Rosetta -- Quintessential Ephemera

7/10

Rosetta take a step forward in the right direction with 2015's Quintessential Ephemera (I initially said step back...you have to go back to go forward?). They seem to have realized that their bread and butter isn't darkness, even though they are quite adept at broadcasting pain. Instead, they reorient their gentle, jangle-to-crushing space metal sounds back toward triumph. While there is still a sense of déjà vu here, it's because Rosetta have such a distinct sound, it is difficult to make any one of their albums musically distinct from another. In an attempt to remedy this, in a much better fashion than their last album, which tried to be different by being unsatisfying, Eric Jernigan has been brought in on second guitar to add a bit more complexity. However, it's in Jernigan's singing vocals, contrasting with Mike Armine's screams, that the band make their greatest departure. Unfortunately, Jernigan sings in that high, Underoath-esque voice, but there's at least a little grit and pop to his vocals to keep them out of the cheese. These additions aren't a revelation, but they are different. Overall, while not feeling essential, Quintessential Ephemera does enough to keep itself interesting and enjoyable for its runtime, including employing a recurring musical motif. Cool. Before a sample of what this album offers, please enjoy this video of a girl crying because she can't stop thinking about waffles.



2015 Self-Released
1. After the Funeral 3:34
2. (Untitled I) 7:06
3. (Untitled II) 4:54
4. (Untitled III) 6:35
5. (Untitled IV)" 3:03
6. (Untitled V)" 7:04
7. (Untitled VI)" 6:03
8. (Untitled VII)" 6:30
9. Nothing in the Guise of Something" 6:25