Masterplan

Tue
30
Oct

LAST UNION Debut To Surface December 21

Artist: 
Friday, December 21, 2018
Categories: 
News Feed
Italian progressive metal band, LAST UNION, featuring Mike LePond (Symphony X) on bass, Uli Kusch (ex-Helloween, ex-Masterplan) on drums, and as guest James LaBrie (Dream Theater) on vocals, have announced the release of their debut album 'Twelve' on December 21, 2018 via ROAR! Rock Of Angels Records. The effort was mixed and mastered by Jens Bogren, best known for his work with ARCH ENEMYSYMPHONY XDEVIN TOWNSENDANGRA and OPETH, to name a few.
The album artwork was made by Thomas Ewerhard (Avantasia, Rage, Threshold).
Track List:
1. Most Beautiful Day
2. President Evil (Feat. James LaBrie)
3. Hardest Way
4. Purple Angels
5. The Best Of Magic
6. Taken (Feat. James LaBrie) - Radio Edit
7. 18 Euphoria
8. A Place In Heaven (Feat. James LaBrie)
9. Ghostwriter
10. Limousine
11. Back In The Shadow
12. Taken (Feat. James LaBrie)
13. President Evil (Feat. James LaBrie) - Video Version
The album can be pre-ordered here:
Strong and positive reactions to their music spurred Scarpeccio and Tiberi on to take the first of many bold steps. The first was to invite drummer Uli Kusch(ex-Helloween, ex-Masterplan) to join the fold, who expressed interest in joining the band as a full member rather than just a touring drummer after hearing the music. A similar scenario played out with Symphony X bassist Mike LePond and LAST UNION was officially born.
The icing on the cake, however, was getting Dream Theater vocalist James LaBrie to sing on three tracks.
LAST UNION is:
Elisa Scarpeccio - Vocals
Cristiano Tiberi - Guitars
Mike LePond - Bass (Symphony X)
Uli Kusch - Drums (ex-Helloween, ex-Massterplan)
Feat. James LaBrie on vocals (Dream Theater)

The quiet city of Tolentino in the Marche region of Central Italy not only boasts a rich historical background, it is also the place progressive metal band LAST UNION calls home. Founded by vocalist Elisa Scarpeccio, guitarist Cristiano Tiberi and keyboardist Claudio Feliziani in 2007, the band - originally known as Blazing Ice - embarked on their journey in the ppursuit of sharing their thoughts and feelings about life, and ultimately their art, with the world. With the assistance of professional session bassists and drummers, the trio established themselves on the Italian scene with a string of shows that helped them evolve and refine their craft. Over the course of 20 shows, LAST UNION presented songs that would eventually make the final cut for their debut album.
 
Wed
29
Aug

HEAVEN'S TRAIL Debut 'Lethal Mind' Oct 26

Friday, October 26, 2018
Categories: 
News Feed
 
Escape Music pleases to announce the release date for Heaven’s Trail on Vinyl and CD!! 
The Vinyl will be limited Edition to 500 copies only in transparent colour Red, and all will be numbered!
 
Track List:
1 Lethal Mind (4.39) 
2 Too Late (4.37) 
3 Changes (5.03) 
4 Carousel (4.35) 
5 Feed my Soul (4.51) 
6 On The Rise (4.28) 
7 The Flame (4.59) 
8 Walking in the shadows (5.28) 
9 Voodoo (4.14) 
10 King of Pain (3.44) 
11 Simplified (4.25) 
 
Heaven’s Trail is:
Rick Altzi - Vocals (Masterplan, ex At Vance)
Barish Kepic - Guitars and Keyboards (ex-Jaded Heart, Powerworld, and Evidence One)
Michael Muller - Bass (Jaded Heart, ex-Mad Max)
Kevin Kott - Drums (Masterplan, ex At Vance) 
 
Produced by Barish Kepic 
Mixed and Mastered by Brian Anthony
Executive Producer Khalil Turk for Escape Music Ltd.
 
Heaven’s Trail is a brand new German Metal / Rock band formed by ex-Jaded Heart member Barish Kepic. Also in the line-up is another Jaded Heart member Michael Muller. These two respected musicians are joined by Masterplan members Kevin Kott on Drums and Vocalist Rick Altzi. So here we have an exciting new band that are made up of two of Germany’s finest Metal / Rock Bands. Barish Kepic is the principal songwriter and has arranged and produced all the songs on this exciting new album. With Brian Anthony twiddling the knobs then we are in for a real treat.
 
