DISCIPLINE

Discipline have returned, after eight years of silence on the studio album front following Captives of the Wine-Dark Sea, with an intriguing new set of neo-prog torch songs. The sound here is mellower, gentler, but if you remember some of the material on Push & Profit, you know that doesn't mean Matthew Parmenter isn't about to slide the knife in lyrically with a typically incisive observation.

Indeed, the epic title track, bemoaning the tendency towards online radicalisation in the modern age and the way some folk talk up the virtue of "doing your own research" when that boils down to selecting a different, more volatile set of other people's claims to believe in rather than actually doing substantive investigation of your own, represents some of the most direct social commentary the band have done since Push & Profit - the albums from Unfolded Like Staircase onwards seeming to focus more on interior emotional states than the state of the world. Don't worry, though - by the time Aria closes out the album Discipline will have got you by the heart as well as the head once again. The band may not be bringing the sort of tempestuous drama that their earlier albums offered, but the brooding, contemplative tone makes it another unique release in their discography.

Matthew Parmenter and company are back with yet another poignant yet powerful offering of simple-yet-masterful prog songs.

1. "Breadcrumbs" (16:56) I feel as if this song represents a couple of old friends who hadn't seen or played with one another got together for lunch, talked about the state of the world (America, Detroit), which fueled the question: "We've still got something to say! With our music! Do you think we've still got it?" and this was the result: three guys getting together in their musty old basement studio with Matthew's "young kid" sitting behind la batterie to help them out, coming up with some simple music that could serve to see if they still had chops (barely) and could still turn a phrase (yes, if extemporaneously and as generically as ever). They sat down, found an Elton John "Someone Saved My Life Tonight"-like riff to build upon, and then pushed "record" on their digital tape recorder--and this is what they got! Not bad for a bunch of old geezers! It'll serve! (31.25/35)

2. "Keep the Change" (7:06) the first song I heard from the album, I thought I was listening to something from around 1970--something from The Outlaws or a rock band whose music would soon become established as what we in the US of A would soon be calling "Southern Rock." I swear I thought it was some long-lost song I'd missed from an old Buffalo Springfield, Stephen Stills, or The Allman Brothers album--or even something from early Lynyrd Skynyrd or very early Bon Jovi. I never in a million years would have pegged this as a Discipline song or coming from the voice of Matthew Parmenter! In the end, it's a nice, solid song--even though it definitely feels like one of the new AI-generated songs meant to recreate an old sound or style. Amazing the power that maturity can spawn. (13.875/15)

3. "When the Night Calls" (5:25) I am not used to hearing this version of Matthew Parmenter: his voice sounds thin, weak, even frail while I'd been used to him being so almost-over-the-top theatric. The style and melodic choices are all him, it's just that the voice sounds like . . . something has happened to him! (Like life, you moron!) Interesting sound engineering with minimal effects deployed on the band--almost sounding like one of those single microphone Joe Jackson recordings--here used on a older Billy Joel composition. Great Discipline/Parmenter-like chorus. I love the simple near-Latin riffs the whole song is built upon, the little but very effective accents, flourishes, and solos from Chris, Henry, and Matthew's organ, as well as his brief little Demetrios Stratos-like vocalese warbles at 3:40. (9/10)

4. "Aloft" (7:46) this one sounds like an instrumental continuation of the previous song on which the musicians pick up different instruments to lay over the steady foundation of bass, piano and drums. As Matthew's piano riff provides the song's foundation we are thereby offered a display of some of Henry Parmenter's instinctual talents on the drums. Chris Herin's choice for guitar sound reminds me at first of some of Robert Fripp's "Frippertronic" like stuff but then, around the mid-point of the song he switches (or else Matthew takes a turn on his own guitar--or vice-versa) to something more in the realm of Randy Bachman's sound on BTO's "Blue Collar" (as well as Roy Buchanan's beautiful tone for his classic "Fly ? Night Bird"). Matthew's overdub of violin (joining in at 3:10) sounds a lot like something from Mark O'Connor in his old (Dixie) Dregs-Shankar days. And then there's the interesting injection of what sounds like an old Farfisa organ. Peaceful and steady, the song is quite a balm for people craving less-complex prog music. (13.5/15)

