Masterplan

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

Any Masterplan fans around here?

Both the debut and Aeronautics are amongst my favourite melodic power metal albums especially the latter. Jorn just kills it on those albums and Uli Kusch who is unfortunately a very underrated drummer these days did a really solid job behind the drums.

I unfortunately just heard that the new lineup will not incude Jorn! So much for the epic comeback! 

New lineup:
Rick Altzi - vocals
Roland Grapow - guitars
Axel Mackenrott - keyboards
Jari Kainulainen - bass
Martin "Marthus" Skaroupka - drums

[jingle.boy]

Reporting for fandom.  As you mentioned, the first two are brilliant. MKII and Time to be King are pretty good, but not on the same level.

No Jorn makes baby Jesus cry. Don't know any of At Vance's stuff, so I can't say waht kind of a replacement Altzi will make.

[Adami]

Oh Masterplan, how you sadden me.



I really love their first two CD's. I mean they are just great, with the 2nd being slightly less great, but still great.


The third, with the other singer wasn't........bad, or good and I never wanted to listen to it.


Then Jorn came back and I was super pumped. However, then I heard the CD and totally gave up on the band. It seems that aside from the first 2 CD's, they have absolutely no idea to properly compose a song, and the entire 4th cd just seemed like a collection of riffs half-hazzardly thrown together.

But now Jorn is gone again? Meh. No interest in this band anymore, but I'll always love the first 2 cd's.

[jjrock88]

That debut is amazing. The follow up was good, but didn't grab me like the debut. I didn't think much of the third and still haven't heard the forth.

[Adami]

Even though I won't buy their new CD, it's cool that Jari is on it. I've always thought he was a great and underrated bassist.


Granted I doubt he'll even be audible, let alone stand out on the new cd.

[Ben_Jamin]

Oh the mighty debut CD is great. The 2nd is alright, didn't listen to the others. My favorites are Into The Light, Bleeding Eyes, Spirit Never Dies from the debut.

[Orthogonal]

I only have their first 2 discs and find it fantastic. Sounds like people are kinda down on the others. I still plan on checking it out.

Good stuff.

[Bertielee]

Only a fan of the debut alum. Jorn is out again? No wonder! As much as I love the guy's voice, he's a diva and was also partly responsible for Ark's demise. Now, if only he knew how to  compose good songs on his solo albums...

B.Lee

[MoraWintersoul]

No Jorn makes baby Jesus cry.

I second this statement.

[Adami]

As much as I love Jorn, his mere presence couldn't salvage the train wreck which was their last CD, I doubt he could do much to save whatever crap they'll make next.

I'd rather him find a good band.

[MoraWintersoul]

I'd rather him find a good band.

It's Jorn. He'll just jump from one thing to another.

[Adami]

I'd rather him find a good band.

It's Jorn. He'll just jump from one thing to another.

I don't really follow him. I loved him on the first 2 Masterplan albums and of course the last Ayreon album, but I haven't been impressed with his solo stuff. And I never got around to really checking out Ark.

[wolfking]

I have to agree with Adami here.  The first two are phenominal and some of the greatest power metal you will ever heard.  MK2 I actually really enjoyed, a lot of good songs and Mike did a wonderful job.  An excellent power metal album with IMO Grapow's best guitar work to date.

Was also excited when Jorn came back but IMO, Time To Be King is rubbish and I simply cannot get into anything on that album.  I've tried multiple times but it's just crap, and it has Jorn and Roland, and for me to say anything with Jorn on it is crap, it must be a steaming pile of shit.

[Bertielee]

I have to agree with Adami here.  The first two are phenominal and some of the greatest power metal you will ever heard.  MK2 I actually really enjoyed, a lot of good songs and Mike did a wonderful job.  An excellent power metal album with IMO Grapow's best guitar work to date.

Was also excited when Jorn came back but IMO, Time To Be King is rubbish and I simply cannot get into anything on that album.  I've tried multiple times but it's just crap, and it has Jorn and Roland, and for me to say anything with Jorn on it is crap, it must be a steaming pile of shit.

