Rosetta: A DETERMINISM OF MORALITY

I truly hope that the downfall of ISIS precipitates the destruction of the post-metal trend completely.  The few bands that evolved the form have either called it quits or gone to shit, and then there are bands like Rosetta, who do little but imitate and recycle.  The genre was painfully homogenous to begin with, and the only thing propping it up now is a fanbase still so enamored of its early-00s peak (guilty!) that the sincerest form of flattery is good enough (trying to quit!).

There are inspired moments.  The final minute of "Je N'en Connais Pas La Fin" is a rugged and harrowing stampede.  “Blue Day For Croatoa” ends with an intriguing, tense but pretty little jam.  In fact, almost every song has a minute or so of interesting music that could make even a jaded Neurosis fan turn his or her head for a sec.

But I have to put my foot down on the Isis worship.  There’s not enough more than that going on here.  A slightly different vocal treatment or technique, a major chord here and there, a stretch of martial drumming: these things can’t compensate for the 90% of the time when you can close your eyes and imagine that Aaron Turner has cannibalized himself yet again.  At least it’s competently and forcefully played; that’s more than I can say for a lot of this ilk.  Rosetta would win the American Idol of post-metal for sure, as long as Cult Of Luna doesn’t show up.