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INDIVISION

Disconnect

Crossover Prog


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Disconnect Indivision album cover
3.73 | 72 ratings | 12 reviews | 17% 5 stars

Excellent addition to any
prog rock music collection

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Studio Album, released in 2011

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Prelude (2:52)
2. Good Intentions (Part I) (6:03)
3. Good Intentions (Part II) (4:53)
4. Cincture (4:25)
5. Perpetual Decay (5:13)
6. Creeping Fade (7:48)
7. All Fall Down (4:26)
8. Rapture (2:54)
9. Two Stones (7:02)
10. Singularity (2:57)
11. Time's Abyss (5:12)
12. Closing the Book (5:49)
13. Finale (3:46)

Total Time 63:20

Line-up / Musicians

- Erich O'Dell / guitars, bass keyboards, vocals
- Brian Eschrich / drums, percussion, synth

Note : The actual instrumentation could not be fully confirmed at this moment

Releases information

CD Self-released (2011, US)

Thanks to superhokie for the addition
and to projeKct for the last updates
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DISCONNECT Indivision ratings distribution


3.73
(72 ratings)
Essential: a masterpiece of progressive rock music(17%)
17%
Excellent addition to any prog rock music collection(31%)
31%
Good, but non-essential (40%)
40%
Collectors/fans only (9%)
9%
Poor. Only for completionists (3%)
3%

DISCONNECT Indivision reviews


Showing all collaborators reviews and last reviews preview | Show all reviews/ratings

Collaborators/Experts Reviews

Review by Conor Fynes
PROG REVIEWER
4 stars 'Indivision' - Disconnect (7/10)

Disconnect is a two man partnership, dedicated to making a brand of conceptually-oriented melodic prog rock. This is their third album, although it is my first experience with the band. In the modern scene of prog rock, there seems to be a trend of taking prog sounds and integrating them into a more accessible pop format. With the likes of Porcupine Tree, Kaipa and Mars Hollow among the bands that have been doing this, Disconnect is doing their own thing with it, keeping their songwriting rather accessible, yet piecing the songs together to make cohesive album length suites of music. 'Indivision' shows this duo really getting the craft of albums down, and brought down only by some issues with the execution and performance, Disconnect has made a deep and engrossing listen with 'Indivision'.

Disconnect- like many of their prog rock contemporaries- weave their influences quite proudly into their sound, and on 'Indivision', the sounds of other bands can readily be heard in various sections. The 'Prelude' of the record instantly speaks of Rush, particularly the riffs on their 'Hemispheres' suite. The vocals here often remind me of a few different prog rock vocalists, most notably being Neal Morse. The guitar solos sometimes sound like they could have been taken from a David Gilmour b-side. The album's highlight 'Closing The Book' even speaks to me greatly of David Bowie. This highly identifiable list of influences suggests that Disconnect does not have much of a unique sound to them in the prog community, but their sharp songwriting skills make 'Indivision' a trip well worth taking.

'Indivision's writing took a few listens to appreciate fully; while Disconnect do root themselves in a more accessible style of prog, the way the album is structured can make for an unexpectedly challenging listen at first. The charming and nostalgic ideas introduced in 'Prelude' are used later on in the record, and the catchy songs throughout the album- while not all too complex in themselves- are intelligently written and take some time to map out the progressions in a listener's head. All in all, 'Indivision' is a very well put together suite that features some great tracks, especially towards the end of it.

Upon my first listen of 'Indivision', I actually noticed that I was focusing on the flaws of the record, moreso than the merits of the music. Granted, there are some fairly noticeable faults in the music, and this is what takes an otherwise excellent album and holds it back. Among the faults are some fake instruments; there is a violin sound that pops up in a few tracks that is clearly a keyboard, and while it is granted that bands do not always have the resources necessarily to fulfill their vision, it does admittedly take away from the feeling of the music. As well, the vocals here can be a bit shaky at times, especially with the harmonies, although Erich O'Dell is otherwise a fairly good singer. The production and execution does have something of an amateurish feel to it, although things sound clear enough to enjoy the music. After a few listens were done though, the flaws started to swell down, and it became easier to concentrate on the things that Disconnect do well here; being songwriting and pleasant musicianship.

