Originally written by Michael Roberts.
Unfortunately I haven’t heard Rosetta’s first album The Galilean Satellites so if it’s a comparison you’re after then you’ll have to look elsewhere. Taken on its own terms however, Wake/Lift is a strong entry in the recent cannon of Neurosis-inspired, slow-burn ambient metal bands spearheaded by the likes of Isis, Cult of Luna etc. While Rosetta may not stand out so much in style, the overall quality and construction of Wake/Lift certainly does.
Whereas a band like Isis takes the listener deep below the ocean, Rosetta propels you into space in a way that I haven’t experienced since Cave In’s Jupiter. Opening track “Red in Tooth and Claw” pummels you with waves of crushing noise and harrowing vocals yet is delicately interlaced with beautiful melodies and atmospheric clean sections. As well as the obvious Isis influence, I also hear a bit of old Hopesfall in the spacey atmospherics and noise/melody dynamic. Vocally, there are no clean parts, just a constant deep roar ala Cult of Luna. Throughout its seven tracks Wake/Lift is incredibly heavy a lot of the time, yet the riffing is far more rock-based than metallic, building up huge walls of sound before crashing down on you, hard. The production on the album is warm and organic-sounding, and I prefer it to the overly slick sound other bands in this genre sometimes opt for.
My only real criticism of Wake/Lift is in the mammoth instrumental “Temet Nosce”. At fifteen minutes, it does an admirable job of maintaining momentum but does drag on for too long. While the heavily effected drums and guitars build beautifully, the song never truly explodes at any point. The last five minutes see the song wind down very slowly, making the wait for closing track “Monument” – one of the album’s best – a slightly frustrating one. I feel the aformentioned tracks could have switched places to improve the flow of the disc.
Overall, Rosetta have delivered an exceptional sophomore effort in Wake/Lift. The band has succeeded in combining a great sound, powerful delivery and a palpable sense of atmosphere and emotion throughout. The journey this album takes you on is an exhausting one, yet it balances each of its elements almost perfectly so that it ends up a rewarding and most importantly enjoyable listen.
