Riff Of The Week: New Zealand Edition
Skux ruffs bru!
Last week we got torn the fuck apart within the jaws of some sharp shred during our Shark Edition. As many tipped, even the mighty majesty of Manilla Road wasn’t enough to take on the marine mammoth of Mastodon‘s ‘Megalodon’. Onya Yarny, great pick!
This week we asked you to send in riffs from your fave kiwi bands for an all New Zealand Edition. And until late yesterday arvo, there were exactly ZERO submissions. Normally, I’d blame myself for picking a shit theme but there are a heap of mad Kiwi bands you clowns could choose from. I even linked a list of 374 for you to choose from double-check your ideas. Thankfully, just as I logged in to go full-tilt and compose a post of 8 entries of my own, a couple of last minute submissions snuck in to the RotW inbox. Now the problem is which of the 8 should I pick to use. Fuck. Guess a decision will have to be made while I add in those couple you sent in…
Joeblivion
Sinistrous Diabolus – ‘Stygian Descent V – VIII’ (Riff @ 8:30)
New Zealand seems like a pretty good place to be at the moment. They have a super rad female Prime Minister, they gave a river human rights, and then there’s this magnificently spacious riff courtesy of Sinistrous Dialbolus.
Iron Goddess of Mercy
Ulcerate – “Weight of Emptiness” (Riff @ 3:36)
What this riff lacks in technical proficiency, aural dynamism, or high conceptuality, it more than makes up for in evocation and affective resonance. It’s a dreadful entanglement of foreboding and catharsis that would not be out of place on Through Silver in Blood. This is by no means a winning riff, but cot damn does it feel good.
Lacertilian
Stalker – ‘Total Annihilation’ (Riff @ 0:00)
TOTAL
ANNIHILAAAAAAAAAAASHUN
Setentia – ‘The Fruit Of Life’ (Riff @ 0:18)
Turns out being a local sparring partner with Ulcerate helps you become fucking amazing as well.
Belliciste – ‘Epoch Of Death’ (Riff @ 0:00)
If you were a fan of Havukruunu’s stunning album from last year, you owe it to yourself to hear this. Spoiler: it’s better.
Beastwars – ‘Devils Of Last Night’ (Riff @ 0:00)
Gritty mix of sludge, doom, and filthy grunge. Tastes like dirt. Eat it. Enjoy.
Vesicant – ‘Shadow Of Death’ (Riff @ 3:09)
WWI fanatics Vesicant drop their usual relentless attrition back a gear at 3:09 for what I’d imagine Motörhead sounding like if they played war-metal.
Jörmungandr – ‘Einherjar’ (Riff @ 0:00)
The trvest viking gear you’ll hear this side of the equator.
Ok, that’s enough from me, I’m going to the pub, but you get the point. Listen to more New Zealand metal you bastards.
Next week I’m momentarily lifting the NO BLACK SABBATH rule so you can send in your fave later-era Black Sabbath riff.
To arbitrarily designate what constitutes “later-era” I’ve decided that any riff written during my lifetime is fair game (I was born in 1984).
Submission details below.