5. "Aria" (10:41) though far more delicate and jazz-crooner like, there are moments on this song in which the power of the old Matthew can be felt and heard--and definitely in the melodic choices he takes. Piano based for the first five minutes, once Matthew steps back from the vocal microphone the band enters into some interesting, very proggy instrumental music--for about a minute. But then things settle back into the piano's pocket and by 6:45 Matthew is back at the mic, Chris, Mathew, and Henry stepping into line behind him. Enjoyably, there is a full three minutes given at the end for instrumental work: some really nice low violin strikes, smooth lead guitar work and jazzy lounge piano work over Henry's steady jazz-support drums. It's very pretty, very engaging and soothing. There's nothing like a good old solid song as medicine for the soul! (18/20)

Total Time 47:54

I have to give it to these old reptiles, they do still have it! Still using minimal tactics to tell their stories with their usual and very effective power and force. Mega kudos, Matthew, Chris, and Mathew (and Henry!).

The band may have mellowed over the years but then, like a fine aged red wine, it just goes down so smoothly, so satisfyingly.

A-/4.5 stars rated up for consistency and sustained allure: it just keeps growing on you! I don't know how these guys keep doing it with such simple music but they do keep doing it!

Mathew Parmenter is back, after a long undisciplined hiatus, with a spanking new release on the ProgRock.com Essentials label. I have a particular fondness for 'Unfolded the Staircase', their now mythical masterpiece album, as it arrived in the early years of the prog renaissance back in 1997. Today I have an equal partiality for this new 2025 recording , as it will be released globally on August 1, on the above-mentioned label, along with my own musical project Enigmatic Sound Machines' Imperfect Silence. We are forever twinned. Adorned with a stunning cover and manned by talented Chris Herin of Tiles on guitars, longtime bassist Matthew Kennedy as well as drummer Henry Parmenter , Matthew rekindles the American prog torch with this impressive effort.

Wasting little time with mundane introduction, the whopping title track clocks in nearly 17 minutes of playing time, the eye perhaps in the crow's mouth but thankfully our ears still functioning full throttle. Within a few seconds, the brooding theme is set in dramatic fashion, an organ roiling around a coiling bass slither, an oblique electric guitar slice, the thudding drums, elegant piano and finally Matthew's voice seizing the moment. The jazzy intensity collides lovingly with the crafty story-telling delivery for which Matthew is famous for, cooing like a bird when necessary, hushing and talking when the need arises. He remains true to his form, often referred to in the past as the US Peter Gabriel, which is a lofty honorific, to say the least. The sound is pristine, with each instrument having its own space, the piano clear as crystal, the bass lovingly caressing the low end, the piano tinkling like unbroken glassware and the pulse solidly entrenched. Chris Herin is the big surprise here, though he has proved his versatility over decades of service in various releases including his recent solo album. We know he can energetically rock but hear him dance with his fretboard! His playing flirts with experimental phrasings easier found in jazz/fusion, yet intensely melodic by the same token. When Matthew states 'touch me', I felt a shiver on my arm, when Chris peels off a rabid surge towards the finale, my trembling only increased. Surely among the most devastating epics of 2025, as the commentary tackles the issues of our times, and hell, we all know what they are, as its shoved daily down our throats , at times in abject surrender.

Though plastic tapping money is the current sigh (wordplay!), "Keep the Change" has more to do with the shrug of the shoulders in dispensing with pocket intruders. Acoustic guitar takes the listener into an altogether different dimension, a bluesy, almost countrified Americana tune, footloose or fancy free that aims at the endless fascination with human conflict, an affliction seemingly impossible to shed. I immediately thought of a wise quote by a former president : "Perhaps we need some outside universal threat to make us recognize this common bond. I occasionally think how quickly our differences would vanish if we were facing an alien threat from outside this world". Food for thought and no breadcrumbs in sight. A gem of a track, certainly on the outer fringes of classic prog but Music is music.

