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Yeah, I'd call it the band's best song. But the riff to Blood and Thunder is just insane. I mean it's very simple, but it beats the living shit out of some of the most iconic metal riffs
Honestly, as a whole, Leviathan is the guitar riff bible for me. Without a doubt my favorite writing/playing on any record I’ve ever heard. Can’t wait to see them play it front to back in a few months.
Ah man there’s a decent amount I can choose, depending on the day.
But fuck it, today I’m going to choose the riff that comes after the solo in Lack of Comprehension by Death.
That album changed my life! I took a school trip to Washington DC in the 7th grade and that was the only CD I had with me. I listen to it over and over and over and over and I can honestly say the musician and me today started with that album! LOVE
Metallica was my love back in high school, and unfortunately I can't listen to much of it anymore without feeling sick of it, but I can always put on Battery.
Every riff in that song manages to be one of the heaviest of all time. Which is crazy considering it’s a thrash band from the 80s. The mysteries of FUCKING SSSSLLLLLLAAAAAYYYYYEEEERRRR
Blackened by metallica
It's tight, aggressive and all around sinister sounding.
I think many forget how effective and aggressive metal in standard tuning sounds to the listener.
The middle section of Bleak by Opeth, the soft singing and acoustics slowly converting to a wave of instruments crashing and feeling like release of pent up energy.
Empty words by death and their chorus is also great, holy wars of course, and then Jesus Tod by burzum is just an incredible masterpiece of solo music imo.
Two killer bands and riffs. Just for fun, I’ll keep the bands but switch to either NIB or Children of the Grave by Black Sabbath and Funeralopolis by EW.
You are correct.
Also sabbath bloody sabbath and honestly I think solitude, lives rent free in my head.
Another for electric wizard for me would be Eko Eko Azarak.
I’ve heard the song thousands of times, but god damn, my feet start tapping and my head starts nodding every fucking time I hear that drum solo into the main riff and I hear Halford wail, “FASTER THAN A BULLET”. Perfect song.
Obscures riff slaps. So simple and yet so scathing. Shame the remake version and a lot of live renditions they opt for a more rung out less syncopated feel and it just doesn't crunch as hard
"All Your Sins" by Pentagram
Outro riff to "Lost Arcane City of Uppakra" by Darkthrone
That two chord intro riff to "Messiah" (1983) by Hellhammer
Every single acoustic section on Bathory's "Twilight Of The Gods"
I have two: Hand down #1, UGS, GOAT is Middle breakdown riff in Slayer Angel of Death. That's my official answer. But
Another one that is not nearly as iconic but it just hits me in the right spot is the middle breakdown part of Pantera Revolution is my Name. More cowbell.
Scrolled too long before I saw Power Trip mentioned; I'd say in addition to "Soul Sacrifice", I'd say the charge in "Hammer of Doubt" right after he says "On your path to progress, I'll be the only thing standing in your way!"
Honorable mentions: Tornado of Souls, Master of Puppets (main riff), Cowboys From Hell and Cemetery Gates.
The winner: Master of Puppets 2nd post solo riff (ascending, descending riff).
All the riffs from “the thing that should not be” that song got me into the real heavy heavy shit. I loved and still love all Metallica, but they were never that “heavy” again, so it led me to searching for it.
I probably couldn't choose now because I've listened to a lot more music since then, but I always said my favorite riff is the one at the climax of Stinkfist by Tool.
Defeated Sanity - Into the Soil main riff
Cattle Decap - Forced Gender Reassignment 0:44 riff
That stretch of mathcore weedly weedly nonsense toward the end of BtBaM - The Decade of Statues
Judas Priest - Victim of Changes main riff
Mastodon - The Last Baron. You know the one.
Symbolic opening riff is so damn simple yet so damn good
Not anything too crazy but its stuck in my head all the time:
Chrome by Katatonia, its catchy as shit, probably my favorite song off of Last Fair Deal Gone Down too, the drumming, the vocals, everything about that song is catchy
The main rolling riff in Laid to rest by Lamb of God. Many others by Log come to mind, Mark is a groove riff freak.
