Rosetta West Grapple with Spiritual Burnout on Hypnotic Blues Rock Single ‘Circle of Doubt’
- Tamara Jenna
- 6 hours ago
- 2 min read
Released on Beltane, the Chicago band’s latest track pairs stoner riffs with mystical themes and a flicker of fighting spirit.
Rosetta West, the fiercely independent blues rock band from Chicago, return with their latest single “Circle of Doubt”, released on 29 April 2025 to coincide with the Celtic holy day of Beltane. Known for blending classic rock grit with mystical and spiritual overtones, the band’s newest track is a slow-burning meditation on emotional and spiritual collapse—punctuated by a flicker of inner resistance.
Driven by repetitive blues guitar riffs, the track leans into stoner rock territory with a hypnotic heaviness. Its musical weight is lifted by delicate high-note decorations and trippy soloing that hint at transcendence.
“The lyrics and music of Circle of Doubt work beautifully together to create a sense of loss, doubt, and near-despair,” the band shares. “But with a flicker of fighting spirit remaining.”
At its core, Circle of Doubt tells the story of someone trying to break free from spiritual and emotional paralysis—a recurring loop of uncertainty following an internal war. The track captures a balance between resignation and resurgence, underscored by the raw textures of garage rock, psychedelic rock, and hard blues.
Included with the release is the bonus track “The God Who Made Me Cry,” a song that, according to the band, “contemplates deicide”—deepening the existential and philosophical themes that often mark their work.
Rosetta West is led by Joseph Demagore, who handles vocals, guitars, keyboards, and percussion. Co-producer and sound engineer Jason X plays bass and keyboards and joined production duties starting with 2024’s Labyrinth album. Rounding out the trio is drummer Nathan Q. Scratch, who remains elusive and steadfastly unphotographed.
Despite a one-off release with Alive Records, Rosetta West have maintained a long, unorthodox underground career, fuelled by DIY ethics and a global base of devoted listeners. Their sound mixes alternative rock, world folk, and spiritual mysticism, and their catalogue—found across Bandcamp, YouTube, and niche music platforms—is rich with exploratory gems.
With Circle of Doubt, Rosetta West reassert their position as underground torchbearers of guitar-led mysticism and hard-won spiritual storytelling.
Genres: Alternative Rock, Blues, Classic Rock, Garage Rock, Hard Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Stoner Rock
Moods: Spiritual, Heavy, Hypnotic, Reflective, Gritty
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