From prog, to folk-rock, might as well dip now into a jazz furrow, adding some bluesy elements to boot, as on the cool "When the Night Calls to Day", a smoky piano and drum platform for some heartfelt lyrical expertly sung , with occasional bursts of Hammond organ to add to the Oblivion Express feel. The choppy amalgamation of rhythmic piano and the shuffling percussion is a masterful creation, the ideal set up for Herin to slither into moody crevasses of the mind. One thing for sure, there is little comparison with other bands, Discipline has their own muse. The same deliberate piano thread lingers on "Aloft ", two pieces blending into one, keeping the atmosphere intact and unsullied, the electric guitar soaring away into the clouds, like majestic bird searching for new horizons. Matthew then wields his patented violin, joining in on the flight, eventually both string machines dueling in the heavens above, a mesmerizing arrangement that mere words cannot describe. 'Enigmatic Ocean' meets 'Lizard' actually came to mind at one point. I consider these two tracks to be joined at the hip, as one.

Hmm, what could be left to discover for the ravenous fan ? "Aria" is an operatic torch song, tackling reverently that foremost progressive sentiment ever, yes, it's the love word , the one that after thousands of years of art, no one can still not quite perfectly explain. Its bombastic, overpowering and dramatic. Nearly 11 minutes of attempted expression can offer hope but still there is no revelation, perhaps in another life. Pain is never far away. Matthew has managed to present the four perennial human struggles, namely life, war, freedom, and love, and delivering it musically in the 4 major stylistics that permeate the widest panorama of styles within one genre, which prog most certainly can 'crow' about for eternity.

We all need more Discipline in our overloaded lives, as well as in our prog collection. Bravo, and welcome back my friends to the show that never ends. 5 morsels

I have to admit it was a welcome surprise to hear that this great band was releasing a new album after so many years. And if there is a word for describing it, it should be: elegance. Jazz rhythms, guitar leaks, the astonishing voice of Matthew Parmenter, riffs, violins, mellotron,...all constructing delightful sonic journey. From the energetic title track, through the familiar Keep the change, which reminds of the sounds from their earlier works, to the jazzy Aloft and the emotional and classy Aria, the album is so well measured that it should please all progressive rock fans out there.

Four stars, strongly recommended.

Review Nº 818

Discipline is an independent progressive rock band that was formed in Detroit, Michigan, USA, by singer, keyboardist and songwriter Matthew Parmenter in 1987. This is one of those many cases of deep obscurity. This is even stranger because the USA never was properly a leading country of the progressive music, it was the UK, and especially because the band is based in Detroit, and that place never was a land of prog. They always were compared with the Swedish prog rock band Anglagard, despite their clear musical differences, which is another obscure band in the land of prog.

The band's debut album was "Chaos Out Of Order" which was released in 1988 as a cassette and was re-released in 2013 as "Chaos Out Of Order ? 25th Anniversary Reissue 1988 ? 2013", representing the foundation of their own sound. Discipline reached their peak with their both studio albums of the 90's, their 1993 album "Push & Profit" and especially their 1997 album "Unfolded Like Staircase" that became a masterpiece and one of the best prog albums ever made.

But, suddenly, Discipline broke out in 2001 and Parmenter began a solo career. After nearly ten years of silence, Discipline came back to perform at NearFest in 2008 and at RosFest in 2012. With some material of the old days, they joined some new tracks and released in 2011 "To Shatter All Accord" in the same vein as "Unfolded Like Staircase".

After the release of two live albums, "Into The Dream...Discipline Live" in 1999 and "Live Days" in 2010, Discipline decided to release a new live album called "This One's For England". "This One's For England" was recorded live on 5 May 2012 at the Majestic Theater in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, at the Rosfest festival. "This One's For England" features some of Discipline's best known progressive rock epic tracks made all over their musical career, in a double disc set.

The line up on "This One's For England" is the most usual in their last phase. So we have Matthew Parmenter (vocals and keyboards), Jon Preston Bouda (guitars), Mathew Kennedy (bass) and Paul Dzendzel (drums and percussion).

