Uli Kush è un batterista heavy metal di buon livello, dotato anche di capacità compositive non indifferenti. Per questi motivi può vantare un curriculum vitae di tutto rispetto. Due album con i neonati Gamma Ray agli inizi degli anni '90, per poi trovare spazio negli Helloween fino al controverso ed oscuro The Dark Ride. Nel 2000 viene cacciato dalla suddetta band dal leader Michael Weikath tramite un'e-mail (che classe) assieme al chitarrista Grapow. I due non si scoraggiano e decidono di formare una nuova band: i Masterplan. Quello che mi appresto a recensire è il secondo capitolo della formazione intitolato Aeronautics che prosegue sulla scia sonora del debutto.
La musica proposta da Uli & Grapow si discosta in maniera massiccia dal power metal convenzionale. Ci troviamo al cospetto di un gruppo posto su un ipotetico confine tra hard rock e metal melodico. Quello che apprezzo della loro proposta è che fanno una musica semplice, triste, immediata e piacevole. A differenza della maggior parte delle band del settore non vanno alla ricerca dell'assolo veloce, dell'acuto e del doppio pedale a tutti i costi. Il vero valore aggiunto è rappresentato dalla voce meravigliosa di Jorn Lande (ex Ark/Millenium...): tagliente, ruvida e passionale. Il disco è ben prodotto e suonato da dei professionisti che possono vantare su una carriera almeno decennale alle spalle.
Il risultato è che dopo 2 minuti l'oscuro crescendo di I'm Not Afraid ti è già entrato in testa, al pari della melodia del coro che ti ritrovi a fischiettare. Stesso discorso per il singolo Back To My Life. Senza accorgertene segui le tetre atmosfere evocate dall'ottimo e pesante lavoro delle tastiere che, unite all'ipnotico fischiettare, al tempo quasi immobile della sezione ritmica e alla voce bassissima di Jorne ti affascinano. Abbastanza navigati per sapere che un prodotto per vendere deve poter accontentare tutti i fans del genere i nostri non si possono esimere dal prodigarsi in un brano veloce, e che incarni tutti i clichè del power moderno: velocità e assoli a iosa nella minimale Wounds che richiama palesemente per ritmica (12/8), sound e assolo gli Helloween. Ma i Masterplan non sono una copia carbone e si trovano più a loro agio nei lidi massicci ed oscuri della cadenzata Headbanger's Ballroom. Il cd scorre bene con la ballata dalle tinte grigie After This War, la ruffiana Into The Arena, la sinistra Irreversal. La suite finale, che sfiora i 10 minuti, è un cantiere aperto: si inizia lentamente, parentesi di puro heavy metal prima del break neoclassico con assoli al fulmicotone e progressione in direzione di ritmi folli. Segue un rallentamento, una nuova accelerazione melodica prima della definitiva chiusura del cerchio. Una specie di Halloween o Keeper of the Seven Keys del nuovo millennio, con le dovute distanze.
Che dire? Niente di sensazionale, ma i Masterplan sono una power metal band diversa dalle altre. Più melanconici nelle melodie, volutamente meno altisonanti (o sboroni) tecnicamente nelle loro composizioni rispetto a tanti illustri colleghi, mi hanno regalato qualche buona ora di musica gradevole. Aeronautics lo ritengo un gran bel prodotto.
Curiosità: a confermare la reputazione di nomade Uli Kush è stato buttato fuori anche dai Masterplan che aveva fondato e adesso ricomincia con i "Ride The Sky". Che passione!!!
