Melodic metallers MASTERPLAN will release their new album, Novum Initium, on May 21st via AFM Records on CD, limited digipak and limited vinyl. Novum Initium is the band's follow-up to their 2010 release, Time To Be King. The artwork for the standard CD can be seen below:

Novum Initium tracklisting:

'Per Aspera Ad Astra'

'The Game'

'Keep Your Dream Alive'

'Black Night Of Magic'

'Betrayal'

'No Escape'

'Pray On My Soul'

'Earth Is Going Down'

'Return From Avalon'

'Through Your Eyes'

'Novum Initium'

'1492' (digipak bonus track)

'Fear The Silence' (digipak bonus track)

The artwork for the limited digipak edition can be seen below:

Joining mainstay guitarist Roland Grapow (ex-HELLOWEEN) in Masterplan's lineup are vocalist Rick Altzi (AT VANCE, SANDALINAS, THUNDERSTONE), who replaces Jorn Lande, new drummer Martin "Marthus" Skaroupka (CRADLE OF FILTH), bassist Jari Kainulainen (ex-STRATOVARIUS, SYMPHONIA) and keybordist Axel Mackenrott.

About the new material, Grapow told Metalshockfinland.com recently: "“We are not leaving the Masterplan path too much, but everything we have – the melodic part and a little bit progressive, I would say we’re a little bit more powerful and I’m also mixing the album this time. I want to get a little bit more modern, as the sound we have was created ten years ago. I’m really looking forward to presenting a new band and a new start with Masterplan. We’re still having the typical sound with melodies, but the drummer is amazing and plays a lot of crazy shit! The music is first, then comes the creative stuff like artwork.“

Stay tuned for further updates from the band.

More on Masterplan at this location.