"This One's For England" has eight tracks. The first track "Circuitry" was originally released on their fourth studio album "To Shatter All Accord". The second track "Before The Storm" which is divided into three parts "The Ocean", "The Storm" and "Eden", was originally released on their third studio album "Unfolded Like Staircase". The third track "Blueprint" was originally released on their second studio album "Push & Profit". The fourth track "Dead City" was originally released on "To Shatter All Accord". The fifth track "When She Dreams She Dreams In Color" was originally released on "To Shatter All Accord". The sixth track "Canto IV (Limbo)" was originally released on "Unfolded Like Staircase". The seventh track "The Reasoning Wall" was originally released on "Push & Profit". The eighth track "Rogue" was originally released on "To Shatter All Accord".

"This One's For England" is a great live album. It shows a band in a perfect shape in front of an enthusiastic audience performing some of their greatest classics like "Before The Storm" and "Canto IV (Limbo)" complemented with some their latest best material like "When She Dreams She Dreams In Color" and "Rogue", at the time. The album reproduces perfectly well the live experience, including an elongated spoken passage with the presentation of the musicians and instruments, including stage banter galore. The live versions of their old pieces are perfectly convincing. Here we have a powerful retro prog with mostly dark mood, the focus of which is the variable vocals and the diverse key sounds of Matthew Parmenter as well as the beautiful guitar inserts by Jon Preston Bouda. The similarity of Matthew's voice and drama to Peter Hammill of Van Der Graaf Generator has often been pointed out for good reason and "This One's For England" offers an ideal mirror for that. Even if the tempo is mostly restrained, the songs come out of the speakers with a lot of pressure, delighting the progger's ears with expansive instrumental passages in which the organ roars and the guitar cracks with its riffs. The music of Discipline have occasional echoes of Van Der Graaf Generator, but still, the band is able to create their own version of the retro prog. There aren't excessive differences to the studio versions.

Conclusion: There's no doubt that one of the most important progressive rock bands that emerged in America in more than thirty years was Discipline, especially if we are talking about this sub-genre, the symphonic progressive style. They appeared like a breath of fresh air in the land of prog. When they reformed with the same line up and released "To Shatter All Accord" it wasn't a surprise, for those who are familiar with the band, that they were able to create another amazing musical work. So, it wasn't surprising that they have been invited to participate at the RosFest in 2012. So, this double live album is the recording of that performance. It's mainly focused on "To Shatter All Accord" and the band proved with it that they continue to be a great live band. The ten years of silence didn't take away any of the great qualities to the band. "This One's For England" is another great album of Discipline showing the high quality of them.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

Review Nº 794

"Live Days" is the second live album of Discipline and was released in 2010. This live album was released only eleven years after the release of their debut live album "Into The Dream?Discipline Live" that was released in 1999.

"Live Days" isn't a regular live album because it wasn't recorded from one of their live shows. It's more like a live compilation. It has tracks taken from several live shows of the band. It has selected performances from ProgDay'95 Outdoor Festival, the International Progressive Rock at Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Lili's 21 Club 1996 at Hamtramck, Michigan, Orion Sound Studios Progressive Rock Showcase 1996 & 1997 at Baltimore, Maryland, Magic Bag 1997 at Ferndale, Michigan and ProgDay'98 Outdoor Festival of International Progressive Rock at Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

The lineup on this live album is the most usual of Discipline. So, the line up on "Live Days" is Matthew Parmenter (vocals and keyboards), Jon Preston Bouda (guitars), Matthew Kennedy (bass) and Paul Dzendzel (drums).