Their music is very powerful and hits home with great melodies and fantastic musicianship. Why not check out the video of “On the Rise” on you tube and get a taste of what these guys are all about. Make a date in your diary for October when this exciting album will be released, you won’t be disappointed.
 
 
 
Mon
06
Aug

Heaven's Trail - "On The Rise" (Lyric Video)

Escape Music Presents Heaven's Trail title "On The Rise" from the new album "Lethal Mind" Will be released in Japan on the 24th October 2018 via King Records and in Europe on the 26th October 2018 on Escape Music.
 
Heaven's Trail is:
Rick Altzi - Vocals (Masterplan)
Barish Kepic - Guitars / Keyboards (ex-Jaded Heart)
Michael Müller - Bass (Jaded heart)
Kevin Kott - Drums (Masterplan)
 
Produced by Barish Kepic
Mixed and mastered by Brian J Anthony
Executive Producer Khalil Turk for Escape Music Ltd

 

 
Mon
03
Jul

MASTERPLAN 'PumpKings' Revisits Grapow's Helloween Days

Artist: 
Saturday, July 15, 2017
Categories: 
News Feed
 
A lyric video for "The Chance", a track taken from MASTERPLAN's upcoming release "PumpKings" (out July 28th), is available now.
 
 
MASTERPLAN’s upcoming release will be a special one for band leader Roland Grapow, because it shows the man revisiting his Helloween past. "PumpKings" includes 11 songs which Roland contributed to Helloween's rich legacy during his time in the band. These songs have been re-recorded by Masterplan's current line-up recently. "PumpKings" will be released on July 28th as Digipak and colored (of course orange) double Vinyl in gatefold sleeve.
 
The idea for this project was born more than three years ago”, Grapow recalls. “I’m proud of the songs, but these days I’d do certain things a bit different. So it was an easy decision to re-record them with Masterplan now. It took quite a while to come up with the album because I was busy with other productions in my studio and in addition we had just released our “Keep Your Dream aLive” DVD with Masterplan in the Fall of 2015, so there was no reason to rush things.”
 
The 11 tracks featured on “PumpKings” were written by Roland from 1990 - 2000 and can be found on Helloween’s albums “Pink Bubbles Go Ape”, “Chameleon”, “Master Of The Rings”, “The Time Of The Oath” and “The Dark Ride” in their original versions. Some of them were even released as singles and rank among Helloween fan favorites.

“Our new versions of the songs are heavier definitely”, Roland says. “It would have been pointless to just reproduce the tracks exactly as they were back then. But I feel that with our new take on it, the different vocals and overall more rough attitude, “PumpKings” could be an interesting thing for both Masterplan- and Helloween fans. However, it was great fun to revisit this very important phase of my career – like meeting old friends.”
 
 
Fri
14
Aug

MASTERPLAN 'Keep Your Dream aLive' This October

Artist: 
Tuesday, October 6, 2015
Categories: 
News Feed
German metallers MASTERPLAN (featuring singer RICK ALTZI) will release their debut live album October 6.
 
Keep Your Dream aLive includes (DVD and BluRay) entire concert from Masters Of Rock festival 2014, as well as Wacken 2014, footage from Asia tour, footage from Prog Power USA and all official MASTERPLAN video clips. The Masters Of Rock show is featured on the CD.
Mixed and mastered by Roland Grapow.
 
MASTERPLAN was founded in 2002 by Roland Grapow and Uli Kusch, after parting ways with their former band Helloween.
MASTERPLAN is one of the most respected and successful melodic metal bands in Europe, critically acclaimed for the unique sound which blends power metal and hard rock with progressive elements. (einklappen)
 
Tracklist:
 
CD:
1. Enlighten Me
2. Spirit Never Die
3. Lost And Gone
4. Crystal Night
5. Betrayal
6. Crimson Rider
7. Back For My Life
8. Time To Be King
9. Keep Your Dream Alive
10. Heroes
11. Soulburn
12. Kind Hearted Light
13. Crawling From Hell
14. Black Night Of Magic
 
DVD:
Main Part: Masters Of Rock Show
1. Intro (underscore music: „Per Aspera Ad Astram“)
2. Enlighten Me
3. Spirit Never Die
4. Lost And Gone
5. Crystal Night
6. Betrayal
7. Crimson Rider
8. Back For My Life
9. Time To Be King
10. Keep Your Dream Alive
11. Heroes
12. Soulburn
13. Kind Hearted Light
14. Crawling From Hell
 
