Riff ov the Week: The GUITARMONY Edition!
Friends, there is no sweeter sound than the wailin’ melody of two guitarists harmonizing a rockin’ riff together.
Last week was a slobberknocker to determine the siqqqest slam riff in the pit. Unfortunately, you all decided to vote for Cryptopsy, a band that is many things, none of which are slam. Congrats to Dave, you may now sit atop your golden throne of lies.
Next week I will be forced to return the Riff ov the Week reigns to the Masterlord. I had a good run, but he wants his baby back. To give him a warm welcome back, your theme is RAP METAL. I’m looking for the best riff on a track that features rapping of any kind. Send your hippity hoppities to toiletovhellriff@gmail.com. Include your name, a link to the riff, the time of the riff, and an explanation. Eat a butt, Masterlord.
This week, I asked you to come hard with your best 2+ guitar harmonies and boy did some of you deliver. Despite the “NO MAIDEN” rule, a number of A++++ dual-guitar riffs await ear insertion below. Let’s get it on!
Joe
Skip to 1:38 for some top-tier harmonized weedily-deedilies.
Ted Nü-Djent
When a theme is announced I generally have an idea what I’m going to submit straight away. This week though despite 100’s of this weeks theme sitting in my collection In drew a complete blank. Then Nick Menza died :(, so in my tribute playlist of Menza era Megadeth (Menzadeth?) I was reminded of this sweet guitar harmony. 3.05 until about 3.40. Rust In Peace Nick
Boss the Ross
On their second album, Gods of the Earth, The Sword wrote some blistering harmonies that bring joy to my doom-laden heart. I could have picked just about any song on this album, but for today I choose “How Heavy This Axe.” The song opens with an excellent harmonized riff that puts goosebumps on my arms and chills down my spine.
Blackbeard
Pick any time. Get rekt. [Joe Note: “Pick any time” is not a valid timestamp. Disqualified.]
Tom Warriors Beanie
I figured Priest was a little too obvious so I went with this one. Epicness starts at 2:45.
Tigeraid
I immediately exploded from my desk chair with a war-cry of “UP THE IRONS, THE GREATEST GUITAR HARMONI–” and then read the stupid rules. Oh well.
The second greatest yin-and-yang, to-and-fro combination in all of metal? Probably Mustaine/Friedman. Any number of classic ‘deth tunes would work, but really, nothing comes close to Hanger 18 for sheer “we’re competing for awesomeness while not really competing” licks. The base riff comes in around 0:45 and shows it off nicely, but it’s really the tit-for-tat solos starting around 2:23 that show the magic these two made together.
Zeke
When I think of my favorite dueling guitar parts, the first thing that comes to mind is Dissection; but they’ve kind of become low hanging fruit around here. So I’m going with the second thing I think of, which is the old Peaceville death-doom stuff. Riff starts at 0:56.
Vegglampe
Know what’s better than two guitars harmonizing? Three guitars pluss a bass harmonizing.
Janitor Jim Duggan
I had to check if this band had two guitarists because it sounds like more than two. It’s a highway song for y’all. Riff goes from 4:23 to 7:01
Gazing Globe
In homage to Nick Menza. Get your air guitars out at 3:40
KJU
How’s about the best twin guitar attack, from the men that brought us the two guitar lead? You know when the twin guitar comes in, and any metalhead on earth knows when the solo comes in at 2:25
Waynecro
Picking a riff this week was difficult, because I love guitar harmonies and thought of a million killer riffs right off the bat. I decided to skip the low-hanging melodeath fruit and pick “The Departure,” which is still my favorite Abigail Williams song. The riff at 2:55 kicks off after a mellow interlude and has tremendous impact. The heart-wrenching harmonious riffs continue until 4:25.
