Riff Of The Week: August Free-For-All

August 24, 2019

2007

Riffs from Sadistic Ritual, The Ocean, Katalepsy, Slipknot, Horror God, Crowbar, Plague Of Carcosa, Conquering Dystopia and more!
Who’s gonna get your vote?

Before we battle, let’s take a look at the results from last week’s Pedal Edition. Only 3 people weren’t too wimpy to submit and Cynic won. Dunno what else to say really. Pick up your game muppets.

This week was themeless
Let’s see what you sent in…

McNulty
Slipknot – ‘Nero Forte’ (Riff @ 0:00)

It’s okay, you’re not hallucinating: there really is a Slipknot riff in the Toilet. I’ve always been a fan of Mick and Jim’s riffs, even when the song kinda sucks. So please ignore the corny choruses of the following tune and just sink your teeth into those tasty metal riffs. And the guitar tone, THAT SLIPKNOT TONE <3 <3 <3
(And yes I will “leave the hall” for submitting this one.)

CT-12
Crowbar – ‘Down Into the Rotting Earth’ (Riff @ 2:12)

What we have here is a really heavy riff from an album that’s a veritable cornucopia of really heavy riffs. Listen to it and suck all the oxygen out of the room.

Positronic Brain
Sadistic Ritual – “…in Cold Blood” (Riff @ 2:09)

…not sure why the ellipsis in the song title…maybe they’re trying to be…like Megadeth…but the riff sounds more like a sick 80s Slayer…riff.

DJB
The Ocean – ‘Bathyalpelagic I’ (Riff @ 2:35)

The whole album is a riff machine but my god, this one never fails to get my head boppin’. It’s time to go listen to the whole album again ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Waynecro
Katalepsy – “Cold Flesh Citadel” (Riff @ 1:13)

This Katalepsy riff from 2013 combines a sick groove, dope-ass pinch harmonics, and a rad vocal pattern to excellent effect. The riff gets me irresponsibly pumped whenever I hear it, and I probably look like a total tough boy when I pull up to the supermarket with this jam blasting.

Hans
Plague of Carcosa – ‘Madness at Sea’ (Riff @ 5:53)

<a href="http://thesludgelord.bandcamp.com/album/ocean-is-more-ancient-than-the-mountains">Ocean Is More Ancient Than The Mountains by Plague of Carcosa</a>

DOOOOOOOM. You may accuse these guys of pretty directly aping Bongripper’s style, but at least they’re doing it with their blessing, what with a member of Bongripper having mastered this EP. And except for the few bits where they seem to be haphazardly trying to do the “drone” tag justice (e.g. the intro of this song), they’re doing a pretty good job at it. I’m not quite sure if this part, starting at 5:06 and really kicking into gear at 5:53, can really be considered a riff; perhaps it would’ve been better off in last week’s pedals edition. But it’s a lovely part that manages to really evoke the sense of vastness they’re probably going for with the Lovecraftian theme. Sadly, I don’t really see any other manifestations of that outside of the song titles, but it’s a very enjoyable release nonetheless.

Iron Goddess of Mercy
Crush the Altar – “See Mortality” (Riff @ 2:12)

*Dons fresh-to-def shimmering purple track suit* *Clears throat* ALLLLLLL DAYYYYY IIII DREAMMMM ABOUTTT MOSHHHHHHIIINNNGGGG.

Richter
Gaahl’s Wyrd – “From the Spear” (Riff @ 1:00)

What is this Mastodon riff doing amidst a N(ew)W(ave)O(f)N(orwegian)B(lack)M(etal) song? I don’t know, but I’m deeply into it. If you don’t have long hair, don’t bother headbanging to this; you’ll just look like an asshole.

Yarnhawk
Conquering Dystopia – ‘Autarch’ (Riff @ 3:00)

If I could come up with a riff as kick-ass as this, you better believe it would be the main focus of the song, and used many times. But if you’re shredmaster Jeff Loomis, then this is just a transition between the main riff and a solo. Seriously, the fact that this riff is only played through once is criminal.

Heavy Chettle
Hass Auf Alles – ‘Wir Hassen Euch’ (Riff @ 9:23)

Imma submit the probably most simplistic riff ever to be submitted to a ROTW, but it fills me with such joy that I’ll just go ahead. It is by sadly dissolved German HC Punx Hass Auf Alles and their approach is like a cross of, dunno, UK Subs and Youth of Today. The ennobling thing though is the abandon with which the band launches into this primal and unsubtle attack, crowned by the hateful screaming of the singer (who thankfully continues to spit her industry-level acidic bile in the outfit Section No Fun). Technically plebeian, to me the delivery makes it a riff royale anyway.

Nordling Rites ov Karhu
Kauko Röyhkä & Narttu – ‘Keskiyön Juna’ (Riff @ 1:23)

Been meaning to submit this riff for a long-ass time but whenever it’s applicable, I forget. Now I didn’t. The riff is going through most of the song, so pick whenever. @1:23 is a really good spot to pick for the riff.

vanNeun
Deivos – ‘El Shaddai’ (Riff @ 0:29)

The kings of cowbell.

Evhron
Shabti – ‘Sanctify’ (Riff @ 0:05)

Awesome album that I skipped a when it came out earlier this year, after only one day listening to it’s already becoming one of my favourites of 2019. Also big thanks to Positronic Brain and his last week’s post, I can now put a name on the 12/8 drum beat that’s featured on this very riff. (Falls of Rauros’ drumer btw!)