Disconnect do certainly have the potential to do even better, although there is greatness already here with 'Indivision'. A poppish album that surprisingly grows with every listen, this is an intriguing release, and I am glad I decided to give this pair the time to listen, because the music here is quite strong.

Review by J-Man
PROG REVIEWER
4 stars Hailing from New Jersey is Disconnect, a progressive rock duo formed in 2009 with three albums (and an EP) under their belt. All of these efforts were released over about a year and a half's time, and Indivision is their first release of 2011. This prog rock concept album covers a wide variety of musical styles while always remaining consistent and intriguing; the amount of talent contained in this two-man group is truly remarkable. Indivision is a terrific melodic modern prog effort in almost every regard, and I'd recommend this one in a heartbeat to people who enjoy this style of the genre. Although my first venture into the music of Disconnect, I can assure you that Indivision certainly won't be my last. This album is melodic progressive rock at its very best!

Disconnect plays a style of melodic progressive rock with a few pop tendencies. I'm often reminded of acts like Spock's Beard, Mars Hollow, and Rush. Although this brand of melodic prog may not strike you in the face as being particularly original, Disconnect manages to put their own spin on the genre and craft some terrific music in the process. Most of Indivision's strength lies is in the sheer power of the compositions. Although not particularly complex, the entire album is given a few unifying themes ("Prelude" is repeated later on) and feels intelligently crafted. During Indivision's hour-plus playing time, boredom never sets in and the album remains engaging for its entire duration. Very few bands can make albums this long without a few "filler tracks", so I applaud Disconnect for managing to remain this consistently impressive with their compositions. The musicianship is also very strong; even more impressive when one considers that the band is only a two-piece. Erich O'Dell's vocals are very prominent on the album, and I have no hesitation in calling him an excellent vocalist. His vocals do also spark a minor complaint of mine, however. Vocal harmonies are kept to a bare minimum on Indivision. A few vocal harmonies could've really fleshed-out the arrangements and added an extra dimension to Disconnect's music. This, combined with the somewhat bland (though certainly competent) production, serve as a minor detriment to the album. I've learned to look past both of these issues, but they do make Indivision sound a bit less professional than it could.

Despite those fairly minor setbacks, Indivision really is a spectacular modern prog album. Filled with melodic pop/rock hooks while still maintaining progressive rock complexity, Disconnect has created an observation that rivals the best in melodic prog. Indivision comes highly recommendable to people who love bands like Spock's Beard and Mars Hollow and also enjoy concept albums. Though the production may not be as polished as some other modern prog releases, it's still certainly enjoyable and charming. Disconnect has really blown me away on all fronts with this effort, and I will undoubtedly look further into their discography! 4 stars are warranted for this excellent release and highly recommended purchase.

Review by Negoba
PROG REVIEWER
3 stars Professionally Rendered, Straightforward Modern Prog

Disconnect is a two-man home recording project between U.S. East Coast musicians Erich O'Dell and Brian Eschrich. Clearly, the pair have quite a bit of experience under their belts and their third album "Indivision" sounds very professional in terms of performance, recording, and engineering. The band has embraced PA by providing much of their work for streaming, and asking reviewers such as myself to check out their music.

Disconnect's sound sits very comfortably in the modern prog realm of Spock's Beard, Flower Kings, and Porcupine Tree. They explore a variety of sounds ranging from popish melodies, occasional heavy guitar, and some proggy instrumental sections. Unlike some multi- instrumentalists, both players handle all their duties with full skill. There are no holes in the sound, which I credit especially to Eschrich. Many of the home studio projects fall down in the rhythm department, but the percussion here is quite solid. Similarly, O'Dell has the taste to vary his guitar and vocal tonalities to maintain interest. Nothing here is showy or technical, all performances function in service of their song.

Overall, the tone is pretty mellow and doesn't hold many surprises, however. I've found my mind wandering during the album on every listen aside from the ones where I'm specifically working on this review. There are no "wow" moments. There's really nothing I hum or lyrics I recall after the album is over. And there's almost nothing that really distinguished this band from those that came before. There are occasional flashes of interest throughout the disc. The spacy instrumental "Rapture" evokes a darker mood, while a few of the fill lines on "Creeping Fade" hint at a more complex prog.

