Riff Worship

After nearly 3 demanding years of touring, Watain composed what could be considered their most grandiose and divisive album of their career. The mythologies and lore that surrounded the group were more present than ever in the record’s concept and lyrical themes. Musically, it was just as venomous and violent as their previous offerings, while still managing to push the boundaries of their sound into new territory. The inclusion of traditional vocals, hooks, and even a ballad, aimed to cement Watain as an anomaly of the genre. This week on Riff Worship, Austin & Dylan discuss the 2013 black metal opus The Wild Hunt

Recommendations:

• Krieg - "Solitarily, A Future Renounced"
• Body Void - "Flesh Market"
• Ragana - "Desolation's Flower"
• Afterbirth - "Tightening The Screws"
• Dying Fetus - "Throw Them in the Van"
• Tyler Childers - "In Your Love"

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By 1996 death metal started to become stale and stagnant, with a wave of copycats looking to replicate the success of the genre’s heavyweights. As we’ve covered in previous episodes, extreme music had flirted with the major label world, but did not quite achieve the lofty expectations that were unfairly placed on its gore obsessed shoulders. A return to the underground was the (left hand) path needed and it led to the Great White North. After unleashing their more traditionally-minded demo and full-length debut, Montreal’s Cryptopsy welcomed new additions to their lineup that not only sparked a change in sound but also a change of pace. The songs became faster, catchier, more technical and… grotesque. This week on Riff Worship, Austin & Dylan are rejoined by their longtime friend Justin Swindle to celebrate the disgusting, genre defining classic None So Vile

Recommendations:

• Restraining Order - Locked In Time
• Ringworm - "Thought Crimes"
• Mort Garson - Journey to the Moon and Beyond
• Archspire - Bleed the Future
• Beneath The Massacre - Dystopia
• The Gaslight Anthem - "History Books (feat. Bruce Springsteen)"
• Dying Wish - "Watch My Promise Die"
• Mizmor - Prosaic
• Incantation - "Homunculus (Spirit Made Flesh) IX"
• NECKBOLT - "Fung Wah or Lucky Star"

For all updates on the show, follow us here:

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RIFFS ON REPEAT PLAYLIST: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37W4wEyb5ELf2y0YYlhRy2?si=8529ae1e880d442c

It's incredibly difficult for a musician to receive a single opportunity at mainstream success, let alone several, during their entire career. It takes drive, talent, and a lot of luck.

Ronnie James Dio cut his teeth fronting groups like Elf, Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow, and Black Sabbath during the first half of his career. His fantastical lyrics and powerful vocal delivery were like a breath of fresh air, bringing in a much needed creative energy into the fold.

After his eventual departure from Sabbath in the early '80s, the now 40-year-old singer found himself at square one again. No longer a hired gun in someone else's band, however, he sought to start a new project that would directly reflect his own name and vision.

With this self-produced solo effort, Dio recruited his former bandmates in Rainbow and Sabbath as well as a 19-year-old Irish guitar hero to help create a riff-packed adventure into a mythical heavy metal world. This week on Riff Worship, Austin & Dylan are rejoined by Justin Swindle to discuss the 1983 debut Dio album Holy Diver.

Recommendations:

• Baroness - "Beneath the Rose"
• Poison Ruïn - Härvest
• Snõõper - Super Snõõper
• Agriculture - Agriculture
• Outer Heaven - Infinite Psychic Depths
• Hayden Pedigo - The Happiest Times I Ever Ignored
• Monolord - It's All The Same
• Mizmor - Prosaic
• The Dream Academy - The Dream Academy

For all updates on the show, follow us here:

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RIFFS ON REPEAT PLAYLIST: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37W4wEyb5ELf2y0YYlhRy2?si=8529ae1e880d442c

With two genre-defining albums under their collective belt, Morbid Angel approached their third full-length with an unyielding intensity both musically and thematically. The added scale of promotion and distribution by then-Warner subsidiary Giant Records, MTV airplay, and the band's own determination cemented this album as one of death metal's highest creative and commercial peaks. This week on Riff Worship, Austin & Dylan discuss Morbid Angel's 30-year-old major label debut Covenant

Recommendations:

