Rosetta Stone, a British punk rock band formed in England in 1988 by Porl King on guitar/vocals/keyboards and Karl North on bass. The band initially featured a drum machine and synthesizer rack nicknamed Madame Razor. Their early style reflected the jangly-guitar sounds of 1980s gothic rock, and their first big break came after live gigs supporting The Mission. Rosetta Stone released several independently produced singles before recording their debut full-length album, An Eye for the Main Chance, in 1991. Following this, they released their most successful single, "Adrenaline", which was a 12" release. In 1993, Cleopatra Records compiled much of their early cassette and vinyl singles and EPs into an album titled Foundation Stones. The band's sound evolved to include more electronic elements with the release of The Tyranny of Inaction in 1995. After a series of releases including Chemical Emissions (1998) and Gender Confusion (1998), Rosetta Stone disbanded following their final performance at the Whitby Gothic Weekend festival in October 1998. Porl King continued to work on various music projects, including Miserylab and In Death It Ends, while Karl North joined The Dream Disciples. In 2019, Porl King released new material under the Rosetta Stone name with Seems Like Forever, followed by Cryptology in 2020.