The band is extremely competent and tasty. The songs flow nicely one into another, and despite my previous criticisms, I never get bored as a listener. The sound covers a lot of territory. It's certainly pleasant work music for the prog fan. At the same time, the band is going to have to take some risks and find their own individual voices before they're going to be anything beside one of a huge number of acts of this kind.

Review by Andy Webb
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Retired Admin
3 stars Good intentions

Disconnect is a young duo composed of Erich O'Dell and Brian Eschrich, who collectively make music despite the presence of a geographical gap between them (one lives in Maryland while the other lives in New Jersey). Since the project's inception in 2009, the band has pumped out material, with already three studio albums and an EP under their belt. The music is high quality modern progressive rock, full of innumerable and identifiable influences, nice composition tricks, and a lot of great flavor to the music. Indivision, the band's third studio album, is a perfect example of these traits. The album is a prime example of the band's clean and accessible form of modern prog rock, full of influences ranging from Rush to Neal Morse to various other prog and even pop rock bands. Although the music is not the most original or the most complex one could find, the album still presents itself as a wonderful manifestation of this band's spin on modern progressive rock.

The album kicks off with an obvious near tribute to Rush, with the "Prelude" containing a very similar structure and sound to the Prelude on Rush's "Hemispheres". From there the album begins its rotation of influences, as the music weaves in and out of different feels the band extracts from their many influences. However, they don't batter you with attempted complexity and strained progressiveness, as they have mastered fusing the two sides of their music - the prog and the ("normal" I guess) rock - to create an accessible and inviting atmosphere with their music.

Although at times the execution of the music is not perfect, the duo still retains a high level of quality throughout the album. The album seems to have its ups and downs, with periods of slightly awkward instrumentation balanced with periods of incredible musical grace. And although a few of the transitions between parts are not superb, the band balances these low points with the great movements that follow them. However, there are also many wonderful transitions that tie this seemingly massive 60+ minute epic together. There is an incredible amount of material within that hour of music, making the album seem almost too dense for one listen. But if the listener does stay for all 13 parts at one time, he'll find the suite is indeed an engrossing and rewarding experience.

Although I do have a few complains about the album, particularly the dry vocals, overall rather simple chord progressions, and at times overly "major" sound of the music, Disconnect's Indivision presents itself as a prime manifestation of the duo fantastic capacity as a compositional collaboration. The album is full of nice hooks, cool proggy riffs, and an eclectic blend of influences and sounds. The album isn't the prog world's next masterpiece and the album won't turn the genre on an entire new direction, but it still shows that the two guys certainly know what they're doing and are still progressing as a band to find their unique sound. I'll certainly look out for new music by this duo. 3+ stars.

Review by lazland
PROG REVIEWER
4 stars This is the latest project by the duo of Erich O'Dell and Brian Eschrich, with the name of the band emanating from the distance between them. You really wouldn't have thought so from listening to this, and I suppose that is a testament to the bond between them and the clearly professional use of modern technology in the writing, performing, and production of the album.

This work is basically one long slab of music running at about an hour long, with the main suite bookended by a prelude and finale. However, they have, very wisely in my opinion, split up the entire suite into clear and distinguishable sub parts, a la Rush 2112 (and there are very strong shades of that great act and album in the prelude and finale). There are, therefore, eleven divisible parts to Indivision the suite, and there is a whole lot going on within. The duo have pulled off the very difficult task of constantly engaging the listener throughout, and the only track that, to these ears, feels as if it really doesn't quite know what direction it wishes to go in is Creeping Fade. However, even with this slight whinge, there is a lot to enjoy in that track, especially when it starts to rock very heavily.

This is an original album, although very firmly rooted in the North American tradition of prog. You do, therefore, get clear reminders of the band's influences, which I would place as Rush, Spock's Beard, and Dream Theater especially, with flashes of Porcupine Tree and King Crimson (Perpetual Decay is extremely Crimsonesque), also quite evident. Yes, I know the latter two bands are not North American, per se, but both have made albums in that tradition, especially Crimson with their personnel in latter albums.

