Review Summary: What a great surprise. Discipline returned with another towering work.
“To Shatter All Accord” is the third studio album of Discipline that was released in 2011. The line up on the album is Matthew Parmenter, Jon Preston Bouda, Matthew Kennedy and Paul Dzendzel.
Discipline is a prog band from Detroit founded in 1987. The band gained a following amount of fans in the Detroit area, performing unusual original music, heavily influenced by the progressive rock music of the 70’s, with a live memorable show for theatrics. Lead singer Matthew Parmenter delivered each song behind a coat of mime’s makeup, often a different costume, bringing to our memory the vocalist of Genesis, Peter Gabriel, in the good old times of Genesis.
As many of we know, there are an infinity of groups with influences from the greatest 70’s progressive rock bands such as Genesis, Yes, King Crimson, Pink Floyd, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, etc., with more or less success and more or less personality. But, in my humble opinion, this is the first time that a band drinks all the essence of the strange and difficult musical world of Van Der Graaf Generator. But what impresses me most is that they make it with a naturalness, quality and personality that make of this group a unique band, in the last thirty years, in the world of prog rock music.
It was only in 1993 that Discipline released their first studio album “Push And Profit”, and in 1997 they released their second studio album, their greatest masterpiece, “Unfolded Like The Staircase”. However, it passed many years until the band has released another studio album. Until then, we only could enjoy some great live documents of the group. So, it was a big surprise for me that the band in 2011 released their third studio album, entitled “To Shatter All Accord”.
So, fourteen years have passed since Discipline released their last studio work. We may say that probably no one could expect a new album from the band. But, they were back with “To Shatter All Accord”. And again Discipline convince with all the qualities that have distinguished the band in the past. There are elegantly constructed, consistently rather longer songs that can come up with moderate intricacies, enchanting guitar solos, powerful rhythm work and tasteful key sounds. There are mainly classic sounds like piano, Mellotron and analog synths. The guitar convinces with a clear sound, almost like an additional vocal line. The atmosphere is dark and gripping. Parmenter’s highly emotional singing style also contributes to this. Bouda once again inspires as one of the most unknown guitar gods on this planet. In addition to the vocals and keys, Parmenter also seems to bring in his other instruments such as saxophone and violin.
“To Shatter All Accord” has five tracks. “Circuitry” isn’t properly a new track from the band. A live version appears on the band’s “Live 1995” DVD and Video released in 2005. It also appears on their live album “Live Days” released in 2010. It’s boost by a down guitar riff with an organ underneath, some gentle piano and a saxophone work that evokes Van Der Graaf Generator. This is a song with a real vintage sound. “When The Walls Are Down” isn’t also a new track from the band. A live version also appears on “Live 1995” and “Live Days”. It has a dreamy saxophone work over a piano before the guitar riff and a tortured vocal work, which might be familiar to the fans of Peter Hammill of Van Der Graaf Generator. Bouda’s guitar work is incredible. It’s a perfect track for King Crimson and Van Der Graaf Generator’s fans. “Dead City” is the first new track here. It starts with a Bouda’s psychedelic guitar followed by Parmenter’s keyboards before Parmenter’s unmistakable voice, this time with a mix between Gabriel and Hammill. It’s a cool track, accessible, short and concise, different from the rest of the album. It’s my less favourite track. “When She Dreams She Dreams In Color” is a complex track with many jazz elements that reminds me King Crimson, especially the sound of “Islands”. It has a gorgeous Mellotron work in the same vein of the first two King Crimson’s albums. It’s a heaven for Mellotron fans. It has also a nice violin performance evocative of Kansas. Sure it pleases Kansas’ fans too. “Rogue” is the highlight on the album. It must be litened by any prog fan. The performance of all band’s members is outstanding. It incorporates the styles of two of the best and most complex prog bands, King Crimson and Van Der Graaf Generator.
Conclusion: “To Shatter All Accord” is an incredible album that opens with a golden key the return of a great and unique band in the universe of the progressive rock music. This is an album that strengthens the musical influences and fuses perfectly the distinct sounds of two of the greatest bands of progressive rock music, King Crimson and Van Der Graaf Generator, without Discipline lose their own and unique identity. And now, the great question. Is it as good as “Unfolded Like Staircase”? I don’t think so. I continue to prefer that album. However, it’s almost as good. This is one of the best albums you can ear in the progressive rock music in the last decade. It’s an album full of passionate music with a lot of emotion. Discipline was back with a fantastic piece. God bless them for bring us so fantastic music.
Music was my first love.
John Miles (Rebel)