Tbh, I already had problems with Masterplan 2. The compositions were already suffering from lack of inspiration. From then on, it's become almost totally crap, which is a shame.
As far as jorn is concerned, the guy cannot satay long in a certain configuration, but I wish he had gone on making the same music as in Ark. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be his style. And the main problem I have with him is that he is only interested in hard rock now and nothing else.

B.Lee

[wolfking]

Disagree about Masterplan but agree on Jorn and Ark.  IMO, I like Aeronautics just as much as the debut, probably even more.  MK3 was definitely a step down, but that wasn't Mike's fault at all. 

Burn the Sun was the best thing Jorn has ever done, I too wish he kept in that vein but it was not to be, he'd prefer to keep churning out Dio inspired rock over and over again.

[Bertielee]

Disagree about Masterplan but agree on Jorn and Ark.  IMO, I like Aeronautics just as much as the debut, probably even more.  MK3 was definitely a step down, but that wasn't Mike's fault at all. 

Burn the Sun was the best thing Jorn has ever done, I too wish he kept in that vein but it was not to be, he'd prefer to keep churning out Dio inspired rock over and over again.

Gonna listen some Aeronautics, maybe my memory is failing me.

B.Lee

[wolfking]

Disagree about Masterplan but agree on Jorn and Ark.  IMO, I like Aeronautics just as much as the debut, probably even more.  MK3 was definitely a step down, but that wasn't Mike's fault at all. 

Burn the Sun was the best thing Jorn has ever done, I too wish he kept in that vein but it was not to be, he'd prefer to keep churning out Dio inspired rock over and over again.

Gonna listen some Aeronautics, maybe my memory is failing me.

B.Lee

Probably not, I totally understand why people prefer the first much more, but Aeronautics has special nostalgic connections with me which probably persuades my opinion.

[jingle.boy]

I prefer Aeronautics over the s/t... but just barely.

Also agree on Jorn overall lately.  His last solo album a few months ago was also a steaming pile.  And like wolf, for me to say that about Jorn means it must be foul.  The middle stuff from his solo albums (Lonely are the Brave, Out to Every Nation, The Duke) are good. 

[wolfking]

I thought the last Jorn one was alright, but nothing on there made me come back for more.  Nothing will top Worldchanger though IMO, those three you mentioned Chad aren't far behind.

[jingle.boy]

I thought the last Jorn one was alright, but nothing on there made me come back for more.  Nothing will top Worldchanger though IMO, those three you mentioned Chad aren't far behind.

There wasn't anything wrong/bad about the last album, but I certainly wasn't wow'd.  And given the competition this year, it's only gotten 2 plays from me so far.



This has turned more into a Jorn discussion.

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

I too rank Aeronautics a little higher than Masterplan but just a tiny bit. I think the main reason is that most of the songs on Aeronautics are just a little more stronger, melodic and easy goin, a little more cheese if you will and if there's one thing that gets me pumped it's strong melodies! 

Masterplan Top 3:
Crawling from Hell
Bleeding Eyes
Sail On

Aeronautics Top 3:
Black in the Burn
Crimson Rider
Wounds (That song always makes me happy)

[jingle.boy]

All these shots at MKII and Time to be King inspired me to go back for a listen.  I'll stand by my original statement... they're not on the same level as s/t and Aeronautics, but they are enjoyable.  Nothing wrong with them at all.

And to clarify the apparent discrepancy of my comments regarding Jorn's last solo ("steaming pile" and nothing "wrong/bad").  I have a huge man crush on Jorn and pretty much everything he does.  So, when something is 'meh' from him, it's the equivalent of a steaming pile since I have so much love and expectation for everything he lends his voice to.

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

I must say i do enjoy Lonely Winds of War from Time to Be King.

[ariich]

Oh Masterplan, how you sadden me.



I really love their first two CD's. I mean they are just great, with the 2nd being slightly less great, but still great.


The third, with the other singer wasn't........bad, or good and I never wanted to listen to it.


