Progressive Rock act founded in 1986 and centred upon the extraordinary talents of the Berend brothers- guitarist / vocalist Bill and drummer Rich. The band's debut album 'Mastermind Volume One' was issued in 1990 on the Kentucky based Z.N.R. label and featured bassist Phil Antolino. 1994's sophomore effort, the highly conceptualised 'Brainstorm' saw MASTERMIND utilizing bassists Mark Stavola and Bob Eckman. The band put in a bout of touring in America during 1995 supporting JOE SATRIANI and JOHN WETTON prior to recording 1996's 'Until Eternity' album. The same year the band signed to Progressive label Cyclops in Britain who reissued the first album with two extra tracks 'The Enemy Within' and 'Reach For The Sky'.

1997 found MASTERMIND spreading their wings touring Europe and Japan. From the latter dates the limited edition live album 'Live In Tokyo' was culled. Back on tour in America MASTERMIND guested for RUSH and FISH. The band's 1999 all instrumental album 'Excelsior' saw a keyboard contribution from STRATOVARIUS man Jens Johansson. For touring purpose the band pulled in former CAMEL and FISH keyboard player Mickey Simmonds.

Johansson also appears on the 2000 album 'Angels Of The Apocalypse', this effort fronted up by new lead vocalist Lisa Bouchelle. The latter would subsequently bow out to create 4 TO 1 LIKE CATS then OCTOBER BABY. MASTERMIND created their own label Stellarvox Music to issue the 2000 live album 'Prog, Fusion, Metal, Leather And Sweat'. The album included Simmonds, Eckman and Bouchelle.

In 2001 Bouchelle made a striking impression portraying the character of Mona Lisa on MAGELLAN man Trent Gardner's ambitious 'Leonardo: The Absolute Man' conceptual album, duetting with DREAM THEATER's James LaBrie on the track 'This Time, This Way'. MASTERMIND subsequently featured a guesting Jens Johansson of STRATOVARIUS on keyboards.

Of note is that the MASTERMIND credited albums 2000's 'Song For The New World', 2001's 'The Way I Go' and 2004's 'To The World Beyond' are not by the same band, but a Japanese Power Metal act. Oddly the third record from the Japanese band also included a guest contribution from keyboard player Jens Johansson, also a studio member of the US based MASTERMIND, which was pursuing legal action against the other band for title infringement.

MASTERMIND set about recording a new album in 2004, the line-up at this juncture comprising vocalist Tracy McShane, guitarist Bill Berends, bassist Greg Hagen and drummer Rich Berends. Bass player Chris Eike of AUTUMN SILENCE, FINNEUS GAUGE, THE HAND FARM and STONE WATER GROOVE would also session.