Rosetta

Taking obvious influence from the heavy droning metal of bands such as Neurosis, Isis and Cult of Luna, the Philadelphia-based quartet Rosetta have made a pretty big statement with this, their debut release. A double CD set that finds ten tracks spread across both discs, there are no lyrics included in the fold-out packaging. The only hint to the music contained within is a one-line description: "these songs are about a space man.” And with that, the quartet take the listener into a sonic journey that is as rewarding as it is expansive. The ten songs work best when listened to from beginning to end; it is perfect late night headphone music for those that like it heavy and evolving. That said, I would be willing to wager that this band kill live. After all, if you are going to play music in this style, you have to be able to play to pull it off. Kudos to Translation Loss for having the balls to put this out and to Hydra Head/Isis dude Aaron Turner for some amazing artwork. Well done.