MASTERPLAN – Aeronautics

This German/Norwegian constellation is back with the followup to their excellent debut, and once again this is quality Metal throughout. The sound is a tad more Progressive this time, but luckily the melodies are still (most of the time) top-notch. Norwegian singer legend Jorn Lande delivers a tremendous performance, and the musicianship in general is also awesome, and especially drummer Uli Kusch and guitarist Roland Grapow (both of Helloween fame) deliver a spot-on performance. The latter has earlier sounded a bit cliched and unoriginal in his playing, but this time he sounds fiery and virtuosic, while still retaining the melodic egde to his playing, and the playing at the end of the song ”Black in the Burn” is probably the best he’s ever done.

Still, good playing alone does not make an album, the songs should always be in the center. On this album, they certainly are at the center, as the songwriting shows the band at their most mature and creative, with a broad array of styles incorporated within the Power Metal framework. Sometimes Progressive (à la ARK, another Lande project), sometimes speedy (like Helloween), and sometimes almost Pop-ish this is rock solid all the way through. Songs like the opener ”Crimson Rider,” the first single ”Back in My Life,” the groovy ”Headbanger’s Ball,” and the epic masterpiece, ”Black in the Burn,” are downright awesome, and these songs alone are worth the price of this album.

With very few exceptions, the songs are of a high standard throughout, although ”Dark From the Dying” and ”Falling Sparrow” are a bit on the anonymous side. Some of the melodies are also not of the most catchy kind and need a bit of time to get fully comfortable with, but there’s no doubt that they deserve that effort from the listeners.

If you’re up for some quality, Melodic Metal, there’s no way you can go wrong with this album, and this is a guaranteed hit under the Christmas Tree!