Rosetta (band)

Rosetta
Background information
Origin	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US
Genres	Post-metal, sludge metal, space rock, progressive metal, post-rock
Years active	2003–present
Labels	Translation Loss
Website	rosettaband.com
Members
Michael Armine David Grossman Bruce McMurtrie Jr. J. Matthew Weed

Rosetta is an American post-metal band from Philadelphia incorporating elements of post-hardcore, shoegazing, drone, post-rock, avant-garde, and ambient, with influences as diverse as Neurosis and Isis, My Bloody Valentine, Frodus, and Stars of the Lid. The band somewhat humorously self-describes its music as "metal for astronauts", and its members are very interested in astronomy and space travel. Rosetta members have repeatedly expressed frustration and disapproval for the term post-metal.

Biography

Rosetta's members all were acquaintances in high school, and had played in various bands until they decided to play a last minute gig on August 20, 2003, after only three practice sessions, and improvised the entire show. Following this, they proceeded to write more songs, play more shows, and eventually record a four-song demo album, which picked up interest from Translation Loss Records.

Their debut album, The Galilean Satellites, featured two separate hour-long discs (one of more metal-oriented music, and one of ambience) that synchronize together. Although originally intended to be one disc of metal tracks sandwiched by ambient ones, the band had enough material to cover two discs.

The band's second release, Project Mercury, a split with Balboa, was released April 24, 2007. After a full United States tour in July, the band's second full-length album, entitled Wake/Lift, was released on October 2, again through Translation Loss. The release of Wake/Lift was accompanied by selected United States touring and followed by a June 2008 Australian tour.

In 2009, the band released a 3-way split EP on vinyl only with Year of No Light and East of the Wall. One song called "Homesick" (a cover originally by The Cure) is available on the band's Myspace. A European tour followed in June of the same year.

Rosetta's third full-length album, named A Determinism of Morality, was released on May 25, 2010, and was followed in the summer by the band's first full U.S. tour in three years. In October, the band released a split LP with Philadelphia band Restorations, on Cavity Records, featuring a previously unreleased track which had been recorded in December 2007.

Etymology

The band's name does not come from the Rosetta Stone, but was chosen rather for its femininity and beauty. It is also, incidentally, the Latin name of a nebula in Monoceros, the name of a satellite used to study comets, and an orbit type.

Discography

Studio albums

• The Galilean Satellites (Translation Loss, 2005)
• Wake/Lift (Translation Loss, 2007)
• A Determinism of Morality (Translation Loss, 2010)

EPs

• The Cleansing Undertones of Wake/Lift (Translation Loss, 2007)

Splits

• Project Mercury with Balboa (Level Plane, 2007)
• Three way split with Year of No Light and East of the Wall (Translation Loss, 2009)
• Split with Restorations (Cavity Records, 2010)
• Junius / Rosetta with Junius (Translation Loss Records / The Mylene Sheath, 2011)

Demos

• Demo (self-released, 2003–2004)

Members

• Michael Armine – sound manipulation, vocals
• David Grossman – bass guitar, vocals
• Bruce McMurtrie Jr. – drums
• J. Matthew Weed – electric guitar, violin

External links

• Official website
• Rosetta on Myspace
• Rosetta at Twitter
• Translation Loss Records
• Rosetta at AllMusic Guide