The Price of Progression (Ensign album)

Ensign had emerged from a period of personnel turmoil to record this album and it was left to the bassist and main songwriter, Nate Gluck, to also take up the job of the guitarwork. The result was a more refined offering which moved sufficiently away from hardcore punk to be recognised in the same circle as some metalcore bands while still retaining the theatrical restraint and lyrical ethics of the hardcore genre. The songs were still short, although many were nearer the three-minute mark than ever before – resulting in the band's longest album ever – but they had more structure and melodic elements than material on either Cast the First Stone or Direction of Things to Come.

• All songs written by Ensign

1. "The Spark" – 2:03
2. "Black Clouds vs. Silver Linings" – 2:16
3. "While The Iron Is Hot" – 2:52
4. "Lesser Of Two" – 1:45
5. "Absolute Zero" – 0:34
6. "Grasping At Straws" – 2:31
7. "Foot In Mouth As An Artform" – 2:55
8. "Everything You Ever Love" – 2:49
9. "Slow Burn" – 3:58
10. "Never Go Home Again" – 2:31
11. "How To Bleed" – 1:33
12. "The May Conspiracy" – 1:46
13. "33​¹⁄₃" – 2:29
14. "Cast In Shadows" – 2:15
15. "Stay Warm" – 2:02
16. "Sworntosecrecy" – 1:37
17. "File Under Misunderstood" – 2:05

• Track 10 is a reprise of a track which previously appeared on the Death By Stereo/Ensign Split 7" (EP) recorded in June, 2000 and released by Indecision Records in December, 2000
• Track 13 is suffixed by 47 seconds of strange sound effects before the next track starts

• Tim Shaw – vocals
• Nate "Edge" Gluck – guitar, bass
• Chris Byrnes – guitar
• John "Vince Vegas" O'Neill – drums
• Good Riddance's Russ Rankin – guest vocals on "Foot In Mouth As An Artform"
• Kill Your Idol's Andy West – guest vocals on "Stay Warm"
• Recorded November 20 – December 15, 2000 at Trax East, South River, New Jersey, USA
• Produced by Eric Rachel and Nate Gluck
• Engineered and mixed by Eric Rachel
• Mastered by Alan Douches at West West Side Music, New Jersey
• Producer, Eric Rachel played bass in rehearsals for "Cast In Shadows"
• Chris Oliver played bass in rehearsals while Nate Gluck recorded the guitar track

• Nitro Records
• Indecision Records