Whilst the music is, in the main, harmonious and rather upbeat (I especially enjoy O'Dell's guitar work, which contains frequent flashes of genius), the lyrics are, by contrast, somewhat dark, and strike me as the writer (O'Dell) attempting to come to terms with the growing passage of time and relationships. There is certainly some very pleasing poetry at play here, and this is, lyrically as well as musically, a mature body of work. O'Dell's vocal style reminds one strongly of Neal Morse, and he is an accomplished vocalist. Equally, Eschrich is very clearly a strong percussionist and drummer, and I do enjoy his orchestral keyboard effects, and especially his piano segments, which very strongly complement the guitar. For no better example of this versatility, listen to the fantastic conclusion of Time's Abyss, backing a superb lead guitar riff, acoustic guitar, and strong rhythm, and the spacey symphonic passage on Closing The Book.

Finally, what is nice about this LP is the fact that, unlike many of the works sent to us to review, the production is at all times crystal clear, and no listener could possibly criticise the band for clarity of sound or performance. This, obviously, makes a huge difference in terms of the listening experience, and they are to be congratulated.

I like this album, and enjoy it more with each listen. Rating it is somewhat difficult, because I feel it falls between a three star and four star review perfectly. It is very good, and passages contain sheer excellence, with absolutely no filler or throwaway tracks at all. For evidence of that, listen to the marvellously spellbinding instrumental segments, Rapture and Singularity.

3.5 stars then, if we had such a rating, but rounded up to an excellent rating of four stars, because this strikes me as one of the best modern crossover albums I have heard in a while. Lots of influences, originality, and music veering from the extreme mellow to commercial rock and thence to heavy prog make for an extremely pleasing album. There is, I hope, a strong future ahead for this act.

My thanks to Erich O'Dell for making this CD available to me for this review.

Latest members reviews

3 stars Disconnect, an American middle-aged but recently prolific (4 albums in three years) studio project's third effort is apparently some sort of suite. But apart for book-ending theme, vague thematic unity (life, society, decay) and a tendency for some songs to end unexpectedly early, as if a moveme ... (read more)

Report this review (#1059997) | Posted by Progrussia | Monday, October 14, 2013 | Review Permanlink

4 stars Once again, another great album by the super duo! Succeeding Obscuros, this album takes you through a journey of emotions. Unlike the previous albums, there's much more experimenting with the various keyboard samples (It definitely adds the finishing touches.) These guys truely know all the ... (read more)

Report this review (#475724) | Posted by ibanezkm | Monday, July 4, 2011 | Review Permanlink

5 stars I first heard about this album when it was recently featured on Aural Moon. WOW! from the opening instrumental of this release, this band grabs you by the short hairs and coaxes you to want MORE. On all levels, Disconnect is not disconnected at all but very well versed in making music that ... (read more)

Report this review (#464958) | Posted by Aurora_1125 | Sunday, June 19, 2011 | Review Permanlink

5 stars I recently received a copy of Disconnect's 3rd album "Indivision" and was completely unprepared for what I was about to experience. I am a huge fan of their debut album (Radio Hostile) and loved the concept album approach they took with that recording. With 'Indivision' they have returned to the ... (read more)

Report this review (#459082) | Posted by PhilB_VT | Saturday, June 11, 2011 | Review Permanlink

4 stars I'm a big fan of Disconnect's Obcsuros, and was looking forward to seeing the direction they took. This one took me a bit longer to sink in than Obscuros, but the reward is much greater. Being a big Rush fan, I loved the opening Prelude right off the bat....the latter day 70's Rush influe ... (read more)

Report this review (#457886) | Posted by HorribleCatfish | Tuesday, June 7, 2011 | Review Permanlink

5 stars I've enjoyed this band's prior work quite a bit and only found out about this new album from a friend who has a copy of it. This same friend turned me on to Disconnect originally, so I was pleased to see another release from these guys. I found Disconnect's earlier releases to get successively ... (read more)

Report this review (#455236) | Posted by JasonTodd | Tuesday, May 31, 2011 | Review Permanlink

3 stars This is indie? This album is very well written as can be told within the first two tracks. Good Intentions (Part I) explores the worlds of Neal Morse as it slowly transitions into Crimson territory. As we travel into (Part II) we get another dose of Morse. This man seems to have harnessed the ... (read more)

Report this review (#453987) | Posted by besotoxico | Monday, May 30, 2011 | Review Permanlink

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