Elenco tracce testi e video
01 Crimson Rider (03:59)
As far as the eye can see
Sharp dressed fools with their crazy rules here
And blinding advice from all my friends
Reaching for perfection
I take off in the night
It won't be long I'll be fighting there
When dawn is breaking
Holy fire I'm not scared of you
I'll take you to burn
Watch out for your enemy
Death can be seconds away
Live for now like there's no tomorrow
And forward we ride in this warlike machine
There'll be no returning
Holy fire I'm not scared of you
I'll take you to burn... o yeah
Crimson rider, i am the baron of the sky
Come feel the wind turn
Holy fire I'm not scared of you
I'll take you to burn... o yeah
Crimson rider, i am the baron of the sky
Come feel the wind turn
And when life is evil
I'll fly my wings across the sky
Is it our destiny
Killing our brothers
02 Back for My Life (04:13)
I'm wide awake with the sacred sun
Sending echoes out to distant places
I hear the watch ticking on your wrist
Sleeping beauty I could not resist you
My head is aching from yesterday
Feeling guilty must be on my way
There's a voice deep inside of me
It took me by surprise
Now I know where my heart lies
I'm crawling back for my life
Pleading to my love
I've been lost in my desire
I was drinking, wasn't thinking
And I'm sorry if it makes you cry
...oh yeah
You call me up on the telephone
You say you need me cause you're cold and lonely
Tempted by you, but I have to say
Could never walk away from my girl
There's a voice deep inside of me
It took me by surprise
Now I know where my soul lies
...oh yeah
A feeling I can't deny
It made me realize
Now I know why my heart cries
Crawling back for my life
Begging to my love
I've been lost inside the fire
I was drinking, wasn't thinking
And I didn't mean to make you cry
I was breaking the rule
Acting like a fool
Getting close to you
I was a chancer, a fake romancer
But now I know
Where my heart is true
Where my heart is true
Crawling back for my life
Pleading to my love
I've been lost in my desire
I was drinking, wasn't thinking
And I'm sorry if it makes you cry
I was breaking the rule
Acting like a fool
Getting close to you
I was a chancer, a fake romancer
But now I'm home
Where my heart is true
Where my heart is true
03 Wounds (04:01)
I have walked this road before
So hard to find unopened doors
Lost my way but I have to stay for a while
I'll be searching for more
And my wounds are real
I must rise from the sorrow
And find my way out of the dark
I've cried my tears from pain
There's a new day tomorrow
I'll turn the hourglass again
Feel and trust your inner voice
Chase your dream with desire
Show the scars you've been hiding deep inside
And reveal who you are
And your wounds are real
You must rise from the sorrow
And find your way out of the dark
Cry your tears from pain
Face a new day tomorrow
And turn the hourglass again
And my wounds are real
I must rise from the sorrow
And find my way out of the dark
I've cried my tears from pain
There's a new day tomorrow
I'll turn the hourglass again
Cry your tears from pain
Face a new day tomorrow
We'll turn the hourglass again
04 I'm Not Afraid (05:30)
Black oil on water - dark soul in pain
My eyes cry softly in the pouring rain
Rising from the ashes where the fire took its toll
And the wheel keeps turning
As the wind is blowing cold
I'm not afraid you know
I'm not afraid to rock the show
My heart is pounding in the night
I seek the light, I seek the light
Unleashed is the power
In the spirit of my dream
I've been tearing down the fences
Always trying to achieve
Come back to the living
Let your sorrow come undone
Cause you have to believe it
From your grief you can't run
I'm not afraid you know
I'm not afraid to rock the show
My heart is pounding in the night, I seek the light
I'm not afraid you know - I'm not afraid
I am a pagan far away from home - I'm coming home
I'm not afraid you know
I'm not afraid to rock the show
My heart is pounding in the night, I seek the light
I'm not afraid you know - I'm not afraid
I am a pagan far away from home - I'm coming home
I'm not afraid, I'm not afraid
My heart is calling from afar, coming home
05 Headbanger's Ballroom (04:54)
She's got fear in her mind, killing pain all the time
And the loneliness makes her feel hollow
She will stay out of sight, from the bright daylight
To forget all her troubles for a while
She just wants to dream away
Sick and tired of the games that people play
Hoping for a better day
She needs something to believe in in a life so unreal
Down to the Headbanger's Ballroom she will go
