Top 10 Riffsterpieces

By: Kev Truong

A riffsterpiece is a very simple concept. To put it sweetly, it’s a song that has killer riffs coming out of killer riffs pouring into more killer riffs, where the guitars just don’t stop firing and the result is a seething patchwork of notes that leaves you all a-tingle. Some of the greatest songs ever written are riffsterpieces, but this list isn’t necessarily about who can write the better song, or who has the sharpest tune. It’s about who can pack the most number of ridiculously good riffs into the one track. If it flows, and if it slays, and if it’s enough to make amateur guitarists everywhere want to take a second or third summer job so they can pay for more lessons, then it’s a riffsterpiece.

After sifting through our collective knowledge and narrowing it down from an initial list of over 70 songs, this is Blistering.com’s Top 10 Riffsterpieces:

1) Megadeth – ‘Holy Wars... The Punishment Due’
from Rust in Peace, 1990
This jittering, skittering opener to what is widely considered Megadeth’s finest hour is a riffsterpiece that does true justice to the word. It has the temerity to go from spontaneous classical lick to subterranean crunch then back to electrifying razorwire thrash in its complete, expansive sweep. Each masterstroke flows like arsenic-laced wine and if the monumental ending doesn’t seal the deal with style and pizzazz, then we can’t think of one that would. Deserving of its number one spot.

2) Metallica – ‘Master Of Puppets’
from Master of Puppets, 1986
Starting with one of the most iconic heavy metal riffs of all time, the ‘Tallica’s ‘Master Of Puppets’ combines technical wizardry, sheer balls-out thrashing and naked musical verve to give us one of metal’s greatest works. After you’re done swooning to the harmonised ballet of the interlude, you stomp to the crunch riff then hammer it all the way home to the thundering denouement. It’s still a kick in the ass at two decades old.

3) Pantera – ‘5 Minutes Alone’
from Far Beyond Driven, 1994
Raking guitar sound, short sharp delivery, a fist-clenching anthem for generations of angry young men to come. Dimebag’s single guitarwork more than holds up its own against duos here as he bends, twists and tortures his Washburn to create all manner of sounds, from the two-note staccato main riff to the freeflowing legato phrase to that weird, effect-heavy solo. One of the meatiest guitar tones ever captured on tape, ‘5 Minutes Alone’ has the chops to make the most of it.

4) Slayer – ‘Raining Blood’
from Reign In Blood, 1986
“What?” I hear you scream, “‘Raining Blood’ isn’t in the top three?” Universally seen as Slayer’s crowning glory and a pivotal turning point in metal history, ‘Raining Blood’ remains a live staple in the Slayer armoury and has been covered countless times by countless lesser bands. Reacquaint yourself with this classic riffsterpiece and you’ll see why in no time – only if you need to be reminded, of course.

5) Machine Head – ‘Davidian’
from Burn My Eyes, 1994
Some people may remember ‘Davidian’ more for its characteristic drum track or for Robb Flynn’s “let freedom ring…” refrain, but for us it’s the riffs to this almighty beast that makes our hearts warm with glee. Starting with the aural equivalent of a Californian landslide, ‘Davidian’ churns and bruises its way through in joyfully violent manner before ending with one of, if not the, greatest breakdown riffs of all time. If there’s any ground still standing beneath your feet after this song’s over, build your mansion on it.

6) Judas Priest – ‘Painkiller’
from Painkiller, 1990
Many consider this to be Priest’s best cut, and listening to ‘Painkiller’s grinding pneumatic drill it’s hard to see how the same band could’ve released such chucklesome cheese as ‘Breaking The Law’ or ‘United’. Tipton and Downing’s live fire never sounded so focused or scorching.

7) Slayer – ‘Dead Skin Mask’
from Seasons In The Abyss, 1990
Slayer’s tribute to Ed Gein still sends a chill to the bone, no doubt partly due to the eerie, hypnotic mantra of the intro/chorus riff. If music could send enough fear into a person’s heart to stop it cold, then ‘Dead Skin Mask’s murderous shred would be the song to do it.

8) Van Halen – ‘Panama’
from 1984, 1984
Ambiguous enough to either be about a car, a girl, or getting a blowjob in a car, ‘Panama’ boasts some of guitar god Eddie Van Halen’s slickest work. Carefully restraining his excesses, he locks into a groove with the rhythm section and delivers a performance of the highest strutting order.

9) Black Sabbath – ‘Iron Man’
from Paranoid, 1970
What’s there to say about ‘Iron Man’ that hasn’t been said already? The original and definitely one of the best. Iommi’s leaden guitar tone breathes sacrilegious life into classic riff after classic riff, so altogether now – dun, dun, dun-dun-dun…

10) System Of A Down – ‘War?’
from System Of A Down, 1998
Anyone who thinks today’s bands can’t pull out a decent set of riffs to save their lives should check out this explosive number. A sign of future greatness and an early taster of SOAD’s quirky but aggressively volatile songwriting kick. [END]