Riff Of The Week: Dust Edition

February 23, 2019

1883

[coughs entire lung in D minor]

Before we get dusty, let’s look at the results from last week’s Goat Edition. Crowd favourite The Black Dahlia Murder grabbed the comp by the horns and scored the big bucks with 36% of the vote over Obliteration‘s 22%. Good riff, good win.

This week we asked for riffs fitting the theme of DUST. As someone submitted my fave Scythian and Suffering Hour tracks, which I’m 99% sure have both won RotW for me before, there is not only no need to enter but I’ll need to flip a coin to pick between them.

NekroMudgeon
Damaged – ‘Dust’ (Riff @ 1:46)

Damaged were Australia’s most beloved extreme metal act from the 90s, blending elements of grind, death, black, thrash into a unique hybrid that they called Hatecore.
The riff at 01:46 is a prime example of their signature cranky but catchy style and evolves into tasty blasting.

Positronic Brain
Testament – ‘Dog Faced Gods’ (Riff @ 0:00)

Household dust is comprised of many things, including pet dander, which can come from cats or dogs, therefore my submission counts. This here is one speedy fucking riff, and I love riffs of the “guitar on one side goin’ it alone, while everything else punches in for emphasis.” It’s actually not that hard to play one you grasp how fast the notes are moving, but it gives so much goddamn velocity to the intro, and again later in the song after the solo. This is one of Testament’s best albums, but you knew that already.

Wesselbr
Scythian – ‘Beyond The Dust’ (Riff @ 0:45)

Great occasion to plug my current addiction! Scythian is a death/thrash/black band from the UK that deserves a lot more attention. Equally agressive and epic. For fans of viking-era Bathory, Deströyer 666, Absu, Ares Kingdom and Altars Of Madness-era Morbid Angel.

Iron Goddess of Mercy
Suffering Hour – “The Abrasive Black Dust” (Riff @ 0:44)

Out of all the “Dust” riffs I listened to this week, this is the one that gave me the most festering case of brain worms. What even is going on here? How do you make this riff the foundation of a track? Why does it sound crazier and crazier every time they return to it even though it’s never actually different? Should I have actually picked the riff at 4:07? The one at 4:37? Is the last instantiation of the riff somehow a comforting release of tension? Has Riff of the Week broken me? Maybe the brain worms can help!