Discipline

"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."

Based in Detroit, Michigan, DISCIPLINE has performed and recorded together since 1987. The current members are Chris Herin (electric guitar), Mathew Kennedy (bass guitar), Henry Parmenter (drums), and Matthew Parmenter (vocals and keyboards).

DISCIPLINE signed with acclaimed independent label ProgRock.com’s Essentials for the release of their studio album Breadcrumbs. Marking a bold new chapter for the veteran Detroit band, Breadcrumbs was released in August 2025. Mixed by legendary producer Terry Brown (Rush, Fates Warning) and featuring the striking imagery of renowned artist Hugh Syme, Breadcrumbs showcases DISCIPLINE’s signature blend of musical depth and emotional complexity across five expansive new tracks.

Following the overwhelming success of Terry Brown’s 2022 remix of DISCIPLINE’s masterpiece Unfolded Like Staircase, ProgRock.com officially launched their record label, which has since released albums by multiple well-known artists (Chester Thompson, Unitopia, Sonus Umbra). In his interview with Germany's Eclipsed magazine, Terry Brown named DISCIPLINE's Unfolded Like Staircase in his list of "Top 5 Non-Rush Productions."

The U.S. record label Laser's Edge released DISCIPLINE's previous studio album Captives of the Wine Dark Sea, which Chris Cope of Prog Magazine described as a “tour de force” of “emotive, ardent music.” DISCIPLINE's self released album To Shatter All Accord includes the 25 minute song suite "Rogue." John Collinge, publisher of Progression Magazine, acknowledged this album with the publication’s highest marks in his review (16 out of 16 stars). The band's first CD Push & Profit introduced DISCIPLINE to an international audience supported by tour dates in Norway.

The band’s earliest live shows were memorable for unusual theatrics. Parmenter (a.k.a. the Magic Acid Mime) wore different costumes to act out the songs. Though the costumes have gone away in recent years, 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 rock festivals have welcomed DISCIPLINE to their stages, including:
• FestivAlterNativo in Querétaro, Mexico,
• Italy's renowned 2Days Prog+1,
• Chicago's Peacefest and Progtoberfest,
• UK's Summers End festival,
• RoSfest (Rites of Spring festival) in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania,
a videotaped performance streaming via Amazon Instant Video,
• NEARfest (the Northeast Art Rock Festival),
• Terra Incognita in Quebec, Canada,
• ProgStock music festival in New Jersey,
• ProgScape and Orion Studios in Baltimore, Maryland, and
• ProgDay in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

Jeff Milo of Ferndale Friends newspaper writes, "Go online and you'll find various zines, blogs, and sites devoted to 'prog' music sending some substantial love toward Detroit's Discipline."

On The Web:

• Discipline Official Website
• Discipline on Facebook
• Discipline on Youtube

Music To Check Out:

• Single: "When the Night Calls to Day" Video
• Single: "Life Imitates Art" Lyric Video
• Live Performance: "Before the Storm" and "Blueprint" Video
• Live Performance: "Canto IV (Limbo)" Video

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