"Live Days" has fifteen tracks and is divided into two discs. Disc 1 has eight tracks. The first track "Mickey Mouse Man" was originally released on their debut studio album "Chaos Out Of Order". "Chaos Out Of Order" was originally released in 1988 as a cassette, plus an additional song from 1987. The second track "Before The Storm/Blueprint" is a live version of two songs of the band, "Before The Storm" and "Blueprint". "Before The Storm" was originally released on their third studio album "Unfolded Like Staircase". "Blueprint" was originally released on their second studio album "Push And Profit". The third track "Circuitry" was released on their fourth studio album "To Shatter All Accord". However, this was a new track because "To Shatter All Accord" was only released in 2011. The fourth track "Canto IV (Limbo)" was originally released on "Unfolded Like Staircase". The fifth track "Homegrown" was never released on any studio album of the band. However, it appears on many of their live releases. The sixth track "Systems" was originally released on "Push And Profit". The seventh track "When The Walls Are Down" was also only originally released on "To Shatter All Accord". So, as happened with "Circuitry", this was also a new track. The eighth track "Safe In Your Vision" was never released on any studio album of them. However and unlike to "Homegrown", from what I know, this is a song which can only be heard on this live album. Disc 2 has seven tracks. The first track "Crutches 1" is an excerpt of a track originally released on "Unfolded Like Staircase". The second track "Wrists" was never released on any studio album of them. However, it appears on some of the band 1980's demo tapes. The third track "Carmilla" was originally released on "Push And Profit". The fourth track "Into The Dream" was originally released on "Unfolded Like Staircase". The fifth track "The Nursery Year" was originally released on "Push And Profit". The sixth track "Diminished" was originally released on "Push And Profit". The seventh track "Between Me And The End" was never released on any studio album of theirs. It was originally released on the debut solo studio album of Matthew Parmenter "Astray", released in 2004. However, it appeared before on the debut live album of the band "Into The Dream?Discipline Live", released in 1999.

The two CD's, each with a playing time of almost 80 minutes, present recordings of various performances from the period from 1988 to 1997. In spite of this, some of this material has already been thoroughly processed by the band on their previous live album "Into The Dream... Discipline Live" and on the live DVD "Live 1995", there are many other great and interesting things on this work. Some of the great classics of Discipline were "recycled" for this live compilation, such as, the ingenious long track "Canto IV (Limbo)" as well as the goosebumps song "Nursery Year", besides many other classics of the band. In addition, some things that have already appeared on the Progday samplers, but that are admittedly difficult to get, are here. But, what should make the fan's heart beat faster, however, is the fact that "Live Days" contains some titles that have not yet appeared on any studio album, "Homegrown", "Safe In Your Vision", "Wrists" and "Between Me And The End". Besides, the sound quality is very good, making it a great live document.

Conclusion: "Live Days" is a perfect way to introduce Discipline for those who aren't familiar with their music. The sound quality is very good, given the age of the original tapes, and there are a lot of aspects on the recordings that you've just got to respect. The booklet is nice too, with plenty of rare pictures. There are enough unreleased live tracks to make this an essential purchase even for hardcore Discipline fans. On the other hand, it's perfectly representative of the band's career. For those who already own "Into The Dream?Discipline Live", you may be wondering why you need this, especially considering that every song on that release can also be found here. The answer comes both in terms of the power of these performances, plus the appearance of several unreleased songs. Discipline is one of those bands that are best experienced in a live setting. Concluding, "Live Days" is a great live album that won't disappoint anyone.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

As I stated before in my Hybris review, there were two big gothic retro progressive rock bands, Änglagård and Discipline. I already talked about Änglagård, so I figured to have a little discussion about Discipline. Discipline actually came a little before Änglagård, coming into the scene in 1987 but didn't make a full length album until 1993 with the album Push and Profit. Like Änglagård, after their second studio release they disappeared until 2011 with To Shatter All Accord, 2013 with Chaos Out of Order, and 2017 with Captives of the Wine Dark Sea.

They have a less European sound and go for more of what jazz style and experimental Prog bands like Van Der Graaf Generator and King Crimson were doing back in the 70s. In fact their name was adopted from the King Crimson album, Discipline. They still have a symphonic sound to them though, making their sound very artsy but tightly knit together. These factors definitely make this band a very unique and fun one to delve in. I am pretty excited to review this album because it has become a favorite of mine since I first heard it.