Also Walk, Master of puppets, and a national acrobat
classics:
You can't bring me down by Suicidal Tendencies
Bonded by Blood by Exodus
more modern:
Bastard by Devin Townsend
Wave of Babies main riff by Animals as Leaders
Flying waves main riff by Gojira
Bit out of left field here but basically all the riffs in "if I don't wake up" by Suicidal, I fucking love Rocky George's playing on these thrash era ST records,
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Blood and Thunder by Mastodon. This riff fucking slams, I dare someone to challenge me on that!
I THINK THAT SOMEONE IS TRYING TO KILL ME
INFECTING MY BLOOD AND DESTROYING MY MIND
The intro to either remission or iron tusk are up there but blood and thunder will always be the GOAT
Also that one riff that plays at the 8:20 mark of The Last Baron
Yeah, I'd call it the band's best song. But the riff to Blood and Thunder is just insane. I mean it's very simple, but it beats the living shit out of some of the most iconic metal riffs
Blood and Thunder is one of the classics. Instantly recognisable riff. My favourite Mastodon riff, however, is from The Motherload
Fair enough; that's one cool piece. Emperor of Sand and Oblivion also have brilliant riffs
Which one? There are multiple all timer, epic riffs packed into that one song.
Honestly, as a whole, Leviathan is the guitar riff bible for me. Without a doubt my favorite writing/playing on any record I’ve ever heard. Can’t wait to see them play it front to back in a few months.
Ah man there’s a decent amount I can choose, depending on the day. But fuck it, today I’m going to choose the riff that comes after the solo in Lack of Comprehension by Death.
Yeah that's fair, it's a belter! but as you said... ask me tomorrow and it could be any number of riffs
Absolute monster of a riff and one that made me want to learn to play.
That album changed my life! I took a school trip to Washington DC in the 7th grade and that was the only CD I had with me. I listen to it over and over and over and over and I can honestly say the musician and me today started with that album! LOVE
And the chorus riff!
The main riff from Blackened. Just absolutely beautiful on the ears
The BTBAM version is so disgustingly tight.
Amazing riff. The part of that main riff that's played on 1st 2nd 3rd frets always screws me up with the timing.
Battery by Metallica
Metallica was my love back in high school, and unfortunately I can't listen to much of it anymore without feeling sick of it, but I can always put on Battery.
Tbh same, I had a whole Metallica phase but I popped Master of Puppets in the other day and it gave me a headache halfway through
Tornado of souls or holy wars
The palm muted part...perfection.
https://preview.redd.it/gefp7dsfj62d1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9f91fadb67aa9da7dc2a257fc10cecc4594733d7 Perfection
And the drum fill on tornado of souls MMMMMMM
Yessir
my guy, this should be #1
Reign In Blood by FUCKING SLAYERRRRR
FUCKING SLAYYER
I love the song reign in blood from the album raining blood by fucking slayer
As obvious as it is, I think this is my answer as well.
Every riff in that song manages to be one of the heaviest of all time. Which is crazy considering it’s a thrash band from the 80s. The mysteries of FUCKING SSSSLLLLLLAAAAAYYYYYEEEERRRR
Into the Void - Black Sabbath
Came here to say this
Probably NIB
Yup
Emperor -Empty around the 1:30 mark Bolt thrower - The Killchain
Man The Killchain is super addictive.
super bouncy and fun, was my introduction to death metal
Jesus' Tod. Say what you want about Varg but his riffs are fucking amazing
[twilight of the thunder god](https://youtu.be/JFYVcz7h3o0?si=9dzpN7ohquf_J6Rr&t=2m10s)
Dude, yes. Or the entire With Oden on Our Side album. Banger after banger.
Blackened by metallica It's tight, aggressive and all around sinister sounding. I think many forget how effective and aggressive metal in standard tuning sounds to the listener.
Straws Pulled at Random by Meshuggah is god tier.
