“Discipline weaves a wicked web of lush, whimsical melodies, cynical stories and melancholy theatrics—so disturbing some fans have pegged lead-man Matthew Parmenter as ‘unstable,'” writes Heidi Olmac in Detroit’s Orbit newspaper. New Zealand rock critic Kev Rowland describes Discipline as “one of the most important bands to come out of America in the last 25 years.” The American band Discipline has performed and recorded together since 1987. The band is now recording its fifth studio album with current members Paul Dzendzel (drums), Mathew Kennedy (bass guitar), Chris Herin (lead guitar), and Matthew Parmenter (vocals and keyboards). Discipline’s earliest live shows were memorable for unusual theatrics. Parmenter (a.k.a. the Magic Acid Mime) would wear different costumes and act out the songs. Though the costumes have long since gone away, spontaneity remains a hallmark of Discipline’s stage presence. “I think most of it comes from playing live,” says Parmenter in The Observer and Eccentric newspaper. “If something goes wrong, it’s kind of interesting how you will get out of it.” Several notable progressive rock festivals have welcomed Discipline to their stages. In 2015 the band drew praise at UK’s Summer’s End festival in Chepstow, Wales, with reviews declaring Discipline “the band of the weekend.” In 2012 Discipline appeared at RoSfest, the Rites of Spring progressive rock festival in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. That performance can be viewed as an Amazon Instant video. In 2008 Discipline performed at NEARfest Northeast Art Rock Festival. Other festival appearances include Terra Incognita (Quebec Canada), ProgScape and Orion Studios (Baltimore, Maryland), and five separate performances at ProgDay (Chapel Hill, North Carolina). In a recent article in the Ferndale Friends newspaper, Jeff Milo writes, “Go online and you’ll find various zines, blogs, and sites devoted to ‘prog’ music sending some substantial love toward Detroit’s Discipline.” In 2011 Discipline released its latest studio album “To Shatter All Accord,” which includes the 25 minute song suite “Rogue.” John Collinge, publisher of Progression Magazine, acknowledged “To Shatter All Accord” with the publication’s highest marks in his review (16 out of 16 stars). The band’s best known album is “Unfolded Like Staircase” (1997). With four sprawling epics, including “Canto IV (Limbo)” and “Crutches,” “Unfolded Like Staircase” is considered by some to be one of the best progressive rock albums of the 1990s. In The Dutch Progressive Rock Pages, Brian Watson goes further: “Unfolded is my favourite progressive rock album of all time. In over 30 years of listening, and out of a collection touching 1500 albums, Unfolded Like Staircase is ‘the one’” (DPRP Volume 51). The CD “Push & Profit” (1993) introduced Discipline to an international audience supported by a tour of Norway. The band also recorded a virtually unknown first album “Chaos Out of Order” (1988) that remained out of print for twenty-five years until the band’s indie label, Strung Out Records, reissued the recording in 2013. Discipline has also released three live albums: “This One’s for England” (2014 double CD), “Live Days” (2010 double CD on Cyclops/GFT), and “Into the Dream” (1999 on Syzygy/SOR).

Line-up:

• Paul Dzendzel – drums
• Mathew Kennedy – bass guitar
• Chris Herin – lead guitar
• Matthew Parmenter – vocals, keyboards