Seeking shelter from the storm
There she can party till the rising of the sun
A night creature on the run
He comes out in the night, he is one with the moonlight
Been looking for love to rely on
She'll be painting her lips, black jade on her fingertips
Trying to catch him with a smile
When her eyes begin to glow, there's a fire from deep down below
Getting ready for the show
She just wants to be near him, 'cause she knows he's the one
Down at the Headbanger's Ballroom they will dance
Finding shelter from the storm
They're not different only dreamers on the run
Dark creatures of the sun
Down at the Headbanger's Ballroom they will dance
Black leather witches and their boys
Where they can party till the rising of the sun
Night creatures on the run
07 After This War (03:50)
I felt your love slip away
You know you shouldn't want to stay
Tell me why you disappeared
And why you've come back here
It hurts to have you near
The roaring silence fills the air
I gotta get myself out of here
Spilling coffee on my shoe, I shiver cause of you
My heart turns black and blue
How can I be with you after this war
My feelings are soar...baby
Why did you come back to hurt me some more
This is after the war
Now in this war I can't pretend
And our souls can never mend
This has to be the end
I've got to leave it all behind
On my way to another life - my new life
I have to go...oh baby
How can I be with you after this war
My feelings are soar...baby
Why did you come back to hurt me some more
This is after the war
Why did you come back
Please let me know, I don't understand
Why did you hurt me again
This is after the war...and I can't let you go
08 Into the Arena (04:11)
No one knows the way
It's all a secret
Hunt for knowledge
On your journey home
Gotta fight for freedom, independent power
Living for now, trying somehow
Praying for the day
She's a blazer
I'm a soul chaser
We'll keep on searching for more
Cruising this firestom
Burn till it's over
Leading our ship to the core
Go, aim for the centre, explode
Till you fall out of time
Nothing's new, we wonder about our fathers
Try to learn from what they made of life
Like a gladiator, you're a broken hero
Building your shield for the battlefield
There's no easy way
Cruising this firestorm
Burn till it's over
Leading our ship to the core
She's a blazer
I'm a soul chaser
We'll keep on searching for more
Cruising this firestorm... burning
Leading our ship to the core... yeah
09 Dark From the Dying (04:10)
Under the moon i am a warrior
Seeking the shades of the night
Crossing the land like a hero
Marching with pain and delight
Nothing to gain but the scars inside
Cold is the mask and I'm sore from crying
I'm running blind in my shoes
I need places to go, I need things to feel
So I can find in myself something real to believe
I am ready to receive and I'm dark from the dying
After the storm silent water
Spirits must heal in the sun
But I am restless and aching with sorrow
Pushed without nowhere to run
Blind in my shoes
I need places to go, I need things to feel
So I can find in myself something real to believe
I am ready to receive and I'm dark from the dying
... yeah
I follow a trail between love and lies
Bring me changes and I'll sacrifice
Finding myself
I need places to go, I need things to see
Blind in my shoes
As I'm longing to see what is meant to be
Finding myself... I've got places to go
I've got things to do
And I'm dark from the dying... sore from the crying
10 Falling Sparrow (05:33)
I see a new beginning
As I'm moving towards my grave
I'll be rising from this life into silent darkness
It's just a glimpse of our time
I must act while I'm clear in my mind
Soon I'll be the ghost that lived with fury
And no one's listening in my mind... no
I'm searching for an inner sign
I'm crying colder, the lying's older
Fading are my eyes
Can you catch me I'm a falling sparrow
After all, don't let my soul wings die
We see the world in different stages
Always climbing from our blues
I guess the sour taste of bitterness can breed evil
If we could stop and turn back time here
Would we remove ourselves from crime
Some peoplje say they're doing fine
But there's a struggle in their minds
Feel it coming, no more dawning
Fading are my eyes
Angel catch me, I'm a falling sparrow
After all, don't let my soul wings die
Feel it coming, no more dawning... no more
I'm crying colder, the lying's older
Fading are my eyes
Feel it coming, no more dawning
Fading are my eyes
Angel catch me, I'm a falling sparrow
After all, don't let my soul wings die
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