PUSH & PROFIT

Discipline is an American progressive group formed in 1987 by five high school students in Royal Oak, Detroit, Michigan. Matthew Parmenter is the leader of the group. He writes all the songs, sings and plays several instruments.

The first time I saw the band's name was on this site. When I read for the first time the group's biography on Progarchives, I was very curious about it. What most caught my attention was the reference to Anglagard, the superb Swedish symphonic progressive group. It compared Discipline as their US counterpart. In reality, the similarities between both groups seemed to me very obvious. Both are from the beginning of the 90's, both are from the symphonic progressive sub-genre, both only has made two studio albums and one live album until they broke in the end of the last century, both returned at the same time about 2010, both were two obscure bands only known by a limited group of progressive rock fans, and finally, both have their albums rated in a very high level on Progarchives.

So, soon as I could, I ordered to one of my usual suppliers, to buy their albums. A few months ago, I received their debut studio album "Push And Profit" released in 1994, and I hope to receive their second, very soon. I confess that I was doubly surprised by the album, when I listened to it for the first time. In the first place, I expected that the music on the album was more surprisingly, strange, aggressive, improvised and complex, than it is, probably thinking on Anglagard music. In the second place, I don't became nothing disappointed with it, because the band's music on the album is very good, which was for me, a very pleasant surprise, despite being very different from the Anglagard sound.

The line up on the album is Matthew Parmenter (lead vocals, guitar, violin, programming, tambourine and synthesizer), Jon Preston Bouda (backing vocals and lead guitar), David Krofchock (backing vocals, piano, organ and synthesizer), Matthew Kennedy (bass guitar) and Paul Dzendel (drums and percussion).

"Push And Profit" has eight tracks. The first track "Diminished" is a track with a slowly opening which is a good start for the album. Excellent Parmenter's voice accompanied wonderfully by the piano and with some violin interventions. This is a very strong track that reminds me some softer parts of early Genesis. The second track "The Reasoning Wall" is the most complex and elaborated track on the album and is the most progressive track too. It reminds me King Crimson and Gentle Giant. This is a superb song. The third track "Carmilla" is another excellent piece of music that should delight fans of King Crimson. It's a very beautiful song that combines moments of calm and emotional vocals, with some musical explosions, what makes a great musical combination. It's the lengthiest track on the album with great guitar work, sustained by nice keyboard work on the back. The fourth track "The Nursery Year" is a song that reminds me Genesis, starting with its title. It's a very soft song with different vocal tones. The lyrics are about paedophilia, about a child molested, and the soft melody makes the song very disturbing. This is another great track that every progressive fan should hear. The fifth track "Faces Of The Petty" is the smallest song on the album. Personally, I don't like very much of it. This is more a rock and roll song than a progressive song, and I think it's a little bit dislocated on the album. It represents the only weak musical point on it. The sixth track "Systems" is a calm ballad with good Parmenter's vocals, and represents a good musical moment on the album. Again, we have the sound that we love so much, a reminiscence of the old Genesis. The seventh track "Blueprint" is the only instrumental track on the album. It has nice guitar and keyboard works, and is one of my favourite tracks on the album. It reminds me Pink Floyd, especially the guitar work, which has great similitude with Gilmour's style. The eighth track "America" is one of the most beautiful songs from the band and one of my favourites on the album, too. It reminds me also the oldest Pink Floyd ballads. This is another excellent track that finished this brilliant musical journey through the confused brain of a listener, if he was caught off guard, who probably still can't understand what he was allowed to just listen.

Conclusion: "Push And Profit" is a great debut studio work by Discipline, despite being an album with so many diverse musical influences such as Genesis, Pink Floyd, King Crimson and Gentle Giant. So, this is an excellent album that will deserve your special attention, especially if you are a great fan of the good old 70's, the classic golden age of the progressive music. The name of the group might be like the 80's King Crimson's incarnation, but the music is definitely different, more romantic, more melodic, more traditional and not so neurotic. Definitely, "Push And Profit" is an excellent album, and I'm very curious and anxious to receive their second studio album "Unfolded Like Staircase", which seems to be even better. So, do yourself a favour. Buy it now. You're losing really a great work.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

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