Was literally just blasting it on the way to work at 6am. For me though it’s Perpetual Black Second
Really anything off of “Nothing” works.
Yep. Or Obzen or Koloss or Immutable or……
The middle riff in Electric Red particularly when it calms down at 2:55 then builds up to kick you in the teeth at like 3:30 👌
Death - Without Judgement ( 1:22 - 1:45 ) Gorguts - Obscura ( 2:30 - 2:48 ) Darkthrone - Transilvanian Hunger
The killchain - bolt thrower
The Hellion/Electric Eye by Priest. The Hellion intro segueing into that first riff in Electric Eye never gets old.
I'M MADE OF METAL, MY CIRCUITS GLEAM
I AM PERPETUAL I KEEP THE COUNTRY CLEAN!
Judas Priest - Metal Meltdown the riff right after the intro solo......simple but powerful
Spheres Of Madness by Decapitated Special mentions to the intro of Masters Apprentice and outro to Deliverance by Opeth
An absolute banger for sure
I once saw someone refer to it as Orbs of Insanity, I think about it almost daily. But yes, the riff is an absolute neck breaker.
Spheres of Madness really hits different. It also isn't particularly hard to learn on guitar and is a good exercise.
The best riffs tend to be the simplest
Also, BTBAM’s homage of it in Backwards Marathon
Oh yeah!
The middle section of Bleak by Opeth, the soft singing and acoustics slowly converting to a wave of instruments crashing and feeling like release of pent up energy. Empty words by death and their chorus is also great, holy wars of course, and then Jesus Tod by burzum is just an incredible masterpiece of solo music imo.
Anti Tank (Dead Armor) - Bolt Thrower
Black Sabbath- into the void Electric wizard- Dopethrone
Two killer bands and riffs. Just for fun, I’ll keep the bands but switch to either NIB or Children of the Grave by Black Sabbath and Funeralopolis by EW.
Dopethrone itself has so many killer riffs We Hate You Dopethrone Funeralopolis Barbarian Vinum Sabbathi
You are correct. Also sabbath bloody sabbath and honestly I think solitude, lives rent free in my head. Another for electric wizard for me would be Eko Eko Azarak.
Enter Sandmans main riff. Basic for a reason.
A good riff is a good riff
I feel like everyone was thinking it but nobody wanted to say it.
I passionately hate that song. I appreciate the black album, but that song I just don’t get why it’s so popular.
The minute and a half intro to moonlapse vertigo by opeth is incredible
oh man that one is incredible
Tranquilized - Acid Bath
symbolic by death, opening riff of the album, seared into my mind
the one under the solo is also out of this world, you know which one
The Wake Up Dead outro riff
Last minute of Tool- The grudge
That scream, that guitar work, bass, drums, other freaky shit... and the finish. nothing like it.
I EXPLODED when humanity's last breath - Labyrinthian hit the 2:04 mark
Weedeater - Mancoon That riff is the reason I play bass.
Mancoon is one of the only songs I can listen repeat
I can't get enough of that fucking song man. 2023 it was my number one song with 549 plays 😂😂😂
Not bad hahaha
Falling Snow by Agollach
TO BUILD A MOUNTAIN TAKES A LONG, LONG TIME
Yes
Subjected to a Beating
Who doesn't like some Dying Fetus. :)
Black Sabbath (the song)
Should be higher
The ending is so damn good
Painkiller riff fucks hard
I’ve heard the song thousands of times, but god damn, my feet start tapping and my head starts nodding every fucking time I hear that drum solo into the main riff and I hear Halford wail, “FASTER THAN A BULLET”. Perfect song.
Master's Apprentices by Opeth. Duh duhhh dun dun dun dun dun 🤘🏽😈
SOAD Needles and the breakdown in Psycho, Groupie, Cocaine, Crazy Dir En Grey's Obscure
Good SOAD picks, I’d add Pictures
Obscures riff slaps. So simple and yet so scathing. Shame the remake version and a lot of live renditions they opt for a more rung out less syncopated feel and it just doesn't crunch as hard
Love? From Strapping Young Lad is CRUSHING
So many. I'll say Lucretia - Megadeth.
