The Rose Monarch describes themselves as “a new female-fronted rock band with an eccentric and dark modern-rock sound.” The band consists of April Rose Gabrielli (Lead Vocals/Keys), James Humphreys (Lead Guitar), Kevin Eiserman (Guitar/Vocals), Matt Cusano (Bass) and Jared Gabrielli (Drums).
Based in Long Island, New York, The Rose Monarch came together as a band in the summer of 2016. Without wasting any time, the band released their debut single, “Cover to Cover” in December 2016, and it has over 7.8k views today. The release of this song caught the attention of many listeners as the group takes such a unique approach to rock. Their song didn’t seem to fit into the typical classifications of music genres, but that’s what makes it so appealing.
Gabrielli, the lead singer, has a captivating voice that reels you right in. The combination of her astounding vocal sound and the band’s musical style, along with meaningful lyrics, makes for a pleasing listening experience. In “Cover to Cover,” The Rose Monarch expresses the emotions that come along with a breakup. The message of the song, which is an overall question to an ex as to how they could “leave our story behind” by breaking up, coordinates well with the rhythm and pacing of the track.
“Writing and recording ‘Cover To Cover’ was an emotional, vulnerable, and ultimately healing experience,” says Gabrielli in an interview with Substream Magazine. “It’s one that we all thought needed to be given proper attention as to how it played out visually. Having Mike Watts mix the song and direct the music video made for a collaboration that immensely heightened the story embedded within the song and we couldn’t be happier with how it turned out.”
The song starts off with a distant screaming by Gabrielle, leads into the glorious rock instrumental, and then slows down. Gabrielli sings as if she is telling a story directly to her listeners. It makes you feel connected to her, and inevitably, the song as well as the band. The rest of the song shares both highs and lows of emotion, sometimes loud and intense, and other times quiet and slow. This style fits perfectly with the topic of breakups—since you would usually feel overwhelmed with emotion. “Cover to Cover” allows you to embrace all of your emotions, from anger to sadness, to nostalgia and love. Whether you relate to the topic or not, the song just fuels emotion and creates an enjoyable musical journey.
Since the release of “Cover to Cover,” The Rose Monarch has also released singles “Shake You” and “Cobwebs,” as well as a short 5-track album titled Echoes from the End. Each of their songs is unique but still remain consistent with their modern sound. You might not hear them on the radio, but The Rose Monarch is worth a listen. The band’s next show will be on March 26th in New York.
