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October 8, 2008 |
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01. Phoenix Rising
02. Warrior's Cry
03. Lost And Gone
04. Keeps Me Burning
05. Take Me Over
06. I'm Gonna Win
07. Watching The World
08. Call The Gypsy
09. Trust In You
10. Masterplan
11. Enemy
12. Heart Of Darkness
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One could have thought that MASTERPLAN were going through some serious trouble as their very charismatic frontman, Jørn Lande, decided to quit due to major musical divergences with the rest of the band, right in the middle of the recording sessions for the new album, "MK II". But serious nearly turned into near fatal when, shortly thereafter, co-founding member and ex-HELLOWEEN drummer Uli Kusch also decided to leave the band. Fortunately the remaining members of MASTERPLAN were very quick to react by recruiting the services of former RIOT singer Mike DiMeo as well as former RAGE and current AXEL RUDI PELL drummer Mike Terrana as full-time members. Considering the achievement realized with their first two albums, the pressure was definitely on and expectations were high for this third album.
According to previous statements from MASTERPLAN, the idea was to follow a heavier path and thus there is no surprise whatsoever when a more aggressive approach than what the German combo had us used to, at least until now. Tracks such as "Take Me Over", "Enemy", "Warrior's Cry" and particularly "Watching The World" are pure Power Metal gems; the band's performance simply is top notch! Even tunes more in the vein of their previously released material like the very infectious "Lost And Gone" and "I'm Gonna Win" are including double bass drums on an almost ongoing basis just confirming the prospect of a more aggressive style.
What is most important about this album is that amid all the lineup changes and the new musical orientation, it still sounds like MASTERPLAN and, as usual, the production (fully assumed by guitarist Roland Grapow) remains irreproachable. Of course the spirit of HELLOWEEN can be heard strongly on a few tracks like "Call The Gypsy" as well as "Masterplan" and the album, in the tradition of its predecessors, includes one power ballad, "Trust In You" (at least for the first half). However, the ultimate tracks have to be the incredibly powerful "Keeps Me Burning", which is a masterpiece of its own, and the final track, "Heart Of Darkness".
With "MK II", it is safe to say that despite being heavier and faster than ever, MASTERPLAN have been able to solidify their position as one the top Power Metal combos hailing from Northern Europe. With only high hopes to one day obtain more opportunities to enjoy these kinds of formations in live performance settings on this side of the Atlantic, this album is guaranteed to be a valuable addition to your collection.
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