Vehemency Sun in the House of the Scorpion, Blood of Kingu’s second album, takes more aggressive approach than before. While De Occulta Philosophia was atmospheric black metal with low grunting vocals, this style is now taken even further so that Sun in the House of the Scorpion provides elements of death metal.

Yes, this album is brutal. Roman Saenko’s demonic grunts sound better than ever, drums have clearly more power, and overall the album is one hell of a giant. However, this doesn’t mean that Sun in the House of the Scorpion is a totally thoughtless manifestation of nothing but muscle. Blood of Kingu’s magic resides in its theme that involves Egyptian, Tibetan and other mythologies, thus you can hear ethnic instruments in every corner of the album. And, as a no surprise from members of Drudkh, you can at times hear more melodic elements in the many layers of the album. The guitar melody in the beginning of ”Cyclopean Temples of the Old One” could be from a Drudkh album, although on this album it sounds more chaotic.

”Incantation of He Who Sleeps”, a ten-minute centerpiece, builds up slowly, and is a fitting track after the two blast beat filled tracks before it. It is not, however, a calm track, even if it includes similar Drudkhis melodies after the first 6 minutes. Sun in the House of the Scorpion is all the way a sinister sounding album and you will not find peace like from a Drudkh album. This album sounds like a 36-minute chant to evoke demons of the oldest spiritual traditions. Sun in the House of the Scorpion flows really nice, and only the Beherit cover ”Gate of Nanna” might distract some people from this atmosphere, although I think it is quite well done cover and fits to the theme.

Sun in the House of the Scorpion was a welcome return from Blood of Kingu and it will definitely get more spins. Fans of Hate Forest, make sure to follow this band. Blood of Kingu is quite similar to its preceeding band, just more varied and evolving, it seems.