Rosetta Stone

380,579 plays (47,095 listeners)
In your library (0 plays)

68 shouts

Add to my Library Share

Get Ringtones

Rosetta Stone is a band formed in the mid 1980s around members Porl King (guitar/vocals/keyboards) and Carl North (bass), plus their drum machine and synthesiser rack nicknamed “Madame Razor”. Their early style and first album reflected the jangly-guitar sounds of 1980s gothic rock, and their first big break was supporting The Mission.

In 1991 the band released their most successful single Adrenaline, an indie dancefloor anthem which marked a change in direction for the band’s sound and line-up. Porl Young (who had joined just after the recording of An Eye For The Main Chance) left to produce Children On Stun whilst Porl King and Carl North remained to take the band into a more industrial sound.

1992 saw a cover version of The Rattles 1970 hit The Witch take the band into the UK top 40 singles chart.

With the advance for 1995’s The Tyranny of Inaction Porl King purchased an Alesis ADAT multi-track digital recorder, the use of which substantially changed Rosetta Stone’s sound. That album and most subsequent work featured a much more industrial sound, with extensive use of sampling.

At some point in the late 1990s, Porl King lost part of his little finger in an accident, which changed his guitar style considerably. The band split up in 1998 for many reasons but which some say may have included an off-stage fracas with an act from Nightbreed Recordings at Whitby Gothic Weekend.

Tagged as:

gothic rock, gothic, darkwave, goth, goth rock
See more…

Similar Artists

Top Albums

Adrenaline
Rosetta Stone
Buy
- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 Search
- 7digital Search
- iTunes Search
- Buy Album
- Amazon Search
- eBay Search
Epitome EP
Rosetta Stone
Buy
- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 $6.93
- 7digital $7.77
- iTunes $4.99
- Buy Album
- Amazon Search
- eBay Search
Foundation Stones
Rosetta Stone
Buy
- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 $7.99
- 7digital $7.77
- iTunes $9.99
- Buy Album
- Amazon $31.34
- eBay Search
The Tyranny of Inaction
Rosetta Stone
Buy
- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 Search
- 7digital Search
- iTunes Search
- Buy Album
- Amazon Search
- eBay Search

Top Tracks

1	Adrenaline full track	230
2	The Witch full track	122
3	Leave Me for Dead full track	112
4	Shadow full track	108
5	An Eye for the Main Chance full track	101
6	Subterfuge full track	87
7	If Only and Sometimes full track	71
8	Nothing full track	64
9	Sense of Purpose full track	56
10	Cimmerian full track	48
10	Forevermore full track	48
12	Come Hell or High Water full track	47
13	Darkside full track	42
14	Deeper	25
15	Hit full track	24

Shoutbox

Leave a comment. Log in to Last.fm or sign up (it’s free).

swr-troll-two wrote:
yesterday morning

<3<3<3 Hit <3<3<3

View Profile | Leave swr-troll-two a shout
swr-troll-two wrote:
yesterday morning

<333333333333

View Profile | Leave swr-troll-two a shout
alenka666-rock wrote:
Thursday morning

The Witch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

View Profile | Leave alenka666-rock a shout
matt_organic wrote:
Tuesday morning

I wouldn't say that anything Rosetta Stone put out was industrial - just slightly more electronics in the mix. Not much love for Tyranny Of Inaction here, huh? Shame, I really like that album. I certainly think it's their most consistent release.

View Profile | Leave matt_organic a shout
JayneDahmer wrote:
15 days ago

'Kay. Thanks, Burlesque.

View Profile | Leave JayneDahmer a shout
Anastaxia_Xylf wrote:
17 days ago

gud^_^

View Profile | Leave Anastaxia_Xylf a shout
Lady_Burlesque wrote:
19 days ago

@JayneDahmer: Personaly, besides Adrenaline I only like Chemical Emissions somewhat. Everything else is too industrial and/or electronic (whatever)...it's a real shame they took that turn

View Profile | Leave Lady_Burlesque a shout
JayneDahmer wrote:
20 days ago

"Adrenaline" was damn brilliant, but "The Tyranny of Inaction" blows. A lot. Is any of the EPs / singles / whatever worth a spin?

View Profile | Leave JayneDahmer a shout
Lady_Burlesque wrote:
25 days ago

Leave me for dead!

View Profile | Leave Lady_Burlesque a shout
Deadalus_DX wrote:
last month

Very cool band!

View Profile | Leave Deadalus_DX a shout
Gothtowncryer wrote:
September 2009

The Skeletal Family + Guests The Gassienda, Keighley. Friday, 25 September 2009 The Gassienda Russell Street Keighley, United Kingdom

View Profile | Leave Gothtowncryer a shout
aneasthesia wrote:
September 2009

Great stuff!

View Profile | Leave aneasthesia a shout
szafi19 wrote:
September 2009

Cool and underrated

View Profile | Leave szafi19 a shout
eoooe wrote:
August 2009

hi friends, add me

View Profile | Leave eoooe a shout
shoogle195 wrote:
August 2009

Been wasting time not listening to this band.

View Profile | Leave shoogle195 a shout
DJJoni23 wrote:
August 2009

Great,great ,great.

View Profile | Leave DJJoni23 a shout
loomia wrote:
August 2009

the vocals are amazing

View Profile | Leave loomia a shout
clytie_hizashi wrote:
July 2009

God, this band and Tool have nothing in common. The Rosetta Stone was an ancient rock that had three languages on it, two forms of Egyptian, and one Greek. It's how they deciphered the hieroglyphs. Anyway, Adrenaline is fantastic.

View Profile | Leave clytie_hizashi a shout
LadyNightfaLL wrote:
July 2009

cloud nine white line this time i'm on adrenaline.. <3 my god, love this song so much.

View Profile | Leave LadyNightfaLL a shout
Empathy82 wrote:
June 2009

beautiful

View Profile | Leave Empathy82 a shout