• Harms Way - "Silent Wolf"
• Killer's Pay - Atlas Crushed
• Cryptopsy - "In Abeyance"
• Woe - "Scavenger Profits"
• Crown Magnetar - Everything Bleeds
• Colter Wall - Little Songs

For all updates on the show, follow us here:

@distortion891 on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠, & ⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠

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RIFFS ON REPEAT PLAYLIST: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37W4wEyb5ELf2y0YYlhRy2?si=8529ae1e880d442c⁠

Saint Paul’s Sabot have unleashed their debut album Castration (Out now via Riff Merchant Records): a 25-minute-long statement in the form of crushing doom, powerviolence, and noise. This week on Riff Worship, we sat down with Oscar & Nehemiah of Sabot to discuss their full-length debut which channels everything from the pummeling riffs of Thorr’s Hammer, the atmosphere of Disembowelment, and the uncompromising songwriting of Björk.

Recommendations:

• Anna von Hausswolff - Ceremony
• Does it Doom? Playlist
• Rush - Hemispheres
• Final Gasp - "Mourning Moon"
• Incantation - "Concordat (The Pact) I"
• Thou - Magus, Myopia, May Our Chambers Be Full
• Joanna Sternberg - I've Got Me
• Hate Force - Hate Force

Follow Sabot on Instagram

For all updates on the show, follow us here:

@distortion891 on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠, & ⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠

Tune in LIVE to Vocal Distortion, Mondays at 6PM CST on FM89, ⁠⁠⁠⁠WONC.org⁠⁠⁠⁠, & the ⁠⁠⁠⁠iHeart Radio app⁠⁠⁠⁠

RIFFS ON REPEAT PLAYLIST: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37W4wEyb5ELf2y0YYlhRy2?si=8529ae1e880d442c⁠

The year is 2003. Nu metal was experiencing its decline in popularity after nearly 10 years of domination and the guitar had seemingly taken a backseat across several forms of music. Even genre-heavyweights like Metallica were shying away from guitar solos to avoid sounding "outdated". Just when trends appeared to lean away from the antics and styles of the '70s & '80s, enter The Darkness: a band rooted in big guitars, big hooks, and big presentation. In the summer of 2003, the four-piece from Lowestoft dropped their debut album to an unsuspecting audience pining for hard rock to have a return to form.

As we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the band’s seminal album, Austin & Dylan are joined by riff disciple Nate Garrett (Spirit Adrift, Big Riff Energy) to discuss The Darkness’ Permission to Land as well as the upcoming Spirit Adrift album Ghost at the Gallows which arrives August 18th on Century Media Records.

Follow Spirit Adrift onFacebook, Instagram, &Twitter

For all updates on the show, follow us here:

@distortion891 on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠, & ⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠

Tune in LIVE to Vocal Distortion, Mondays at 6PM CST on FM89, ⁠⁠⁠⁠WONC.org⁠⁠⁠⁠, & the ⁠⁠⁠⁠iHeart Radio app⁠⁠⁠⁠

RIFFS ON REPEAT PLAYLIST: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37W4wEyb5ELf2y0YYlhRy2?si=8529ae1e880d442c⁠

2009 stands as a pivotal year for aggressive music in the early part of this century with landmark releases from Cattle Decapitation, Converge, Agoraphobic Nosebleed, and Mastodon. Simultaneously, a three-piece from Washington D.C. stands out amongst these. With a handful of releases under their belt, the abrasive Magrudergrind rose up from the underground with their sophomore album: a perfect blend of grindcore, crust, pop culture references, and hip hop into 27 minutes of pure adrenaline. This week on Riff Worship, Austin & Dylan are rejoined by their longtime friend Justin Swindle to discuss the self-titled Magrudergrind album!

