''Masterplan'' is the German

power metal Power metal is a subgenre of heavy metal combining characteristics of traditional heavy metal with speed metal, often within symphonic context. Generally, power metal is characterized by a faster, lighter, and more uplifting sound, in contra ...

band Masterplan's self-titled debut album, released in 2003 by

AFM Records AFM Records GmbH is a music label based in Schwalmstadt, Germany. They focus on the heavy metal musical genre, signing bands such as U.D.O., Doro, Lordi, Kotipelto, Masterplan, Nostradameus, and Annihilator. In 2005, Candlelight Records si ...

. The album received many good reviews and entered the charts at high positions. The album was voted album of the month in ''Sweden Rock Magazine'', ''Rock Hard'' and ''Heavy, Oder Was?!'' in Germany and ''Metal Factory'' in

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

. The band received the "

European Border Breakers Award The European Border Breakers Award (EBBA) was an annual prize awarded to recognise the success of ten emerging artists or groups who reached audiences outside their own countries with their first internationally released album in the past year. ...

" in 2004 from the European Commission, for the album sales around Europe. By the time their first full-length and self-titled CD was released in 2003, keyboard player Janne "Warman" Wirman was replaced by

Axel Mackenrott Axel Mackenrott (6 September 1969 in Hamburg, Germany) is the keyboard player for the heavy metal band Masterplan. Axel began playing at around 11 years of age with piano lessons, and went on to eventually acquire a Bachelor of Arts in musica ...

. Wirman recorded some session keyboards for the album, but could not stay on as a full-time member due to his commitments to

Children of Bodom Children of Bodom was a Finnish melodic death metal band from Espoo. Formed in 1993 as Inearthed, the final line-up of the group upon their split in 2019 consisted of Alexi Laiho (lead guitar, lead vocals), Jaska Raatikainen (drums), Henkka Sep ...

. The main keyboard lines of the album were arranged and programmed by guitarist

Roland Grapow Roland Grapow (born 30 August 1959 in Hamburg) is a German professional guitarist and music producer. Grapow is best known for his time in the power metal band Helloween, with which he played for 12 years after replacing founding member Kai Hans ...

and drummer

Uli Kusch Ulrich Kusch (born 11 March 1967) is a heavy metal drummer. He is best known for playing with Helloween, Gamma Ray, Masterplan and Holy Moses, among others. He is known for his technical style of playing, fast-paced speed metal-like rhythm, an ...

. Missing a proper bass player, Grapow recorded the bass parts, with some help from session bassist Jürgen Attig (Casanova). Grapow has since revealed that

Helloween Helloween is a German power metal band founded in 1984 in Hamburg by members of bands Iron Fist, Gentry, Second Hell and Powerfool. Its first lineup consisted of singer and guitarist Kai Hansen, bassist Markus Grosskopf, guitarist Michael Weik ...

bassist

Markus Grosskopf Markus Grosskopf (born 21 September 1965) is a German musician who is the bass guitarist, backing vocalist and a founding member of the power metal band Helloween. Biography Grosskopf started playing bass at the age of 15 when he became friend ...

unwittingly played on the track "Into the Light", since Helloween had tried recording the track for

The Dark Ride ''The Dark Ride'' is the ninth studio album by German power metal band Helloween, released in 2000. The album's style was quite different from ''Better Than Raw'' as it had a much darker sound, drop-tuned guitars, and gruffer vocals. The album ...

and the bass track from that session was used. Permanent bassist Jan-Sören Eckert joined shortly after the album's release. Despite not playing on the album, Mackenrott and Eckert both appear in the album sleeve.

Michael Kiske Michael Kiske (born January 24, 1968) is a German singer and lead vocalist for the German power metal band Helloween. Kiske has released four solo albums, two albums with the hard rock band Unisonic, has participated on various metal and rock ...

, the former

bandmate of Roland Grapow, duets on the track "Heroes".

Reception

In 2005, ''Masterplan'' was ranked number 491 in ''

Rock Hard "Rock Hard" is a single by the Beastie Boys, released by Def Jam Records on 12" in 1984. The track contains samples from the AC/DC song "Back in Black", which was used without obtaining legal permission, causing the record to be withdraw ...

'' magazine's book ''The 500 Greatest Rock & Metal Albums of All Time''.

Track listing

All songs were written by Masterplan, except where noted.

Personnel

Jørn Lande Jørn Marumsrud Lande (born May 31, 1968) is a Norwegian hard rock and heavy metal singer and songwriter. He is known for his work with the bands Ark, Beyond Twilight, Millenium, Vagabond, The Snakes, and most notably with power metal band Ma ...

– vocals *

– guitar, bass, keyboards arrangement and program *

– drums, keyboards arrangement and program Guest musicians *

– vocals on track 6 *

Janne Wirman Janne Viljami "Warman" Wirman (born 26 April 1979) is a Finnish musician; he is the former keyboardist for the Finnish metal band Children of Bodom from 1997 to 2019 and currently collaborating with Warmen. Biography 150px, left, Wirman in 2 ...

– keyboards on all tracks * Ferdy Doernberg – keyboards on track 8 * Jürgen Attig – bass on B-sides Production * Produced by

Andy Sneap Andy Sneap (born 18 July 1969) is an English guitarist, record producer and composer with over 100 albums to his name, most of which have been produced at his Backstage Recording studios in rural Derbyshire. Some of the most critically acclaime ...

and Masterplan * Recorded by Andy Sneap at Crazy Cat Studio, Hamburg (GER) * Mixed by Mikko Karmila at Finnvox Studio, Helsinki (FIN) * Mastered by Mika Jussila at Finnvox Studio, Helsinki (FIN) * Bandphotos by Dirk Schelpmeier * Artwork and booklet design by Rainer Laws * Album cover and band logo by Thomas Ewerhard

Singles

Enlighten Me

"Enlighten Me" is the first single by Masterplan, taken from the present album. Despite the band picture on the sleeve, all keyboards are played by

Janne Warman Janne Viljami "Warman" Wirman (born 26 April 1979) is a Finnish musician; he is the former keyboardist for the Finnish metal band Children of Bodom from 1997 to 2019 and currently collaborating with Warmen. Biography 150px, left, Wirman in 20 ...

, and Jürgen Attig plays bass on tracks 3 and 4, with Grapow playing the bass on the remaining three tracks.

Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin were an English rock band formed in London in 1968. The group comprised vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham. With a heavy, guitar-driven sound, they are ci ...

's "Black Dog" cover was included on The Music Remains the Same: A Tribute to Led Zeppelin, a tribute album by Locomotive Music (Spain).

References

2003 debut albums Masterplan (band) albums AFM Records albums Albums produced by Andy Sneap European Border Breakers Award-winning albums {{2000s-power-metal-album-stub