Metalmorphosis

Metalmorphosis is the album Masterplan polished as a 2026 release, built on the lift of European melodic power metal and a thick, hard-rock-leaning groove. It's the first new record in thirteen years since Novum Initium, and they left longtime label AFM for Frontiers to release it. The lineup is Rick Altzi (vocals), Roland Grapow (guitar), Axel Mackenrott (keyboards), Jari Kainulainen (bass) and Kevin Kott (drums), with mixing and mastering done at Grapow's own studio. The guitar is heavy, the keyboards light the songs up, and the choruses generate a large sense of scale. Powerful vocals lead the material and, like the title suggesting transformation, breathe new life into the traditional form. Just as Grapow says he wanted it “more direct, more metal,” the production is a straight pitch with the sweetness pared away. From the racing “Chase the Light” to the eight-minute “The Call,” mid-tempo stability and dramatic bridges support the record. A quarter-century on, still moving forward while keeping to the classic path — a stately metal record in true Masterplan fashion.