Then Jorn came back and I was super pumped. However, then I heard the CD and totally gave up on the band. It seems that aside from the first 2 CD's, they have absolutely no idea to properly compose a song, and the entire 4th cd just seemed like a collection of riffs half-hazzardly thrown together.

But now Jorn is gone again? Meh. No interest in this band anymore, but I'll always love the first 2 cd's.

Pretty much this exactly. For all future opinions of mine on Masterplan, I delegate responsibility to Adami.

[Lowdz]

The first two Masterplan albums are excellent, the rest quite poor.

I'm no huge Jorn fan. I just don't like his voice that much. He is definitely no DIO nor Coverdale in his prime and I find much of his songwriting uninspired, plodding and same-y. I'm not a huge fan of the Ark album either.

[jingle.boy]

Well, you still have good tastes despite that fail.

[Lowdz]

Well, you still have good tastes despite that fail.

 

[wolfking]

Well, you still have good tastes despite that fail.

[wolfking]

I listened to MKII last night and am listening to Tome To Be King right now, and I basically stand by my previous posts.  MKII was excellent and enjoyable and despite a few fillers, Roland's guitar work is exceptional and Mike is awesome.  Only a few songs into Time to Be King, and it's better than I remember at teh moment, but I actually can't wait for it to finish so I can spin MKII again.

I think if Time To Be King was released by most other power metal bands, it would be a good/great album, but because of the expectations of the people involved and especially Jorn's return, it simply just doesn't match up.

[Bertielee]

I listened to MKII last night and am listening to Tome To Be King right now, and I basically stand by my previous posts.  MKII was excellent and enjoyable and despite a few fillers, Roland's guitar work is exceptional and Mike is awesome.  Only a few songs into Time to Be King, and it's better than I remember at teh moment, but I actually can't wait for it to finish so I can spin MKII again.

I think if Time To Be King was released by most other power metal bands, it would be a good/great album, but because of the expectations of the people involved and especially Jorn's return, it simply just doesn't match up.

Yeah, Jorn's return was for me a good "Wow!" moment. But then, as you say, it was a let-down. Nothing stands out in Masterplan now and that's a shame given the people involved.

B.Lee

[jingle.boy]

.
I think if Time To Be King was released by most other power metal bands, it would be a good/great album, but because of the expectations of the people involved and especially Jorn's return, it simply just doesn't match up.

BINGO!  It's about expectations sometimes.  Like, if my wife expected 30 minute love-making sessions, she'd be sorely disappointed.  Because her expectations are more in the range of time described in 'seconds'... she's good!

[wolfking]

.
I think if Time To Be King was released by most other power metal bands, it would be a good/great album, but because of the expectations of the people involved and especially Jorn's return, it simply just doesn't match up.

BINGO!  It's about expectations sometimes.  Like, if my wife expected 30 minute love-making sessions, she'd be sorely disappointed.  Because her expectations are more in the range of time described in 'seconds'... she's good!

 

[Lowdz]

.
I think if Time To Be King was released by most other power metal bands, it would be a good/great album, but because of the expectations of the people involved and especially Jorn's return, it simply just doesn't match up.

BINGO!  It's about expectations sometimes.  Like, if my wife expected 30 minute love-making sessions, she'd be sorely disappointed.  Because her expectations are more in the range of time described in 'seconds'... she's good!

My other half's reaction would be relief! 

[Adami]

My dislike of Time to be King had nothing to do with my expectations.


It has to do with the fact that it's a poorly written album. The transitions are awful and it really sounds like Roland demoed a crap load of riffs and then got on pro tools and just kind of stuck them together without a lot of thought.

[jjrock88]

.
I think if Time To Be King was released by most other power metal bands, it would be a good/great album, but because of the expectations of the people involved and especially Jorn's return, it simply just doesn't match up.

BINGO!  It's about expectations sometimes.  Like, if my wife expected 30 minute love-making sessions, she'd be sorely disappointed.  Because her expectations are more in the range of time described in 'seconds'... she's good!