Scorpio Rising is the third studio album by British electronica band Death in Vegas. It was released on 16 September 2002 in the United Kingdom via Concrete Records, and on 17 June 2003 in the United States via Sanctuary Records. The album takes its name from an experimental film by Kenneth Anger. Scorpio Rising features guest vocalists Liam Gallagher, Hope Sandoval, Nicola Kuperus, and Paul Weller, as well as string arrangements by L. Subramaniam. The album was recorded at Death in Vegas' very own studio The Contino Rooms in early 2002, with the strings recorded at Trinity Wave Station in Chennai, India.
The song "Hands Around My Throat" contains samples from the songs "Rock Around the Clock" by Telex (written by Max C. Freedman and Jimmy DeKnight) and "Whitewater" by Tortoise (written by Dan Bitney, Bundy Kien Brown, John Herndon, Doug McCombs, and John McEntire). "23 Lies" includes a sample from "Goin' Back" by The Byrds, written and composed by Carole King and Gerry Goffin. "Scorpio Rising" takes its main riff from "Pictures of Matchstick Men" by Status Quo, and is co-credited to songwriter Francis Rossi.
Several songs on the album have appeared in television advertisements and on film soundtracks:
The album has a score of 68 out of 100 from Metacritic based on "generally favorable reviews". E! Online gave the album an A and stated: "There's no reason to buy any other electronica CD this year." Filter gave it a score of 84% and said that the sounds "are equally rich and emotive, just not as goblin-esque [as The Contino Sessions]." Alternative Press gave it four stars out of five and said that the album has "Mind-melting Indian-flavored strings... wispy vocal guest turns... and snarling, droning guitar riffs drench rising in a pleasing psychedelic haze." Mojo also gave it four stars and called it "exotic, deep, unique". URB gave it three-and-a-half stars out of five and called it "A curious but highly enjoyable mix of experimental beats and good old-fashioned guitar rock."
Other reviews are pretty average, mixed or negative: Q gave the album three stars out of five and stated: "There's no doubting their enthusiasm but it seems Death in Vegas have compiled a list of great cult albums rather than actually making one themselves." Blender gave it two stars out of five and called it "A strangely dispassionate exercise in record-collection rock." Playlouder gave it one-and-a-half stars out of five and stated that in the album "there are a couple of standout tracks, and the rest falls on its arse."