MKII

There was a lot of speculation about the future of this band when news of Jorn's quitting leaked out last year, because despite some of the other famous names in the group, many believed it was the singing that really made Masterplan work. To fill the vacancy, Grapow tapped one of the most underrated talents in the business -- former Riot singer Mike DiMeo. It was a brilliant choice. I'm happy to report that on MK2, Masterplan has not missed a beat. And what's even more impressive is they didn't miss Jorn. Not to take anything away from Lande -- the guy is a phenomenal talent and I will continue to follow his solo career and other projects, but to be clear, DiMeo is NOT a step down. Showing power, range and enthusiasm beyond anything he displayed even in his impressive tenure with Riot, Mike has fully stepped up and met the challenge. Furthermore, this is a stronger group of songs with more memorable melodies than Aeronautics offered. All in all, despite losing one of the best singers of the genre, I'd say they recovered quite nicely, and the future looks bright indeed for Masterplan. Get this one. --Scott