Masterplan – Metalmorphosis
Release Date: 26th June 2026
Label: Frontiers Music SRL
Order
Genre: Power Metal
FFO: Helloween, Primal Fear, Firewind, Hammerfall.
Review By: Eric Wilt
Masterplan was formed in 2001 by former Helloween guitarist Roland Grapow with then drummer Uli Kusch. In their 25-year history, the band has released five original albums and a collection of Helloween covers called PumpKings that features songs Grapow wrote during his time with the band. Now, Grapow and company are back with album number six, Metalmorphosis, with a line-up that has been intact since drummer Kevin Kott joined in 2016. The band is rounded out by keyboardist Axel Mackenrott who has been with Masterplan since 2003 and singer Rick Altzi and bassist Jari Kainulainen who have been in the band since 2012. As a band that has seen their share of turnover with the players, it is nice to see that Metalmorphosis was written and recorded by a group that has been together for a decade. In addition to the first nine tracks, which are all new, Masterplan has included their standalone single from 2024 called Rise Again.
Musically, Metalmorphosis is a Masterplan album through and through. While the album is at times heavier and more aggressive than past efforts, the melodic prowess and craftsmanship of the songs has been a part of the band since they released their self-titled debut in 2003. This is partly due to Grapow’s contribution to each album and partly due to the similarities between original singer Jorn Lande and current singer Altzi’s voices. There were times on past songs like Crimson Rider and Into the Arena, both from Aeronautics, where Lande’s voice blended seamlessly with the overarching melody of the songs in a way that was beautiful and memorable. Altzi’s voice blends in a similar way on current tracks like Chase the Light and Pain of Yesterday. All the time the guys have spent together shows in the tightness of the musicianship as well as the complexity of the compositions.
Fans of Masterplan will be pleased with Metalmorphosis, while fans of power metal in general should definitely give this album a try. And if it’s your first Masterplan album, I have a feeling it won’t be your last.
(4 / 5)
