Riff Of The Week: First Ever Riff Edition
*hits record*
Last week we held our Final RotW for 2017, where some of our favourite riffs of the year battled it out for their place in the TovH annals of history urinals of misery. And at the end of a week’s worth of furious flushing, we ended up with another fucking draw, so I’m awarding victory to Yarnhawk. That Engulf riff gets stuck in my head all day every time I hear it.
This week the theme was a band’s first riff. The submission details were –
We’re only going to be accepting a band’s first riff. However, I will be lenient and if the band has a demo/EP that came out before their first recognised album, that will also be valid.
Apparently, this wasn’t clear and/or lenient enough. I mean really, c’mon, every band has a first riff. If it isn’t the one you wanted to submit, pick a different band. There’s only 423923298y3928y392 other bands. Oh well, we got a bunch of good riffs anyway, although I do apologise to DrummerNard but even though I didn’t implement the long-standing No Maiden rule, it still stands.
Hans
Ghoul – “Ghoul/Graveyard Mosh” (Riff @ 1:25)
An appropriately long-ass intro leads up to the first of many headbanging riffs in Ghoul’s discography.
GoatForest
Mortuus – “Silence Sang the Praise of Death” (Riff @ 0:00)
This is hidden gem is from Mortuus’s self titled EP from way back in the early 2000s. This is the kid of riff that reminds you why black metal took off in the first place. Despite its simplicity, it oozes with wonderfully evil emotion.
more beer
Demolition Hammer – ‘Corpse Content’ (Riff @ 7:50)
It’s hard to just find the 2nd song on this demo so you get the whole demo. But at 7:50 the 2nd song on here Corpse Content is a riff for the ages. There is a reason that after 25 years of these guys being dormant, that they have jumped back in the game and this is why!
FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper
Clutch – ‘A Shogun Named Marcus’ (Riff @ 0:00)
Awesome band: Check! First album from awesome band: Check! First song on first album from awesome band: Check! First riff of first song on first album from awesome band: Check! Tasty as fuqq first riff of first song on first album from awesome band: Check! Good, covered all the bases. Now, if you excuse me, I have to become a redneck samurai because noted guest on the Alex Jones Radio Show, Neil Fallon, told me to.
tigeraid
Iced Earth – ‘Colors’ (Riff @ 0:48)
How can I not go with my all-time favourite band, if we’re talking FIRST EVER riffs? Like many thrash/power acts of the era, it seems as if the riffs were written first, and a song cobbled together around them. Not counting the acoustic intro on Iced Earth’s first-ever EP, “Enter the Realm,” Colors is their first actual track–and it’s basically one long galloping riff extravaganza. If I had to pick out a specific moment, let’s go with the tempo change at 0:48, which repeats at 1:15. But the whole thing pretty much rules.
Taz
Abscision – ‘El Libro De Las Sombras’ (Riff @ 0:39)
NEW BAND FROM COLOMBIA MAKE EPIC RIFFING ON FIRST EP (NO ALBUM YET)!!! EPIC RIFF START AT 0.39!!! MAKE TAZ DANCE AND STUFF!!! EPIC CATCHY RIFFING ON OTHER SONGS TOO!!! BAND TO WATCH OUT FOR!!!!
TheGranulatingDarkBestialMilfs
Amon – ‘Feasting The Beast’ (Riff @ 0:11)
After 10 seconds of open string tremolo picking that serve no purpose other than to make noise (not complaining, it works!) comes this fucking killer riff courtesy of the sadly departed Hoffman brothers (they are not dead, by the way; only their musical careers are). Nowadays, Brian is a luthier that makes guitars that look kinda uncomfortable to play, and Eric is a respected pharmacy professor at Binghamton University (yes, I know that’s the wrong Eric, but I wanted this to end in a happy note)
GrungierNine0
Altar of Oblivion – “The Final Pledge” (Riff @ 0:00)
I’m a simple man, and sometimes all I want is some very bueno Danish epic-doom, with Black Sabbath-ey riffs chugging over not-quite-operatic-so-not-complete-ass vocals. Hey and the lyrics are about the strategic bombing of Berlin during the Second World War, which while itself not very bueno for various reasons, make great fodder for doom. You might as well listen to the whole album too, it’s damn good. Here’s to a slightly less depressing 2018!
DrummerNard
Iron Maiden – ‘Iron Maiden’ (Riff @ 0:00)
My pick is Iron Maiden from the Soundhouse Tapes. This is the band that started my metal obsession. Don’t need to add any more flouncy bollocks, the riff speaks for itself. Riff starts at 0:00.
Lacertilian
Grave – ‘Deformed’ (Riff @ 0:00)
Originally thought I’d submit ‘Dark Apothesis’ from Vacivus’ ripper debut EP but there was a lingering suspicion I’d already used it sometime ago for a different theme. Could have easily just ran with ‘Override Of The Overture’ but I think the intro riff to this lesser mentioned Swedeath classic is essential listening as well. After releasing more demos than most bands have albums, Grave’s 1991 debut killed it.
Next week’s theme is storms. Be as creative as you like. Entry details below.
