Solo ov the Week III
Every once in a while we will forego Riff ov the Week in order to profess our adulation for the solo. The Great God of the Riff allows these contests, as long as they are appropriately intermittent and nobody says things like “Solos are better than riffs” or “The Riff God is a lame dork lol.” For he is a jealous god. And a sensitive one.
Last week we did album-closing riffs, and good ol’ Ted took home the victory with a great riff by Enforcer. Formerly (with Nails) and myself (with Benediction) both followed very, very closely behind.
Congratulations, Ted. Go to your local deli, order 5 lbs. of your favorite cold cut, and tell the deli clerk I sent you. Seriously do that.
Next week:
- Joe has declared next week the very first RIFF OV THE WEEB. Your riffs must be from Japanese bands.
- Send your Japanese riffs to toiletovhellriff@gmail.com. Include a name, a link, the time of the riff, and an explanation.
- If you have an idea for a theme, let me know.
- Let’s get to those solos, brolos.
Masterlord
I’m a big fat sucker for variations, so when the mighty Lord Weird Slough Feg variate (a verb I just made up) from around 2:00 to the final fade-out, exciting things happen in my heart. And in my pants. One of my favorite solos ever. As always, I recommend listening to the entire song, or at the very least starting at the preceding chorus (1:39).
Joe Thrashnkill
There are solos with more weedlies. There are solos with more deedlies. Dare I say it, there are solos with more widdly-woos but goddammit if you won’t find a more tasteful solo today. Everything flows into a logical and BITCHIN’ order. Start at 1:32.
Howard Dean
Great solos be all about them feels. A guitar lead that can make you well up with emotion is a beautiful thing. This solo is guaranteed to make you feel — in one way or another. Starts at 3:25.
Vegglampe
I have been holding of using The Absence in the riff-offs for far too long, and if I pass up on using them on a solo competition something would be wrong with me. The entire album is a god damn masterpiece filled with solos (out of the total 55 minutes, almost 16 are solos.) The best one is the one of the monstrous “Merciless”, which begins building up at 4:30 and kicks off at 5:18.
Jack Bauer
This fucking solo man. This solo is beer. 2:09.
Shrimp in a Pizza Box
This song actually has multiple solos, the first one is at 1:10, the second one basically works as a continuation of the first, at 1:40, the third one, which is the one you’re voting for, is at 2:21. I HIGHLY recommend listening to the whole song, but I won’t blame you for not doing it because you are a lazy fuck (like me).
MoshOff
The first solo that came to my mind, and really the only find worthy of winning any solo competition. Coroner’s Tommy Vetterli is one of THE most under-appreciated guitarists in metal, and the solo in “Serpent Moves” (3:15) is just one of many, many reasons why.
Tertius Decimus
Why? Just because it’s beautiful. Solo starts at 5:45 mark.
Joey Jo-Jo Junior Shabadoo
Why it’s good: The solo starts at 3:31 and it’s not fast, it’s not technical, but just straight up awesome.
Zeke
I feel like Formulas Fatal to the Flesh doesn’t get the credit it deserves. Give it a listen if you’ve been sleeping on it. Trey cranks out one of my all time favorite solos at 1:30. His playing has almost a liquid quality.
Coolstorybro
Closing out the end of the awesome Teratogenesis EP, this solo rips while being remarkably melodic. There’s another pretty sick solo at 2:59, but let that one pass. Sit back, and let Davey Davidson take you on a journey starting at 4:12.
Ted Nü-Djent
Anyone rermember Destrage‘s Are You Kidding Me? No album? On the song of the same name has a guest solo from Bumblefoot that is so good that it dragged me from the depths of my alcohol poisoned death bed to my computer to make a submission. Solo starts here. Enjoy.
Lacertilian
When Nocternity‘s Harps Of The Ancient Temples kicks up a gear, an alluring solo breaks out while you remain trapped in it’s subtle sorcery. 4:24.
Lord Hugequad
I dunno. I like it. It’s good. 3:38.
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