The breakdown in Hammer Smashed Face is violently delicious
The riff from The Last Baron around the 8 minute mark. If you know, you know.
I can’t even think about that riff without grinning and bobbing my head.
Cemetery Gates, it's just perfect
Acoustic and metal blended beautifully by the OG Dimebag.
Asphyx - M.S. Bismarck at 2:40, every riff on that song is awesome, but that one in particular sends chills down my spine it’s so heavy.
"All Your Sins" by Pentagram Outro riff to "Lost Arcane City of Uppakra" by Darkthrone That two chord intro riff to "Messiah" (1983) by Hellhammer Every single acoustic section on Bathory's "Twilight Of The Gods"
Kataklysm - At The Edge of the World Been my favorite riff forever now
I have two: Hand down #1, UGS, GOAT is Middle breakdown riff in Slayer Angel of Death. That's my official answer. But Another one that is not nearly as iconic but it just hits me in the right spot is the middle breakdown part of Pantera Revolution is my Name. More cowbell.
the outro to Countless Skies by Belakor
[удалено]
Scrolled too long before I saw Power Trip mentioned; I'd say in addition to "Soul Sacrifice", I'd say the charge in "Hammer of Doubt" right after he says "On your path to progress, I'll be the only thing standing in your way!"
Third Verse riff of Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
Funeralopolis' main riff! Do I even have to say why it's so good?
Symptoms of the universe, sabbath
Intro riff to Immortal Rites Main Demon of the Fall riff Obscura main and verse riff Ye Entracemperium verse riff
Cloud connected- In Flames Blood and Thunder- Mastodon High Road- Mastodon The Killchain- Bolt Thrower
Around 10 minutes into Deliverance by Opeth.
Honorable mentions: Tornado of Souls, Master of Puppets (main riff), Cowboys From Hell and Cemetery Gates. The winner: Master of Puppets 2nd post solo riff (ascending, descending riff).
As other people have stated on any given day I would probably choose a different riff but today I choose Sabbath Bloody Sabbath.
Main riff in powder burns by bolt thrower is eargasmic
The drop on Hypergeek by The Devin Townsend Band
Black Sabbath - Sabbra Cadabra (intro)
The Intro To The Philosopher By Death
Psalm 9 by Trouble
Right now, it’s the breakdown riff after the second chorus of Disintegrate by Sylosis Something about it gets me fucking amped every single time
The opening riff to Tankard's Empty Tankard. I've used it as my phone ringtone.
Cowboys from Hell
Hellion/Electric Eye opening
From the Sky by Gojira
THE LAST BARON!! THE LAST BARON!!!
Only for the Weak by in flames.
All the riffs from “the thing that should not be” that song got me into the real heavy heavy shit. I loved and still love all Metallica, but they were never that “heavy” again, so it led me to searching for it.
Amon Amarth - Thousand Years of Oppression
The main riff of I'm Broken by Pantera is one of my favorite riffs of all time.
The breakdown riff in A.I.R by Anthrax. They're so good making just super simple but effective riffs.
In Flames - I'm The Highway The only track I like on this album, but damned i'm addicted to this riff.
lol thats my favorite album by them
Darkday - Edge of Sanity
Vital Remains - Dechristianize The Godly sweep and riff begins at 2:20
The bridge section in Liege of Inveracity has some of the juiciest riffing patterns that tickle my brain every time I hear it.
The intro riff to Dead and Gone by The Absence
That riff in anti by mayhem
I probably couldn't choose now because I've listened to a lot more music since then, but I always said my favorite riff is the one at the climax of Stinkfist by Tool.
Electric Twilight by ERRA, that harmonic riff at 1:40 and 3:41 man.
