Masterplan - Aeronautics

[Liu]

Masterplan - Aeronautics
AFM

Jorn Lande's departure from Ark was a major disappointment to many, to say the least. As great as the music itself was, it was Jorn's vocals that lent a credible air of individuality to the band. I don't know how Ark will follow up Burn The Sun without Jorn, but no matter, Jorn has since then joined Masterplan, Roland Grapow's post Helloween band. I never checked out Masterplan's self titled release and after hearing Aeronautics for the better part of 2005, I am kicking myself for that instance of bad judgement. The US release of Aeronautics itself was delayed for a while due to some legal hassles within the AFM label, so I managed to snag a Korean import copy of the album several months before the album hit american shores.

Comparisons to Grapow's former band are inevitable, and a bit unwarranted. Masterplan doesn't really belong under the Power Metal banner and they veer from that path evey chance they get. Crimson Rider sets everything in motion, a fast paced opener in the spirit of Iron Maiden's Aces High, aerial dogfight theme and everything. Back For My Life is the album's first single, a very catchy song that would be played on the radio if the radio actually played good music. I'm Not Afraid starts out with some grand sounding synth then settles in to a bit more standard metal tune. Jorn's vocal abilities are at full force throughout, his choice of vocal harmonies are really what put these songs above the rest of the pack. I've said it before and I'll say it once again: Jorn is the successor to Dio's throne. Mark my words people, with more high profile albums under his belt, his name will be one that every metalhead will be familiar with in years to come.

The second half is even better than the first, containing all of the best songwriting that the players in Masterplan have to offer. After This War is an anthemic song that must sound incredible live. Into The Arena is a real album highlight, very energetic and epic, it demonstrates the full power/prog potential of Masterplan. Dark From The Dying and Falling Sparrow are two more incredible songs, while Black In The Burn is a progressive epic that clocks in at just under 10 minutes and shows off everything the band is capable of (as if the songs that came before didn't give you that message).

As I mentioned before, I obtained an import copy of the album and it contained two bonus tracks: Love Is A Rock and Hope And Dreams. I don't know why Love Is A Rock has been relegated as a bonus for the import releases, its a high quality rocker that is just as good as any of the normal album tracks. Hopes And Dreams is a short song, sounds a bit unfinished though it reminds me a bit of Kansas.

Even the greats have to stumble sooner or later though. Wounds is the only song lacking here, it sounds like a by-the-numbers song later-era Helloween would pump out on an average day (not intended as a compliment!). It really feels out of place with the rest of the stellar material on display. Some of the lyrics are pretty lacking as well. After The War contains the oddest choice of words: "Spilling coffee on my shoe/I shiver because of you/My heart turns black and blue." This is stuff you would have expected from a late-80's glam band. But when you have brilliant lines like "Heaven is hell/no one can tell/Illusions of holiness blind us/A fragment of time is all you'll ever know" popping up every now and then, you can easily excuse the others.

Had Love Is A Rock been in the place of Wounds, the album would easily earn a 10. Even though it falls few inches from perfection, this still earned its place at the top spot of my best albums of 2005 list. Don't miss this one.


01. Crimson Rider
02. Back For My Life
03. Wounds
04. I'm Not Afraid
05. Headbanger's Ballroom
06. Love Is A Rock (Import bonus track)
07. After This War
08. Into The Arena
09. Dark From The Dying
10. Falling Sparrow
11. Black To The Burn
12. Hopes And Dreams (Import bonus track)

Score: 9/10