A rock ‘n’ roll record should unlock a journey. The music, lyrics, and aura can summon a trip out of the ether. Scorpion Child conjure that kind of trip on their second full-length album, Acid Roulette [Nuclear Blast Entertainment].
The Austin, TX quartet—Aryn Jonathan Black [vocals], Christopher Jay Cowart [lead guitar], Jon “Charn” Rice [percussion], Alec “Mexecutioner” Padron [bass], and Aaron John “AJ” Vincent [heavy keys]—confidently expand the sonic palette established on their 2013 self-titled debut. That first offering bowed at #26 on the Billboard Heatseekers Chart and #99 on the Hard Music Albums chart. Following its premiere by Eddie Trunk, iTunes named “Polygon Of Eyes” its “Single of the Week,” and Scorpion Child earned a nomination for “Best New Band” at the Classic Rock Magazine presented “Classic Rock Awards.” They’d also share the stage with Monster Truck on the “Lords of the Riff” UK Tour.
“We didn’t want to divorce what we had built on the first record,” explains Aryn. “At the same time, we wanted to show we could do a lot of different things. The goal was to create a sound that could be both ethereal and turbulent. It was a journey making it. We all were going through a lot of stuff, but everything fell into place.”
Following a breakout two years, the group amicably parted ways with drummer Shawn Paul Alvear, bassist Shaun Avants, and guitarist Thomas Frank. Scorpion Child welcomed “Charn,” “Mexecutioner,” and “AJ” and immediately hit the studio in early 2015. Once again, they teamed up with GRAMMY® Award-nominated producer Chris “Frenchie” Smith [Meat Puppets, The Toadies, …And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead] at The Bubble in Austin, TX. However, they took a different route this time during their three weeks in the studio.