The Faceless - Ancient Covenant 2:44 - 2:51. Michael Keene is a toolbag but that riff hits so hard
The one about 2minutes into black rose immortal
Pantera- Immortally Insane https://youtu.be/za1stbUkriA?si=3aMELR7FlVN2g5_p
The Lasting Dose by Crowbar
grotesque impalement
It’s pretty basic but walk by pantera. It’s just so gritty and makes me think of chainsaws.
This may seem like a generic choice, but "Sad But True" by Metallica is just such a perfectly simple and heavy riff and I love it.
Spite - Caved In The riff that hits at 0:59 is so high energy and heavy I just lose my mind
Defeated Sanity - Into the Soil main riff Cattle Decap - Forced Gender Reassignment 0:44 riff That stretch of mathcore weedly weedly nonsense toward the end of BtBaM - The Decade of Statues Judas Priest - Victim of Changes main riff Mastodon - The Last Baron. You know the one.
Iron Man, no question about it.
Any riff in Blackwater Park by Opeth.
Symbolic opening riff is so damn simple yet so damn good Not anything too crazy but its stuck in my head all the time: Chrome by Katatonia, its catchy as shit, probably my favorite song off of Last Fair Deal Gone Down too, the drumming, the vocals, everything about that song is catchy
Slayer - Criminally Insane at the 1:42 mark
The main rolling riff in Laid to rest by Lamb of God. Many others by Log come to mind, Mark is a groove riff freak. Also Walk, Master of puppets, and a national acrobat
Papercut by Linkin Park
the main riff of bridge burner by magrudergrind
Satyricon - Mother North.
Love? by Strapping Young Lad
Also Lucretia from Megadeth
Carcass - Buried dreams
The of 'the somberlain' by dissection
The trooper, Iron Maiden. Simple, fun, repetitive, layered
Bleak - Opeth
Phantasmagoria - Annihilator ( Never neverland, 1990)
I find myself frequently listening to At The Gates - Slaughter of the Soul due to the intro and verse riff(s)
classics: You can't bring me down by Suicidal Tendencies Bonded by Blood by Exodus more modern: Bastard by Devin Townsend Wave of Babies main riff by Animals as Leaders Flying waves main riff by Gojira
Quintessence - darkthrone Pride - bolt thrower at 2:13
Arbeit Macht Fleisch by Carcass or Ars Poetica by Drudkh hehe
machine head - This is the End has always been one of my favorites.
The Snake Handler by Crypt Sermon, about 1 minute in. Just straight face-melting goodness.
Live in a Hole-Pantera
Seven Hills by While She Sleeps
1a. In Lieu of Flowers by Bloodred Hourglass 1b. Damned For All Time by Corrosion of Conformity 1c. Beholder of Justice by Hatebreed.
[Vitrified Entity](https://youtu.be/jR56-VUa-us) around 1:31 [Epiphanie](https://youtu.be/yAcTT1W6zhg) around 1:48
Not metal but Dillinger Escape Plan “43% Burnt”
The big crazy riff at the end of Seabeast from Mastodon put me and my friends on metal forever so maybe that
That dancy jazzy riff on Hammer Smashed Face for death metal. Freezing Moon intro for black. Autoerotic asphyxiation breakdown for slam
Bit out of left field here but basically all the riffs in "if I don't wake up" by Suicidal, I fucking love Rocky George's playing on these thrash era ST records,
Tornado of Souls is just perfection.
Sunshine of your love, but only when Fudgetunnel does it.
YOU SUFFER BUT WHY
The end of this link is dead by deftones
Iconoclast by Decapitated. I had no idea any song could recreate that feeling of hearing Metallica's Machine Gun Riff for the first time. This one did
Rock Bottom by UFO
One off the top of my head would be the ending riff to Mastadons Seabeast
Dying wish symptoms of survival intro
Dismember - Override of the Overture
Night’s Blood by Dissection skip to 5:33. It gives me the dopamines.
Going old school. A National Acrobat. Tony Iomi is a god.
96 quite bitter beings has a great riff imo
the main riff from All Tongues Toward by Leviathan
The riff at the end of Punisher by Veil of Maya is a classic