ROLAND GRAPOW On Upcoming MASTERPLAN Album 'Metalmorphosis': 'I Didn't Wanna Make Any Compromise'

In a recent interview with Brazil's Todo Mundo Em Campo, former HELLOWEEN guitarist Roland Grapow spoke about the upcoming MASTERPLAN album, "Metalmorphosis", which is tentatively due in early 2026 via Frontiers Music Srl. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):  "It's finished already. It was a long progress and process [making the record]. I think we started to make this album already five years ago, and — I don't know — it took so long. And the idea was for me to make a bit more direct, not so much progressive elements. Not too melodic. I mean, I love melodies. I love melodic stuff, but not so poppy, commercial. So that's why the new album [is] called metal 'Metalmorphosis'. So we went a bit back more to the harder direction of — maybe MASTERPLAN never had it. Who knows? But we still have the elements — we have the midtempo numbers, we have still progressive elements, but somehow I felt like this album is more direct. And that was my inspiration. And I didn't wanna make any compromise. Maybe next album's even more harder. You never know. Depends how the people will like it."

He continued: "It's a natural progress. Because you can't repeat yourself. I'm not that kind of guy — I don't like to repeat myself too much. If I would make the same album every time, I would feel, like, 'Nah.' That's not me. I like to be in a challenge situation. Not going too far left and right, but always a bit — see what you can do. And the lyrics are about more critical as well — not only happy and positive. But they're still positive because it's my, or our, mentality. But it's more critical here and there, to mention something what's going on in this crazy world."

This past October, Grapow told Argentina's El Cuartel Del Metal that he and his MASTERPLAN bandmates already filmed three music videos in support of the "Metalmorphosis" album.

Grapow also talked about the inspiration for the "Metalmorphosis" album title, explaining: "The reason for this name was a bit like my kind of thinking that we have a bit more metalish influences again, back to the roots, you can say. Still proggy elements, still MASTERPLAN elements. I would say not so many pop songs. So that's my taste. I don't know — maybe I'm wrong. But we still have a good combination of nice melodies on every song."

Grapow addressed MASTERPLAN's switch from longtime label AFM Records to Frontiers Music Srl, saying: "Basically, we were lucky with AFM very much in the beginning, because the owner — Andy Allendörfer was his name, [and he] died after the second album of MASTERPLAN — and he was a very, very big MASTERPLAN fan, so we felt the support a lot. And after he died, everything changed drastically. The company went totally in different hands. The location changed — they went to Hamburg from kind of South Germany — and we always heard, like, we were priority, but later I had the feeling we were just one of hundreds [of bands on the label]. And so I lost a bit interest. That's why we didn't release any new material. I was basically more working in the studio for other bands, for 14 years maybe. And that's why I'm now concentrated with Frontiers. [It's] some fresh wind. The guy who takes care about us from Frontiers is a big Roland Grapow fan, MASTERPLAN fan and also HELLOWEEN fan. So that means he knows what he is liking and doing. And so when he heard the new album, he said, 'Wow, that's a very powerful, strong album.' So he was really happy. So this is the kind of relationship I need — I need some attention and feelings from the record label, not being [just] like a business partner."

