Review: Scorpion Child – I Saw the End As It Passed Right Through Me

Austin, Texas is well known for its vibrant and eclectic music scene with groundbreaking artists like …And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead, Butthole Surfers, The Jesus Lizard, The Sword, The Well, Rickshaw Billie’s Burger Patrol, and Scorpion Child. Scorpion Child (blues rock/hard rock/psychedelic rock/heavy metal) is coming back stronger than ever with the release of their third (3) studio album entitled I Saw the End As It Passed Right Through Me (released on February 14, 2025, via Noize in the Attic Records/Cargo Records). Scorpion Child consists of Aryn Jonathan Black (vocals), Asa Savage (rhythm guitar), Garth D. Condit (bass), Ryan Henderson (drums), and Adrian Arostone (lead guitar). I Saw the End As It Passed Right Through Me was self-produced by Scorpion Child, engineered by Charles Godfrey, and mastered by Kevin Butler at Test Tube Recording Studio in Austin. I Saw the End As It Passed Right Through Me comes in with eight (8) new tracks with a playtime recorded at 37 minutes and 15 seconds. So far, Scorpion Child has released two (2) singles from I Saw the End As It Passed Right Through Me: “Be the Snake” and “Outliers”.

In a recent interview with Metal Injection, Black stated the new record “…is a quite intense and rather moody record.” Black fully explains that these new songs were written: “… from the pits of a deep depression after going through a really rough patch in life where my mental health was very poor… because in our sadness there are always euphoric times of extreme happiness and nirvana.” For lovers of that 1970s-1980s hard rock/heavy metal with some haunting gothic blues thrown in for good measure, Scorpion Child has released some fantastic studio albums: Scorpion Child (2013) and Acid Roulette (2016) before I Saw the End As It Passed Right Through Me. I randomly found Scorpion Child because of a recommendation on Bandcamp right after the release of their self-titled album in 2013.

From start to finish, Scorpion Child’s debut album had me hooked, now fast forward 12 years later and their third (3rd) album has the same captivating vibe. After a successful ‘Europe Tour Autumn 2024’, Scorpion Child proceeded to work diligently to add the finishing touches to their new album. When the big news dropped on November 18, 2024, that Scorpion Child would release their third (3) studio album, fans worldwide posted their excitement about this news and flooded their Instagram post with comments.

I Saw the End As It Passed Right Through Me (Noize in the Attic Records/Cargo Records) track listing:

·         “Be the Snake”

·         “Actress” 

·         “Outliers”

·         “See the Shine” 

·         “The Starker”

·         “Wired Corpse”

·         “Godskin”

·         “Hanging Sun”

“Be the Snake” is the perfect blistering start to I Saw the End As It Passed Right Through Me with a track full of crunchy riffs and thundering drumbeats. Check out the official music video and hear for yourself! From the start of the third track, “Outliers”, Scorpion Child takes the listener on an unparalleled journey through a soon-to-be rock ‘n’ roll classic in their discography. Just know it’s a long way. “Outliers” perfectly embodies Scorpion Child’s unique dark and brooding hard rock sound accentuated by Black’s dynamic vocal range and unforgettable harmonies that will get the listener singing along in no time. Both Savage and Arostone skillfully shred their guitars through this 5:16 onslaught that showcases Scorpion Child’s ability to construct some enchanting hard rock anthems.

“The Starker” commences with a dark and ominous feel that gives off some real Iron Maiden vibes. I knew from the first minute, this would be one of my favorite tracks on the album. That dark and ominous build-up brilliantly leads to Black’s memorable vocals, adding some mystery to this psychedelic, hard rock anthem from Scorpion Child. “Another fucking one.”  This track will resonate with the listener more and more with every spin.

“Hanging Sun” is the last track, and unequivocally my favorite track, on I Saw the End As It Passed Right Through Me. “Sorry, I’ve been aching for too long/My sullen face looking up/Yet I tell our story, tell it night and day.” Once again Black’s exceptional vocal range comes in perfectly with the acoustic direction of “Hanging Sun”. Black wants to remind us that “anger always subsides/don’t forget to enjoy the ride” through these “sad times”. Going back to the roots of the early days of Scorpion Child when it was an acoustic duo, Black and Savage created a dark, acoustic masterpiece with the final track “Hanging Sun”. Black reminds us that it is vital to find and hold onto those moments of happiness during those unforgettable “sad times”.

Scorpion Child hits this “intense” and “moody” third album out of the ballpark with eight (8) new outstanding tracks that give the listener some insight into the emotions of Aryn Jonathan Black and the Scorpion Child crew. Scorpion Child delivers their highly anticipated release to their fans as an anthem for mental health awareness and self-care. Regardless of the pain, finding the “Hanging Sun” in the clouds of darkness will always bring much-needed relief in those “sad times”.  

Follow Scorpion Child on all social media formats or grab some merch by following this link. You can also pre-order Scorpion Child’s new album I Saw the End As It Passed Right Through Me and stream the new track “Outliers” at their official Bandcamp page today! Also, you can go to your local record store on February 14th, 2025, and grab a copy to add to your collection.  

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