Being fucking old, I remember when heavy guitar rock ruled many stations on the radio. Oh, we used to listen to the radio a lot. We didn’t have streaming services, so when we wanted to hear our favorite jams, we either had to shell out money for the record or wait to hear it on the radio.

Scorpion Child is as throwback to the era, and yeah, this is also said in their bio, but it made me think of that immediately before I ever read the press materials. That means I’m right. The Austin-based band operates on the outer edges of metal, though four decades ago they’d be lumped right in, and on their third album “I Saw the End as It Passed Right Through Me” they get you charged up early and often. Over eight tracks and 37 minutes, the band—vocalist Aryn Jonathan Black, guitarists Asa Allen Savage and Adrian Arostone, bassist Garth Condit, drummer Ryan Henderson—drives forcefully, bringing heavy rock that practically is designed for the heat, though it sounds pretty good here in the winter.

“Be the Snake” is a rousing opener with guitar generating heat and hand drumming encircling before things come to life. The riffs lead as the simple, but sticky chorus dominates, soloing bubbling out of that, sending blood pressures skyrocketing. “Actress” starts mystically and then gets burly, the singing pushing as the bass drives. The melodies hit overdrive as the guitars swim and storm, flowing into energetic tidal waves, Black repeating, “Such a lonely life,” as the final sparks wash out. “Outliers” brings glimmering guitars, making things feel mildly psychedelic before the power ignites. Things get heavier and punchier, the calls of, “Long way, it’s a long way,” rushing your brain. The soloing ramps up and scorches, ripping anew before heading into “See the Shine” that’s grittier with the vocals following suit. The pace is more mid-tempo than what precedes it, and there are darker, echo-rich corners that haunt. Guitars then smoke and charge, gaining momentum as the vocals pick up the steam again, landing bigger body blows as your lights fade.

“The Starker” starts with drums encircling, guitars gliding, and the bass flexing as the temperature slowly rises. The intensity picks up and carries over into reverbed guitars, giving off a slight Rush feel, the clouds gathering and increasing shadows. “Wired Corpse” opens with the vocals driving, Black’s voice getting raspier and reminding a bit of Billy Squier. Group commands of, “Shut up!” send jolts as the soloing catches fire and coats with smoke, with Black declaring, “I’m high and still alive!” “Godskin” pulls back musically but not emotionally, as Black stabs, “You let us die, it’s a genocide.” Guitars swell as the calculated pace pushes into icy ambiance, everything else bursting at the seams with twin leads obscuring vision. Closer “Hanging Sun” starts with winds blowing, acoustics entering, the singing scraping as a softer, rustic edge develops. Clean guitars glow as crows caw, and a weird exhaust pushes through and ends with crackling fires.

Scorpion Child definitely feel like a band landing many years past when this style of music was popular, but oddly that makes them kind of refreshing in this era. “I Saw the End as It Passed Right Through Me” cuts could end up on your local classic rock station and fit right in, though it would stand out for being a little heavier than the rest of their playlist. This is a fun, fiery record that pays no mind to trends or expectations and just fucking goes for it.

For more on the band, go here: https://scorpionchild.bandcamp.com/music

To buy the album, go here: https://scorpionchild.bandcamp.com/album/i-saw-the-end-as-it-passed-right-through-me