Masterplan - MK II

194 days till W:O:A 2023—

and I already regret this detour.

So here we are. Masterplan. A band that’s apparently been around for 20 years, which is impressive, considering I listened to three albums and retained exactly none of it. That’s not a talent. That’s a superpower.

Formed in 2002 by ex-Helloween members Uli Kusch (drums) and Roland Grapow (guitar), Masterplan is celebrating the 20th anniversary of their debut album this year. Roland Grapow is the last man standing from that OG lineup, with Axel Mackenrott on keyboards since 2003. The band’s last studio release was PumpKings in 2017—basically a Grapow highlight reel of his Helloween days. Subtle as a brick. Thrilling as a tax return.

Now, let’s be real. Masterplan (2003) and PumpKings (2017) didn’t hook me. They didn’t even poke me. These albums slid off my brain like teflon, leaving behind only a faint whiff of distortion and disappointment.

But I’m nothing if not stubborn. I pressed on and landed on MK II (2007), the band’s third studio album. Released after the departure of vocal powerhouse Jørn Lande (cue wailing of devastated fanboys) and founding member Uli Kusch, the lineup shuffled in Mike DiMeo (vocals) and Mike Terrana (drums). And hey, hot take: I actually prefer DiMeo. He’s rawer, less polished, and brings at least a bit of grit to the otherwise squeaky-clean power metal production.

Still, it’s power metal, so yes—melody overload. Think harmonised vocals, soaring choruses, and precisely zero danger of emotional whiplash.

• Warrior’s Cry kicks things off with decent speed metal flair. Fast guitars, drums on caffeine pills, and a sing-along chorus. Textbook stuff.
• Lost and Gone, the designated single, is aggressively radio-friendly. The video has Terrana flailing behind his massive kit like his life depends on it, but the mix neuters any of that chaos. It's all bark, no oomph.
• Keeps Me Burning is allegedly a fan favourite, and I guess it earns that with some solid lead guitar work and sugary melodies.
• I’m Gonna Win? Poppy choruses, keyboards doing their best Eurovision impression. It’s catchy, but in the way shampoo jingles are catchy.
• Take Me Over shows a flicker of promise. It’s darker, heavier, a little more dissonant. It overstays its welcome at nearly six minutes, but I’ll allow it.

• Watching the World returns us to hyperspeed with speed metal 101: fast riffs, fun keyboards, endless solos.
• Call the Gypsy slows down and leans heavier. DiMeo actually sounds a bit gnarlier here, and the ticking-clock intro is a cool touch.
• Trust in You is the requisite power ballad. The verses are decent, but the chorus should’ve been the emotional sucker punch—it isn’t. I stayed seated.
• Masterplan (the track, not the band, not the album—stay with me) is all textbook power metal bravado. Blasting drums. Riffs galore. Zero personality.
• Enemy? Generic. That’s all I’ve got.
• Heart of Darkness closes things out with a longer runtime and a darker vibe. It tries to brood. It doesn't succeed.

Look, this isn’t bad music. It’s well-produced, competently performed, and very clearly knows its genre.  

Power metal can rip your heart out and hand it back to you with sparkly gauntlets (Battle Beast’s Steel did exactly that last week). But MK II? It pats your shoulder, tells you everything’s fine, and quietly bores you into the middle distance.

Tag it and bag it.