Breadcrumbs by Discipline

Breadcrumbs by Discipline, released in this 2025.

A refined album that after just a few listens is already one of my favorites of this 2025, a great comeback about 8 years after the previous record, and a full 18 since their masterpiece Unfolded Like Staircase from 1997.

Let's remember that this band formed in the United States in 1987 and expresses itself in beautiful, symphonic rock of absolute quality, the kind I like. Their sound is based on complex compositions, atmospheric and melodic at the same time, an often dark style of progressive rock with great guitar and keyboard work, and shifts between heavier and more complex sections.

This is a melodic and profound album, typical of this great band. However, the change on drums, with Henry Parmenter replacing longtime drummer Paul Dzendzel on this album, introduces jazz influences, maintaining the magnificent keyboards that provide an epic and imposing sound, but also a beautiful touch of sensitive, jazzy piano on some of the tracks.

And it's precisely the piano and drums that, in my opinion, define this album, which runs for about 48 minutes and features five splendid tracks.

- Breadcrumbs, about 17 minutes, opens the album. It features a beautiful keyboard intro, followed by the guitar with its light dissonances, followed by an excellent rhythm section rich in counterpoints, before the splendid electric piano enters with a decidedly captivating jazzy-pop vibe. The vocals are beautiful, and the song's expansive, sunny atmosphere takes over, with a soft mood that alternates with prog atmospheres at various points. A song that combines song form with the complexity of prog in an extremely balanced way, with a continuous piano progression, ethereal vocals, brief spoken passages, and a conversational atmosphere. The organ solo is beautiful, followed by the guitar and piano, in a prolonged, dreamy and almost hypnotic passage. Guitar inlays and bass carvings emerge, while the solid drums mark the tempo. The vocal texture with the counterpoints is beautiful, as are the lyrics and the song's conclusion, with a section where the song gains a lot of breadth, when the piano creates a very engaging, romantic atmosphere with its slow, passionate progression. This atmosphere becomes epic with the electric guitar at the end. A great song.

- Keep the Change, with its 7 minutes, closes Side A. It begins with a beautiful, slow, and melodic acoustic guitar riff, then, after a guitar curl, the song transitions into a rock-blues and becomes a beautiful song with light drums and a beautiful voice, harmonies and atmospheres, a rock-blues you wouldn't expect, until a remarkable succession of breaks takes you back to a 1970s prog sound with a great combination of distorted guitar and drums, while the keyboards lay down a dense carpet. The opening theme then returns with a beautiful guitar solo that accompanies the song's closing. A magnificent piece. One you listen to over and over again

- "When the Night Calls" opens the B-side, short at about five minutes but very intense. It begins with a beautiful double-layered piano and vocals, a syncopated rhythm that creates a captivating atmosphere centered on the vocals, harmonies, intersecting sounds, and a great keyboard. The song has a clear structure, but then begins a phase in which the drums take center stage with a beautiful series of breaks and technicalities in a jazz-rock vein. The song builds before returning to the opening theme and restarting with a new phase of great intensity, featuring great Hendrix-style guitar. A complex piece in structure but composed of multiple simpler parts joined together in excellent balance and alternation. A great song and a great composition.

- "Aloft" is the only completely instrumental track on the album, clocking in at over seven minutes. It builds on the mood of the previous track with a beautiful bass, piano, and drums line, over which the guitar unfolds a rich, jazzy solo, rich in melody and captivating atmospheres. Different guitar styles alternate with virtuosic piano and keyboard performances over the same soft, continuous line. A great piece that you wish would never end. Beautiful.

- "Aria," clocking in at around 11 minutes, closes this magnificent album. The song begins with a great prog keyboard line, followed by a passionate piano solo, over which the voice and drums create a piece of exceptional beauty. At times, it has an almost psychedelic atmosphere, blending the '70s with contemporary sensibilities, with meticulously crafted arrangements, rich melody, and harmonies. The song builds in intensity and pace with a beautiful guitar part, followed by breaks of pure '70s symphonic rock, which lingers on a softer, lighter mood with a guitar playing long, intense, and clean sounds that give way to the passionate and intense vocals. The song and the album close with a refined, light and engaging jazz-rock mood.

Before concluding, I want to emphasize that, despite technical issues that delayed the shipment of the black vinyl copy I ordered, I was sent a colored, numbered copy of the album, as well as the CD version. The care shown in the face of a technical problem is truly remarkable. Admirable and uncommon.

The artwork is beautiful, and the vinyl for this version is splendid.

This album, for me as a fan of this band, is a great reaffirmation. Their compositional skill is remarkable, creating songs that, while maintaining the complexity of prog, manage to reach straight to the heart through melodies, harmonies, and atmospheres concentrated in relatively short tracks, with jazz-rock notes adding a touch of refinement. The album features a great, passionate and intense voice, Matthew Parmenter's keyboards and guitar (and violin), Chris Herin's creative and sensitive guitar, and an excellent rhythm section with Matthew Kennedy's great bass, and, last but not least, a truly magnificent Henry Parmenter on drums.

Absolutely Recommended!!!

Note: All links to the musicians' works are in the TAGS under the article title or on the "Artists" page

Tracklist

1. Breadcrumbs (16:56)
2. Keep the Change (7:06)
3. When the Night Calls (5:25)
4. Aloft (7:46)
5. Aria (10:41)

Duration 47:54

LineUp

- Matthew Parmenter - vocals, keyboards, violin, guitars, tambourine
- Chris Herin (Tiles) - guitars
- Mathew Kennedy - bass
- Henry Parmenter - drums