The album is kicked off with my favorite track on this album, Canto IV (Limbo). It is that beginning melody that really shows off so much. It is a solid hook, having these echoed guitars and drums rhythmically playing in a minor key that soon evolves into a more streamlined harmony is so well done. That is not even the best of what this song has to offer, really the strongest aspect this song has are three factors; the vocals, the consistency, and the guitars. Let us start with the vocals. The lead singer Matthew Parmenter delivers an excellent array of emotional, almost Peter Hammillesque harmonies that really turn the music onto its head. Despite him being an American artist, his singing has this flair to it that makes it feel very different from a lot of other American Prog rock bands that sprouted out at the time, making his vocals very unique. Now the consistency. While the song mutates throughout, it still has a consistent feeling throughout. You can definitely recognize each little bit of the song is in some way connected to each other even when things change. I definitely really enjoy this since it shows experimentation on the band's front while also remaining in their signature style. Lastly is the guitars. I just love how they sound. They have this ethereal tone to them which makes them stand out a lot. The best thing about them is that they do not feel overused, they are definitely used a lot, but they do not feel way too overbooked. In fact this strikes a balance of creating homogeneous styles. They can be a little weird at times, but they are clearly focused to where even the most bizarre moments create an awesome experience. Really this song is the peak of the album, and it never actually dips down at all.

I think Crutches is a good indication. The song is a little different, being less loud and abrasive, but a bit more reserved. Obviously there are moments here that delve back into the thick of it, but the song does start very differently with an acoustic number. Really this is probably their most soft song on here, but even if it is different, it still has that Discipline sound that really drives home that weirder side of Prog that I really love. Their use of a softer and more melodic focus on this song really does shape them to be a great band. They are experimental, and when it is done in a subtle way like this where you can notice it but still recognize that it is coming from a more abrasive song like Canto IV (Limbo). What I said before about the vocals and how consistent this song is stays true, but I would like to point to something else and that is the drumming. The rhythmic qualities shape this song and the album as a whole, and without it I think it wouldn't be as good. It flows through different patterns and tempos that even though they are all very different, still feels like they can be a part of the same sheet of music. It really does excel in a ton of qualities that I adore.

I think every Prog band has at least one really solid epic, and Discipline is no exception with Into The Dream. This 22 minute epic is just a treat from start to the end. It continues their cryptic sound from the last two songs, but we get some very fun shifts and changes. The mood never really changes, but how each part of this piece shifts around, ever so slightly, makes this such an amazing track to sit through. The song really does have a good amount of build up and crescendos that always interlink with each other. You can feel it all go up but never going down until the very end. Even with the best moments here you can definitely feel that it is rising to something, and I think that is the best thing about Prog epics, that build up to something great. The last piece on this song, part g. Turtles All The Way Down, really does show off this by putting emphasis on something you might've not noticed from all the other songs until this point, and that is the keyboard. They are putting a focus on it because I think to show off more aspects of the band besides their prowess on the guitars and drums. I think each song lets a member of the band have the spotlight, which is very awesome. This is definitely a great epic through and through.

Into The Dream is not the only epic here, there is one more and that is Before The Storm, parts one and two respectively. I am gonna be honest, while I still think this album is a masterpiece, this is still the weakest track for me. Not saying it is bad, no far from it, it is a very great song that showcases the band at their most tightly knit state as they create a 15 minute long track that takes you down a symphonic spectrum, but I do think it being on the tail end after three glorious tracks and being split into two parts definitely gives it a tiny bit of weight, not on my enjoyment but on the album, but not enough for it to lower my ranking down. As I stated before, the song is very tightly knit. The harmonies flow right, the singing is still as good as ever, the drumming is fantastic, the keyboards are the icing on the cake, the guitars are awesome, and that bass being elusive, yet still giving a backbone to this track and album as a whole really allows this entire experience a status for a masterpiece.

The name of the game here is the word subtle. Changes in each song are noticeable yet subtle to where everything feels like they are in their right place. You can feel the band work paying off in folds here. Every little guitar line and keyboard press makes every bit of these songs feel like profound magic. This is a must listen for any Prog fans out there. Definitely listen to stuff like King Crimson or Van Der Graaf Generator first because this style is a little more out of the way to the more happy, and fun filled spirit most other retro Prog bands have which may take a bit of time getting used to, but I think it is all worth it. Give it a try, I am sure it will not disappoint.

