Masterplan (Masterplan album)

Masterplan
Studio album by Masterplan
Released 20 January 2003
Recorded Crazy Cat Studio
Genre Power metal
Label AFM Records
Producer Andy Sneap and Masterplan
Masterplan chronology

Masterplan
(2003)		 Aeronautics
(2005)
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [1]
Rock Hard (de) (9.5/10)[2]

Masterplan is the German power metal band Masterplan's self-titled debut album, released in 2003 by AFM Records. 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. The band received the "European Border Breakers Award" in 2004 from the European Commission, for the album sales around Europe.[3]

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.[4] 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. The main keyboard lines of the album were arranged and programmed by Grapow and Kusch. Missing a proper bass player, Grapow recorded the bass parts, with some help from session bassist Jürgen Attig (Casanova). 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, the former Helloween bandmate of guitarist Roland Grapow, duets on track "Heroes".

Reception

In 2005, Masterplan was ranked number 491 in Rock Hard magazine's book of The 500 Greatest Rock & Metal Albums of All Time.[5]

Track listing

All songs were written by Masterplan, except where noted.

No. Title Length
1. "Spirit Never Die"   5:26
2. "Enlighten Me"   4:37
3. "Kind Hearted Light"   4:25
4. "Crystal Night"   5:15
5. "Soulburn"   6:15
6. "Heroes" (feat. Michael Kiske) 3:31
7. "Sail On"   4:36
8. "Into the Light" (M&L: Masterplan / Rainer Laws) 4:09
9. "Crawling from Hell"   4:11
10. "Bleeding Eyes"   5:40
11. "When Love Comes Close"   4:08
(Bonus Track Listing)
No. Title Length
1. "Through Thick and Thin" (Japanese Version, as track # 6, South American version, track #12) 4:03
2. "The Kid Rocks On" (Japanese Version, as track # 9) 3:37
3. "Black Dog (Led Zeppelin cover)" (South American version, track #13) 4:35

Line-up

Guest Musicians:

Credits

Singles

Enlighten Me

"Enlighten Me"
Single by Masterplan
Released 18 November 2002
Genre Power metal
Label AFM Records
Masterplan singles chronology
Enlighten Me
(2002)		 Back For My Life
(2004)

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

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

(Track Listing)
No. Title Length
1. "Enlighten Me" (single edit) 3:45
2. "Kind Hearted Light" (album version) 4:25
3. "Through Thick And Thin" (non-album track) 4:03
4. "Black Dog" (Led Zeppelin cover) 4:37
5. "Enlighten Me" (album version) 4:37

References

  1. ↑ Allmusic review
  2. ↑ Breusch, Matthias. "Rock Hard". issue 189. Retrieved 21 May 2013.
  3. ↑ "Masterplan receives European Border Breakers Award".
  4. ↑ "Janne Wirman replaced by Axel Mackenrott".
  5. ↑ [...], Rock Hard (Hrsg.). [Red.: Michael Rensen. Mitarb.: Götz Kühnemund] (2005). Best of Rock & Metal die 500 stärksten Scheiben aller Zeiten. Königswinter: Heel. p. 11. ISBN 3-89880-517-4.