Recommendations:

• Caustic Wound - Death Posture
• Gravesend - Methods of Human Disposal
• KONTUSION - S/T
• SPY - Satisfaction
• Mort Garson - "Zoos Of The World"
• Hiroshi Yoshimura - Green
• Spirit Adrift - "Barn Burner"
• Yves Tumor - Praise A Lord Who Chews But Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds)
• Cannibal Corpse - "Blood Blind"
• Incantation - "Concordat (The Pact) I"

For all updates on the show, follow us here:

@distortion891 on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠, & ⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠

Tune in LIVE to Vocal Distortion, Mondays at 6PM CST on FM89, ⁠⁠⁠⁠WONC.org⁠⁠⁠⁠, & the ⁠⁠⁠⁠iHeart Radio app⁠⁠⁠⁠

RIFFS ON REPEAT PLAYLIST: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37W4wEyb5ELf2y0YYlhRy2?si=8529ae1e880d442c⁠

With the release of the seminal grunge album Nevermind, Nirvana had positioned themselves (unwillingly) into unknown territories of superstardom. As pressures increased to meet and eclipse the success of Nevermind, the band entered the studio alongside audio engineer Steve Albini with their own set of rules and the intention to create a follow up that was more reflective of the music they wanted to make. The outcome was darker, moodier, nosier, and heavier than anything that preceded it. This week on Riff Worship, Austin & Dylan are joined by their longtime friend Justin Swindle to discuss Nirvana's classic third and final album In Utero.

Recommendations:

• Baroness - "Last Word"
• MSPAINT - Post-American
• Militarie Gun - Life Under The Gun
• Wormhole - "System Erase"
• Spirit Adrift - "Barn Burner"
• Fleshbound - Wounded EP
• Thirdface - "Trap Revealed"
• Pain of Truth, 200 Stab Wounds - "Actin' Up"
• Sector - The Chicago Sector
• Quiet Man - "Set to Boil Is The New Standard"

For all updates on the show, follow us here:

@distortion891 on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠, & ⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠

Tune in LIVE to Vocal Distortion, Mondays at 6PM CST on FM89, ⁠⁠⁠⁠WONC.org⁠⁠⁠⁠, & the ⁠⁠⁠⁠iHeart Radio app⁠⁠⁠⁠

RIFFS ON REPEAT PLAYLIST: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37W4wEyb5ELf2y0YYlhRy2?si=8529ae1e880d442c⁠

What could your band put together in just 6 weeks? Would you have a few songs written or be ready to perform live? In less than 2 months, the death-doom quintet Thorr’s Hammer made their mark on underground music forever before vanishing into the ether. Consisting of a teenage Norwegian exchange student and several musicians from around the Seattle area, the band recorded a handful songs and played 2 gigs before ultimately disbanding. Thorr’s Hammer stands as a precursor to massively influential projects like Sunn O​)​)​) and Khanate as well as the long-standing label Southern Lord Recordings that continue to push the genre to new heights. This week on Riff Worship, Austin & Dylan go back to where it all began to discuss the sole Thorr’s Hammer EP ‘Dommedagsnatt’.

Recommendations:

• Sunami - Sunami
• Snuffed on Sight - "Time 2 Dip"
• Cloak - Black Flame Eternal
• Innumerable Forms - The Fall Down
• Khanate - To Be Cruel
• Geld - Currency // Castration

For all updates on the show, follow us here:

@distortion891 on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠, & ⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠

Tune in LIVE to Vocal Distortion, Mondays at 6PM CST on FM89, ⁠⁠⁠⁠WONC.org⁠⁠⁠⁠, & the ⁠⁠⁠⁠iHeart Radio app⁠⁠⁠⁠

RIFFS ON REPEAT PLAYLIST: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37W4wEyb5ELf2y0YYlhRy2?si=8529ae1e880d442c⁠

This week Austin & Dylan welcome their friend Mikey Harrod (Great Minds, Killer's Pay) as the first-ever guest on Riff Worship! The trio discuss the latest Great Minds EP 'Livin' n Color', professional disc golfing, touring, as well as the influence of As I Lay Dying's 'Shadows Are Security' on Mikey's playing.

Recommendations:

For all updates on the show, follow us here:

@distortion891 on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠, & ⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠

Tune in LIVE to Vocal Distortion, Mondays at 6PM CST on FM89, ⁠⁠⁠⁠WONC.org⁠⁠⁠⁠, & the ⁠⁠⁠⁠iHeart Radio app⁠⁠⁠⁠

RIFFS ON REPEAT PLAYLIST: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37W4wEyb5ELf2y0YYlhRy2?si=8529ae1e880d442c⁠