It is incredibly rare for me to review an album more than once, and generally there needs to be something very special for that to take place. Given that this is, in my opinion, one of the most important progressive rock albums to come out in the Nineties by one of the most innovative and important bands ever to surface in the States, this is not something I do lightly. To celebrate the 25th anniversary of this incredible release, the guys convinced Terry Brown to undertake a new mix, and that is what I am now playing. In this heavily connected world of ours it is often difficult to remember that it was not that long ago when music only existed in physical form, the internet was new and not many people had email. Although by 1999 I had already built a reputation in the UK for writing about progressive rock music, and was well-known by various European labels, it was more difficult to get material from the other side of the Atlantic just due to geography and cost. However, at some point that year I was contacted by Matthew Parmenter (vocals, keyboards, violin, sax) and been sent this album which had been released a few years earlier. This was their third album, and three years on from 'Push & Profit' they had settled down as a quartet with the departure of keyboard player David Krofchok, with the classic line-up of Jon Preston Bouda (electric and acoustic guitars), Matthew Kennedy (bass) and Paul Dzendzel (drums, percussion).

The four songs are epics, with a total running time of 65 minutes, and here we have a band who are heavily influenced by VDGG, while also bringing in some elements of Gabriel and Fripp, with the result being an album which is very American yet is looking deep into the Seventies with some classic sounds and influences. Looking back at my Discipline reviews in TPU Vol 1 I say at one point that they produce "Prog that is dangerous and exciting, harkening back to the past but very much looking forward to the future". There is no doubt that when looking back on many Nineties releases, they have not aged particularly well, but that is not the case here. It is a few years since this graced my player just because I am always trying to catch up on my reviews, but as soon as "Canto IV (Limbo)" kicked off I was transported and transfixed, taken back to when I first heard this all those years ago and soon wrapped back under its spell. There is no doubt that if in 2000 someone had asked me to list my favourite progressive rock albums from the Nineties then this would have made the cut, and if someone asked me in 2022 to undertake that exercise again there is no doubt this would still be very close to the top.

This is music which is exciting and vibrant, still with plenty of space but with complex and layered arrangements which Brown's remix has revitalised. There is just so much going on in this album, and one never knows where it is going to lead or what is going to happen next. It truly is a progressive rock album in all its facets, one which has not succumbed to banality or commerciality but rather was written and recorded just because the band had no choice, this is what they were all about. Remember, there was no ProgArchives back in 1997, it was a mere twinkle, and certainly no-one ever imagined glossy magazines devoted to the genre, it was hard enough to produce fanzines and standing over copies to reproduce them! It is direct, diverse, yet goes off at tangents so one must listen to hard to ensure nothing is missed and the journey can be completed.

25 years on from its debut, and this album is still one of the most important to have ever come out of the underground scene, from a band who should have been massive and known by all. Since this we have only had two more studio albums, but perhaps this will provide some impetus for the guys to get back into the studio. No progressive collection can be called complete without this.

This album confirms the increased maturity and appetite by the band that started with their third album. The album is long which allows the 5 compositions to stretch and develop slowly. There are slower, reflective parts that create emotional atmosphere. The band can create good textures, landscapes when keyboards, guitar or violin/saxophone join. Compositions are good, even if not outstanding, they are memorable after a couple of listens. I cannot recognize any cloning here but there are King Crimson or VDGG elements. "When she dreams she dreams in color" has a post-rock feeling with the repetitive and melancholic second part, it contains also a great violin solo.

Overall, the album contains enough contents to bite into even for a more demanding progger.

Listening diary 11th September, 2021: Discipline - Unfolded Like Staircase (progressive rock, 1997)

While I never personally bought the idea that progressive rock died after its heyday (if my favourite albums didn't make it very obvious) - I will concede that classic-style symphonic prog almost certainly did, which is what makes this album so remarkable. This is about as pure of a throwback album as you'd ever hear in 1997, but somehow the life and energy and passion that was around in the 70's has remained intact, unlike nearly every other artist that tried to do this. Perhaps it's because Discipline more than anyone emulate Van Der Graaf Generator, a band with a bit more modern staying power via their punk and post-punk loving frontman, and Discipline manage to tap into the creative muse of that edgier, more passionate style of symph. Still, this is an absolutely remarkable achievement given its context, and to this day I can't think of many genuine throwback albums that match it.

7.5 (5th listen)

Part of my listening diary from my facebook music blog - www.facebook.com/TheExoskeletalJunction