Scorpion Child – Acid Roulette
Release Date: June 10, 2016
Label: Nuclear Blast
In 2013, Scorpion Child blew my mind with the release of their self titled debut album. The album wowed critics and music fans all over the world with their very own modern take on sound that is as timeless as it is classic. Being overly compared to Led Zeppelin (do the dismay of lead vocalist Aryn Jonathan Black), I feel that Scorpion Child stepped shit up about seven notches with the release of their follow up album, Acid Roulette.
When a band loses a guitarist, a drummer, and bassist, it can almost usually spell disaster but Scorpion Child rose from the ashes with a lineup that was so much stronger, relentless, and dynamic than the previous album’s line up. The songs on Acid Roulette are so much more mature sounding and there is a stronger sense of solidarity in this line up. The opening track, “She Sings, I Kill” is a song that most long time Child fans will already know but to hear it on this album, you’ll see and feel the monstrous attack of this song. “Reaper’s Danse” is a catchy, dynamic song and 2nd single, “My Woman in Black” is the kind of song that had it come out 20 years ago very well could’ve been a huge hit for them.
The dynamics of the playing in Scorpion Child have been taken to a whole new level with the addition of keyboardist AJ Vincent. On the title track, this is where the band really feels locked in and giving AJ the opportunity to do his best Jon Lord allow guitarist Chris Cowart to weave in and out of the rhythm section creating a foundation for Vincent to build upon. The real show stopper of this album is “Winter Side of Deranged” because, in my opinion, this is the way I always picture Scorpion Child sounding in my head. The exercise in changes of melody and musical dynamics put a huge shit eating grin upon my face and had me going in for a second listen.
With Acid Roulette, Scorpion Child is clearly on their way to establishing themselves as a huge player in the game and breaking away from the pack of bands that they tend to get lumped in with. I also feel that with this album, the Zeppelin comparisons can be put to rest. Hell, if anything, I hear some of that more psychedelic, harder edged Blind Melon stuff in their sound and I say that with the utmost respect. Acid Roulette is a psych rock masterpiece which is not only Scorpion Child’s best work to date but one of the best albums I have laid ears on in 2016.
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