Rosetta West’s “Circle of Doubt” Breaks the Circle, Turns Doubt into Divine Distortion!
- Esther
- Jun 15
- 3 min read
Just one month ago, Rosetta West scorched their way into our psyche with “Snake 25”, a six-minute baptism of fire that slithered through mysticism, blues, and blistering catharsis. It was the kind of track that left you shaken, headphones off, soul slightly scorched, and strangely reborn. Now, they return not with a follow-up, but with a full-on invocation. “Circle of Doubt” doesn’t just pick up where “Snake 25” left off but it descends deeper, summoning the ghosts that were only hinted at before. Where the previous one thundered outward, this one turns inward, dragging us through smoke, scripture, and the kind of spiritual unrest that can’t be resolved in three chords or less. This isn’t just the next chapter, it’s the reckoning!
The song dwells in that unsettling middle ground, pacing its cage like a soul half-escaped from its own skin. Released to align with the Celtic fire festival of Beltane (a time traditionally associated with rebirth and spiritual transformation), the timing isn’t just poetic, it’s prophetic. It stands at the haunted crossroads of blues, psychedelia, and mystic folk, drawing symbols in the sand with every swirling guitar loop and whispered invocation. The Illinois-based blues rock outfit fronted by multi-instrumentalist and sonic conjuror Joseph Demagore, returns with what might be their most emotionally and sonically expansive release to date, co-created with bassist/keyboardist/producer Jason X and longtime drummer Nathan Q. Scratch. From the opening seconds, you’re ensnared. A slippery, mantra-like guitar riff loops relentlessly, like a snake eating its tail, or more fittingly, a mind caught in recursive doubt. There’s a kind of trance logic at work here; repetition as spiritual language. It’s meditative, but not peaceful, it simmers with tension. And then Demagore’s vocals enter, almost as if exhaled from the mouth of a fever dream: crooning, disoriented, desperate. “Gotta get out of this circle of doubt...” he chants, not so much singing as confessing into the dark. It’s the sound of someone stuck in the psychic limbo between revelation and collapse.
A slow-burning exorcism, each verse peeling back another layer of the narrator’s fractured psyche. The lyrics read like sacred text scrawled on the walls of a collapsing chapel: prayers, pleas, and moments of spiritual mutiny. “Oh Holy Lord, can’t you hear me calling?” Demagore cries, once softly, then louder, as if trying to summon something divine from within the wreckage. These aren’t just lyrics; they’re declarations of existential fatigue. You can practically hear the soul tearing at the seams. The band’s musical palette is beautifully layered-fuzzed-out blues rock rooted in swampy grooves, doused with shimmering embellishments that feel almost spiritual in tone. The stoner rock influence lends it a meditative gravity, while classic rock soloing injects fire and motion into what might otherwise become too heavy to carry. It’s a sound that suggests both torpor and transcendence, like trudging through spiritual mud only to glimpse a star at the top of the hill. The band’s continued fascination with spiritual warfare, inner collapse, and redemption. But here, it all feels more distilled, more immediate. Jason X’s production gives each sonic texture its own breathing room, whether it’s the hypnotic loop of the main riff or the spectral high notes that twinkle like distant stars just beyond reach. There’s no bloat here, no wasted noise. Every sound feels intentional. Earned.
Rosetta West is making ritual music for lost souls. It’s not meant to make you feel good or anything. It’s meant to make you feel seen. And that’s far more powerful. So light a candle, dim the lights, and press play, "Circle of Doubt" isn’t background noise, it’s a full-body immersion. Rosetta West doesn’t ask for your attention, they summon it. And if you’re brave enough to sit with your own shadows for a while, this sonic ritual just might leave you changed. Support the band, spread the word, and most importantly, listen from below, like your soul depends on it.
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You can check out and follow Rosetta West's musical journey and support them on Bandcamp here : https://rosettawest.bandcamp.com
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