“GOD OF THE DEAD” By Roseta West (Album)

There is an unmistakable sense of ritual observance from Rosetta West’s new release, “God of the Dead.” The album opens stunningly as it exposes an ancient book of forgotten independent music from the emotional edges of the genre. Rosetta West has cultivated an eclectic genre-spanning blend of blues rock, psychedelia, and mysticism. “God of the Dead” is a 15-track album crafted by the founder, Joseph Demagore, and a close-knit circle of collaborators. It consists of narratives, sounds, and spirituality, fused beautifully into a strange world for the listeners.

“Boneyard Blues,” the first track of the album, screams an eerie and haunting vibe. The track lurches forward while Demagore's vocals echo over rugged riffs, sizzling slide guitars, and a barrage of fuzz. The raw rhythmic energy of guest drummer Caden Cratch drives the track forward and smoothie energy while keeping it gritty as if possessed. It sets the tone for the rest of the album perfectly. A blend of voodoo rituals and punk-infused blues. The underlying eerie mood is a seamless transition to “Underground,” which follows, distorted guitars and a driving beat. The track is reminiscent of the smoky allure of early grunge, but swampy, hallucinogenic twist.

“I Don’t Care” features a blend of biting lyrics, punk swagger, and a raw garage-rock vigor. With this, Rosetta West showcases rebellious prowess, tapping into that raw fuse that the underground blues-punk movements of the 70s and 80s. However, the handbrake is pulled with “Chain Smoke,” a mid-tempo melancholic piece resembling a stroll through remembrance in a fog-drenched jazz club. The instrumentation is smoky and bare, with soft bass, a piano, and a narrator too weary to shed tears. “Town of Tomorrow” returns dystopian psychedelia, a postmodern hymn with reverb and theosophical verses. It plays like a warning from a forgotten prophet at the end of time.

The emotional depth of the album begins to evolve as we touch on the duality of "Susanna Jones, Pt. 1" and "Pt. 2." These pieces feel like folk ballads cloaked in mysticism, and tales of a shapeshifting entity unveiling ideals of unresolved yearning. A gentle and wistful acoustic guitar guides the first part. Part 2 broadens out to fuller instrumentation and heightened drama. “Tao Teh King” sits between them and is arguably the album’s most spiritually potent piece. Drawing inspiration from the ancient Taoist text, this track is minimal and meditative, featuring an Eastern melodic sensibility over Western roots instrumentation. It’s a track you don’t just listen to, you absorb it like smoke in your lungs.

“My Life” is a painful but accepting song, purely emotional, marked by gentle piano and guitar. It is textually abstract and taps into profound grief. Following is “Baby, Come Home,” showing a variation of the classic rock-blues style, warmer and somewhat familiar, as the plea is quite melodic. It offers emotional and musical intersection. In stark contrast, “Summertime” is a mirage. Not the renowned Gershwin piece, but a hazy, aching, and strangely cinematic dreamlike plunge into summer as a metaphor.

“Dead Of The Night” captures the gothic blues style and expands upon the preceding elements. It features Demagore’s voice, which sounds both haunted and haunting, as the song hovers ghostlike just above the ground, as if suspended by spectral gales. “Thorns of Beauty” is both haunting and dreamlike in lyricism, focusing on pain and beauty interwoven with transience. It is stripped down, yet transcends the realm of the earthly with profound artistry. Instrumentally, the piece binds Nick Cave and Talk Talk with ambient strumming, creating nostalgic sounds of acoustic guitar and melodic depths.

“Inferno” begins with a chaotic blend of primal rhythms, feedback, and guitars. Name aside, this is the drop into the fiery underworld the album hints at. No clear structure, just a blistering ather and blistering instrumental odyssey which can only be described as a freefall through psychedelic Hell. It is jarring and cathartic, like “Susanna Jones, Pt. 2,” which returns us to semi-narrative closure, reiterating motifs with greater weight and resolution. It closes with “Midnight,” featuring a slow-burn soulrock masterclass with Constant on bass. The groove is hypnotic, the mood contemplative, and the lyrical imagery draped with moonlight. It is the perfect album closer, which is melancholic, mysterious, and meditative.

God Of The Dead's most striking hallmark is the sharp contrast across each track. Rather than trying to build a sound like most might, Rosetta West builds a universe. That universe contains punk, spiritual folk, piano ballads, guttural funk, hypnotic instrumentals, and somehow, everything fits. This is largely due to Joseph Demagore’s artistic throughline and ability to blend the spiritual and emotional across the myriad genres. The rhythmic patterns performed by Mike Weaver and Nathan Q. Scratch blend seamlessly. Orpheus Jones’ contribution on bass adds a tangible and organic dimension to the texture of the music. The additional contributions made by Louis Constant and Caden Cratch enhance and diversify their respective tracks.

The album is available on mainstream platforms like Spotify, and its home is on Bandcamp, YouTube, and the underground music scene. “God Of Ohe Dead” is a wonderful addition for those who appreciate the art of collecting music on vinyl and cassettes, especially for those who believe music should be found in the world’s, or the afterlife’s, dusty corners. Rosetta West even jokes that their releases can be found in haunted shipwrecks and graveyards, and once you immerse yourself in their world, it’s easy to believe that’s not entirely a joke.

To sum it up, “God Of The Dead” is an album that goes beyond music; it’s a form of initiation. An album that actively demands attention, challenges the listener to venture into uncharted mental realms, and beautifully guides you through a stunning, shadowy soundscape that is deep and full of the soul. Rosetta West has always been a refreshing breath in an oversaturated market of robotic and catchy, yet hollow, products. With this latest release, they continue to solidify the underground legacy for music that is raw, unapologetic, and deeply resonant. Massive thanks to Rosetta West for composing an album that captures the essence of independent artistry in its most unhinged form. “God Of The Dead” is waiting for those who desire more, those craving for deep meaning, mysticism, and madness. Find it now on Bandcamp, YouTube, or wherever the shadows of good taste linger.

Written by Manuel