Earlier in October, Grapow was asked by the Honduras rock radio station Conexión if the goal with the new MASTERPLAN album was to stick with the band's classic sound or experiment a little bit. Roland said: "I think both. I'm always thinking about how we have the typical MASTERPLAN style. I mean, it's my style of playing guitar, arranging the songs. It doesn't matter who writes the songs; I'm always responsible for arranging it and say 'yes, it's good' or not. And in that case, I'm not so easy going, because I have a concept. We started it and I don't want to leave the concept too much left and right, but I like to make experiments and I think it's also the strength of MASTERPLAN. We always did little bit left and right. Also, also when you see 'Time To Be King' [2010], this album was more heavier, more open, more different — not too power metalish, but still great. I love this album. But this time we go back a little bit to a new experiment with meets power metal style of MASTERPLAN. We have some elements ala 'Kind Hearted Light'. We have prog elements; we always had prog elements. Like 'Soulburn', definitely, is kind of a bit proggy song, and we always had it in many, many songs. It's, like, on one song on each album, it was a prog element. Or a lower key, like 'Bleeding Eyes' — very low tuning, which I need a different guitar for it; I can't play it with normal tuning. And I'm always open for this. We have also a couple of songs left, which we don't use this time because I think we went too far, if we would use these two, three songs which are left. One, really, is a very happy song, which is not typical MASTERPLAN; it's more like a HELLOWEEN song, to be honest. Could [have been] written by Weiki [HELLOWEEN guitarist Michael Weikath]. And I said, 'Nah, not now. Next time.' But it's a beautiful song. I like it. And then we have one song, it's a ballad and it's very Irish-sounding. And I also thought, 'This is too much now.' So we have 10 songs now, and, yeah, I'm pretty happy. Every song is a bit different. I don't like to have 10 songs the same, like AC/DC or something — not to make them degrading and something. It's just a style, which I think it's a bit boring."

He added: "Everything I learned in HELLOWEEN, I still keep arranging in my part as a guitar player. MASTERPLAN is just more modern HELLOWEEN style, kind of, with a mix of my old heroes like RAINBOW, DEEP PURPLE, maybe even the bands which are not metal at all, like FOREIGNER, STYX, KANSAS, TOTO. I'm the biggest TOTO fan in the '80s. Steve Lukather was my idol. I have many, many solo elements I'm playing from him. I learned from him. You see, I'm just showing all my idols melted in one — it's like a melting pot. But I think the new album is pretty good."

Asked in a separate interview with Zona Franca who composed the music and lyrics for the upcoming MASTERPLAN album, Roland said: "The music is composed by Axel Mackenrott, the keyboard player, and myself. We have two guest writers, friends of mine. One is from Slovakia, one is from Sweden. So the lyrics, basically — of the 10 songs, I did the lyrics for nine songs, and Rick [Altzi, MASTERPLAN singer] had one [set of] lyrics written. And that's it. Yeah, it's more or less teamwork."

Earlier this year, Grapow told Jarkko Lunnas about the musical direction of the new MASTERPLAN material: "I think it's still sounding like MASTERPLAN. I mean, it's my guitars, my arrangements, my mixing, kind of. You have to develop somehow. You can't repeat yourself. And I think every band, once in a while, or every musician has a peak in his career, and I think it would be not possible, and I don't even know any musician who was mega famous and he went better and better with a higher age. I think it's not possible."

He continued: "I call it a bit more — for my taste — a bit more back to the roots. It's more metal. We have a couple of progressive elements always, but maybe one song I wrote is very progressive but very fast and double bass. But we have also some more rock songs or metal songs in a typical way. So I didn't want it to make it too bluesy or too progressive this time, but we still have every element inside. It's my style. I can't do just like AC/DC, one style. It's not possible for me. Or I could, but I would get so much bored. Then I think, 'Oh, no, I don't like to do that.' You need to make yourself happy in a way, and then hope that the people like it."

In 2017, MASTERPLAN released an album titled "PumpKings", containing reworked versions of HELLOWEEN songs from albums that Grapow played on during his time in the legendary German power metal band. Included are three songs from HELLOWEEN's "Pink Bupples Go Ape" (1991) LP, two from "Chameleon" (1993),three from "Master Of The Rings" (1994),one from "The Time Of The Oath" and two from "The Dark Ride" (2000).

MASTERPLAN's first-ever concert release came out in October 2015. "Keep Your Dream aLive" was made available as DVD/CD and Blu-ray/CD sets, both including the entire show from Masters Of Rock festival, recordings from Wacken Open Air, footage from the band's Asian tour and ProgPower USA, as well as all five official MASTERPLAN video clips. The Masters Of Rock show is featured on the CD.

MASTERPLAN's latest studio album of all original material, "Novum Initium", was released in June 2013 via AFM.

A new MASTERPLAN single, "Rise Again" was made available in early 2024 via AFM Records.