Extra 1: Wacken Show
1. Special: Wacken (underscore music: "The Game“)
2. Heroes
3. Keep Your Dream Alive
4. Crystal Night
5. Soulburn
6. Spirit Never Die
 
Extra Track 2: Asia
1. Special: Asia (underscore music: „Earth is going down“)
2. Soulburn
3. Heroes
 
Extra Track 3: Atlanta
1. Special: Atlanta (underscore music: „1492“)
2. Black Night Of Magic
 
Extra Track 4: Official Videos
1. Enlighten Me
2. Back For My Life
3. Lost And Gone
4. Time To Be King
5. Keep Your Dream Alive
 
Mon
10
Nov

SERIOUS BLACK to release debut album on January 16

Artist: 
Friday, January 16, 2015
Categories: 
News Feed
 
SERIOUS BLACK to release debut album on January 16
 
A new band - 6 members, 6 friends - all with huge experience and knowledge from many years in the business and being part of the most successful melodic metal bands: this is SERIOUS BLACK!
 
The line-up consists of Roland Grapow (Masterplan, ex-Helloween), Thomen Stauch (ex-Blind Guardian), Mario Lochert (ex-Visions Of Atlantis), Dominik Sebastian (Edenbridge), Jan Vacik (ex-Dreamscape) and (last but not least) the golden voice of Urban breed (ex-Tad Morose). SERIOUS BLACK is different to many of the so-called “allstar” bands, because in fact, they are a real band.
 
A band that crafted their incredible debut album “As Daylight Breaks” together, with every member involved into songwriting and recordings, a band that can’t wait to enter the stages. “As Daylight Breaks” is a real teamwork effort, a melodic metal jewel displaying conviction, amazing musicianship and outstanding songwriting. Fans who embrace classic melodic metal in the vein of Avantasia or Masterplan have found a new favorite band now: SERIOUS BLACK! On European tour with HammerFall in January/February 2015! A first trailer is available here now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SBxu6SAXHQ
 
“As Daylight Breaks” will be released on January 16th, 2015.16th, 2015.
 
Thu
16
Oct

METAL MACHINE Heavy Debut Out October 24

Artist: 
Friday, October 24, 2014
Categories: 
News Feed
 
METAL MACHINE is finally delivering the recordings from a few years back that led to numerous high profile shows in Europe. The band fronted by lead singer CSABA ZVEKAN is making the recordings available for a Worldwide digital release via DREAM RECORDS due on October 24th, 2014 under the title "FREE NATION".
 
The live line up consisted players such as CSABA ZVEKAN (EXORCISM, ZVEKAN) on vocals, PETER SCHEITHAUER (KILLING MACHINE, BELLADONNA) on guitars, JARI KAINULAINENMASTERPLAN, STRATOVARIUS, EVERGREY) on bass and JON DETTE (SLAYER, TESTAMENT, ICED EARTH) on drums.
Singer CSABA ZVEKAN comments: "I am excited that these recordings have finally found a way to all the fans who have seen us perform with these songs live!".
The album was mastered by TMS Studios. The cover was designed by Axel W. (RockNGrowl).
 
Track Listing:
01. Skull And Bones
02. Nailed To The Cross
03. Detox
04. Morning Star
05. World Of Tempation
06. Hellraiser
07. Lord of War
08. Black Sun
09. Free Nation
 
The music is pure heavy metal with high pitch screams, thrashy riffs, blast beats drumming and powerful bass lines.

 

 
Wed
02
Jul

AUSTRALIA'S BLACK MAJESTY RETURN TO ASIA

Artist: 
Wednesday, July 2, 2014
Categories: 
Tour News
AUSTRALIA'S BLACK MAJESTY RETURN TO ASIA

Australian melodic heavy metal band Black Majesty will play a special one off show on Saturday 5th of July in Seoul, Korea part of the Summer Rock Festival and another show on Wednesday 9th of July at Namba - Rockets Venue in Osaka, Japan. Black Majesty are also currently putting the finishing touches on their sixth studio album which is again being mixed by Masterplan's Roland Grapow. The new album is scheduled for a late 2014 release.


BLACK MAJESTY - new album out soon.
www.blackmajesty.com
www.facebook.com/blackmajestyofficial
 
 
Subscribe to Masterplan