There’s something untamed about Rosetta West. Their is felt not just heard, lingering like smoke from a sacred fire, curling through the mind long after the final note. Hailing from the heart of Illinois, this blues-rock trio doesn’t just play songs; they conjure them. With Joseph Demagore’s vocals and versatile musicianship, Jason X’s deep, resonant bass lines, and Nathan Q. Scratch’s primal percussion, Rosetta West crafts sounds that connects the past and future, weaving mysticism, psychedelia, and world folk into bluesy rock that hits with an almost ritualistic intensity. Their latest offering, “Night’s Cross,” released on January 16, follows the well-received “Labyrinth” but shifts into darker terrain. Where Labyrinth occasionally allowed the light to seep through, Night’s Cross leans into shadow—exploring death, fate, and the weight of existence. Yet, it never yeilds to despair; instead, it stands defiant, embracing mortality with a heavy but reverent soul.
With “Save Me,” the album opens with urgency, Demagore’s voice cutting through a deep, rolling groove. Gritty blues guitar and Jason X’s moody bass swirl around lyrics that feel like a desperate plea, setting the stage for Night’s Cross exploration of mortality.
A sharp turn into storytelling, “Suzie” rides a hypnotic rhythm and psychedelic guitar lines. Suzie herself remains a mystifying presence—perhaps a ghost or a lost love persisting in the song’s echoing vocal harmonies.
Folk elements shine here in “Dora Lee” with a world-weary acoustic guitar introduction that gives way to a blues shuffle. Nathan Q. Scratch’s drumming is particularly effective, pushing and pulling the song’s heartbeat in a way that feels alive.
Moving on “Diana” is blues rock at its finest, a smoldering slow-burner with lyrical mysticism that suggests a goddess-like figure or a lost dream. Demagore’s delivery is raw and aching, matching the song’s deeply evocative lead guitar work.
The fifth track, “You’ll Be The Death of Me” is a dangerous, blues-soaked romp with a rhythm section that slithers like a snake through the underbrush. The title alone tells you everything: this is obsession and fate intertwined, with Jason X’s basslines leading the descent.
With “Alligator Farm,” Rosetta West gets playful—at least musically. This track has a stomping, swampy rock energy that contrasts with its eerie lyrics. Think Creedence Clearwater Revival gone mystical.
“Cold Winter Moon” is a striking ballad, full of open space and melancholic keyboards. It has the atmosphere of a lone wanderer staring at a frozen sky, and Rosetta West’s restraint here is what makes it powerful.
As one of the hardest-hitting songs on the album, “Desperation” is a blues rock pushed to the brink. The band locks into a feverish groove, with Demagore’s voice fraying at the edges as if he’s singing straight from the depths of his soul.
A traditional folk-blues theme reimagined in Rosetta West’s sonic landscape. “Oh Death” carries the weight of an old spiritual, with resonator guitar and percussion that feels ritualistic, as if summoning the spirits.
“Ready to Go” is a defiant anthem of acceptance, this track takes the album’s theme of death and flips it into something triumphant. The guitars blaze, the rhythm section pounds forward, and Demagore sings with a preacher’s conviction.
In “Baby Doll,” psychedelia drifts back in, with woozy guitar effects and a dreamlike quality. This is one of the album’s more enigmatic tracks, floating between reality and illusion.
The closer, “Underground Again” is a slow, smoky blues, bringing the album full circle. There’s a finality here—death, rebirth, the end of the road. The instrumentation builds into a hypnotic, reverberating fadeout, leaving you suspended in the space between worlds.
Throughout the entire album, Jason X’s production deserves high praise. Recorded in a rural home studio, the album doesn’t just sound polished—it breathes. The rawness is intentional, enhancing the organic interplay between instruments. The mix gives each element room to shine, with bass and percussion grounding the ethereal, often psychedelic guitar work. Demagore’s voice, weathered yet commanding, serves as the unifying force, carrying each song like an incantation.
With this album, Rosetta West has proven they don’t write music; they create sonic spells, each track a piece of the grander ritual that is ‘Night’s Cross.’ This album is a passage through the shadows, an invitation to face the unknown with courage, and a reminder that even in darkness, the blues can still burn bright.
Listen to the “Night’s Cross” album on Spotify
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