceived as a side venture by then Helloween guitar Roland Grapow and Uli Kusch to further pursue the darker and modernized aesthetic of 2000’s The Dark Ride, it quickly morphed into something entirely more substantial following their auspicious and subsequent dismissal from the band.
The inclusion of up-and-coming Norwegian vocalist Jorn Lande and former Iron Savior bassist Jan-Soren Eckert to the fold created a strong supergroup-style hype behind the Masterplan name that quickly saw their ascent to prominence in the European sales charts and rock/metal media with the release of their 2003 eponymous debut. Though in later years lineup instability led to a fall in prominence for this breakaway melodic metal sensation, the initial impact it made in the mid-2000s was beyond question and was rightly viewed as a game-changer, and now, roughly 20 years later, this same outfit has rekindled the same magic with their latest LP, Metalmorphosis.
Though of the original lineup that took the European market by storm, only guitarist Roland Grapow and keyboardist Axel Mackenrott remain; this opus is as effective a return to form as could have been achieved with the entire original quintet. The rhythm section, consisting of former Stratovarius bassist Jari Kainulainen and drummer Kevin Kott, seamlessly lays down a massive sonic foundation fitting of the signature thick and forbidding atmosphere that Masterplan established with their hybrid approach of heavy yet hard rock-infused aggression.
Likewise, vocalist Rick Altzi continues to pour out a similarly gravely and smoky display from the microphone that Lande accomplished on this fold’s early material, though with an extra degree of rawness and grit that makes him easy to distinguish from his predecessor. But more so than anything else, Grapow’s prowess as a studio engineer and producer in approximating and building upon the aesthetic formula popularized by Andy Sneap is on full display, translating a sound that was considerably punchy for 2003 into its 2026 equivalent.
The familiar sounds of yesteryear come raging forth even before the first pummeling riff out of Roland’s guitar has a chance to take the helm, all but to the point of ushering Metalmorphosis in as the long-awaited sequel to the eponymous debut. The cinematic orchestration that flows out of Mackenrott’s keyboards and the accompanying military snare drum line at the onset of opening anthem “Chasing The Light” bears an uncanny resemblance to how “Spirit Never Die” begins, and the subsequent blend of rapid chugging guitar riffs and swift drumming beneath Altzi’s soaring resound could well be treated as the darker and heavier cousin of the latter, complete with a brilliantly crafted virtuoso solo out of Grapow’s mighty six-string.
The follow up mid-paced banger “Electric Nights” accomplishes a similar relation to the famed duet entry that helped put this band on the map “Heroes”, albeit with a nimbler presentation and minus the guest vocal services of Michael Kiske, while the chunky, down tempo beast of an entry “Shadow Man” channels pretty heavy comparisons to this band’s original leadoff single “Enlighten Me”, though the guitar and keyboard work is notably more adventurous and the tone even more aggressive.
The recurring formula of revisiting the early days in a more amped up fashion becomes so pronounced that one can’t help but see this as the album that MK II should have been. Whether it be the bleak, heavy rocking, high-impact bluster of “Bound To Fall”, the Led Zeppelin-like nod to Middle Eastern music with a punchier attack “Pain Of Yesterday,” or the bludgeoning yet earworm melody-steeped “Ghostlight”, it’s all highly reminiscent of the same power-infused format that dominated the debut album and 2005’s Aeronautics.
Likewise, though speed metal was always a secondary element in Masterplan’s formula, a duo of riveting entries that recall the carryover elements of Grapow’s stint with Helloween in the double bass happy crusher and title entry “Metalmorphosis” and the high octane thrasher “Through The Storm” nearly steal the show early in the second half of the album. Though this mighty LP closes with a raging, mid-paced, riff happy banger in “Rise Again”, the entry that really brings it all home is the colossal 8 minute epic “The Call”, which sees this fold stepping out of their comfort zone a bit in a favor of a more drawn out and progressive approach, and it melds perfectly with their hook-oriented and conventional mode of songwriting.
Metalmorphosis is not an album that dwells upon the past, but it definitely takes heavy cues from where Masterplan has been, takes stock of what worked at the height of their career, and builds something substantially new out of a pre-existing template. Along for the ride is a renewed sense of energy and drive that has not been seen out of this band since their initial run with Jorn Lande at the helm, becoming most apparent in just how insanely poised and ambitious Roland Grapow’s guitar performance unfolds, but is clearly spread across the entirety of the arrangement.
With more than a decade’s worth of time having passed since the last time any original studio material came out from this outfit and nearly a decade since their 2017 LP covering Helloween material penned by Grapow dubbed PumpKings, to call this a monster comeback would be putting it mildly.
Those who have ridden the Masterplan train since it first pulled out of the station will find plenty of familiar themes at work here, but those who have yet to discover their unique niche of dark, heavy rocking power metal will also find as good a starting point here as they would going back to where it all began.
Release Date: June 26th, 2026
Record Label: Frontiers Music Srl
Genre: Power Metal
Musicians:
- Rick Altzi / Vocals
- Roland Grapow / Guitars
- Jari Kainulainen / Bass
- Axel Mackenrott / Keyboards
- Kevin Kott / Drums
Metalmorphosis Track-list:
- Chase The Light
- Electric Nights
- Shadow Man
- Bound To Fall
- Pain Of Yesterday
- Metalmorphosis
- Through The Storm
- Ghostlight
- The Call
- Rise Again (Album version)
Order the album here.
The post MASTERPLAN – Metalmorphosis (Album Review) appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.
