Awesome metal riffs

Some guitar riffs stick to your brain more than others. This is a list of riffs that have been most memorable for me.

Note: Highlight links will open in a seperate window so you can easily listen through riffs without having to switch between tabs/windows.

Amon Amarth - Pursuit of the Vikings (Fate of Norns)

The opening riff is awesome.

Highlights: 0:00, 1:43

Amorphis - Sign From The North Side (The Karelian Isthmus)

Song from the more death metal oriented days of Amorphis. Heavy, ripping riff.

Highlights: 0:04

Arch Enemy - Silverwing (Burning Bridges)

The one, two, three… n riffs in the chorus. Who said metal riffs needs to sound mean? Certainly not Michael Amott.

Highlights: 1:12, 1:24

Asphyx - Asphyx (Forgotten War) (Last One On Earth)

THE heaviest song on the planet. Immediately as the opening riff starts.. fuck yes!

Highlights: 0:28, 1:12, 2:48

Blood Red Throne - Razor Jack (Affiliated With The Suffering)

Awesome, smashing opener.

Highlights: 0:00, 1:24, 1:41

Carcass – Corporal Jigsore Quandary (Necroticism - Descanting The Insalubrious)

I suppose not only the guitar plays a part in the effectiveness of the riffs. Just listen to these drums!

Highlights: 0:05, 1:10

Children of Bodom – Touch Like an Angel of Death (Something Wild)

I don’t care if I’m queer for putting this band up, but the riffs here are just really memorable. I guess if I had to pick this would be my fav. CoB song. Or maybe “needled 24/7”, that one’s also kinda neat.

Highlights: 0:00, 1:59

Death – Born Dead (Leprosy)

Opening riff is pretty awesome in a subtle way.

Highlights: 0:00, 0:52

Death – Open Casket (Leprosy)

OPEEEEEEEEN CASKEEEEEEET!

Highlights: 0:02, 1:27, 2:47

Death – Defensive Personalities (Spiritual Healing)

Chuck.

Highlights: 1:11, 1:42, 1:53

Destruction - Die a Day Before You're Born (Cracked Brain)

Simply awesome, laid back thrash metal. Hey, it doesn’t always have to be about aggression; school doesn’t teach you that but Destruction does.

Highlights: 0:00, 0:35, 2:28

Destruction - Cracked Brain (Cracked Brain)

See above.

Highlights: 0:09, 1:40

Dismember – Casket Garden (Massive Killing Capacity)

Groovy. Bang your head.

Highlights: 0:00, 1:18

Dissection – A Land Forlorn (The Somberlain)

This treat is packed with riffs, pick your favorite.

Highlights: 0:00, 0:35, 0:59, 2:44

Edge of Sanity – Twilight (Purgatory Afterglow)

Simply obligatory.

Highlights: 0:54, 1:20, 2:10, 2:45

Edge of Sanity – Of Darksome Origin (Purgatory Afterglow)

For the same reason as above I guess.

Highlights: 0:00, 0:59, 1:33

Exodus – Brain Dead (Pleasures Of The Flesh)

In the same vein as the earlier mentioned Destruction songs, uplifting groovy thrash metal. Neat riffs.

Highlights: 0:06

Fear Factory – Martyr (Soul Of A New Machine)

Haha, classic!

Highlights: 0:00, 0:38, 1:33

Forefather – Wudugast (Ours Is The Kingdom)

Very fine folk metal. Soothing riffs.

Highlights: 0:00, 1:00

Gardenian – Sonic Death Monkey (Sindustries)

Very good, emotional (I know that word is tabu in metal, but oh well), melodic riffs. Sweden knows their metal.

Highlights: 0:01, 1:32, 1:57

General Surgery – Ambulance Chaser (Left Hand Pathology)

Genius riffs in the chorus. Deathgrind is fantastic.

Highlights: 0:39, 0:50, 1:04, 1:36

The Haunted – 99 (rEVOLVEr)

The riffs are pretty straight forward but crushingly awesome.

Highlights: 0:01, 1:20

Hypocrisy – Mind Corruption (The Fourth Dimension)

Tägtgren just has it, you know.

Highlights: 0:02, 0:59

Hypocrisy – Reincarnation (The Fourth Dimension)

Quite sweet riffs.

Highlights: 0:01, 0:54

Hypocrisy – Unfold the Sorrow (Into the Abyss)

I know, I dig Hypocrisy. Anyway, I’ve always loved this song. The lyrics makes you think, ya know? Musically it’s pretty catchy and got some pretty good riffs.

Highlights: 0:00, 0:43, 1:11

Hypocrisy – Incised Before I’ve Ceased (Virus)

Here’s a slightly grotesque goodie for you. Pure Tägtgren geniusness.

Highlights: 0:40, 1:18

In Flames – Ordinary Story (Colony)

Yes, the sellouts. Who cares, I used to dig this song anyway. The riffs are excellent. Jesper Strömblad is a mastermind no matter what commercial junk they made.

Highlights: 0:05, 0:57

In Flames – December Flower (Jester Race)

Great melodic death riffs.

Highlights: 0:02, 0:51

In Flames - Goliaths Disarm Their Davids (Black-ash Inheritance)

Fucking hell. The riffs kicks ass and you know it.

Highlights: 0:47, 1:00, 1:27

In Flames – Jotun (Whoracle)

Hands down one of the best In Flames songs. The opening riff is epic.

Highlights: 0:00, 0:21, 0:59

Iron Maiden - Hallowed Be Thy Name (The Number of The Beast)

Do I need to comment this one?

Highlights: 1:18

Judas Priest – Breaking The Law (British Steel)

Slightly memorable?

Highlights: 0:03

Judas Priest – Living After Midnight (British Steel)

Classic.

Highlights: 0:08

Judas Priest – Night Crawler (Painkiller)

You know.

Highlights: 0:23, 1:02

Legion of the Damned – Enslaver of Souls (Cult of the Dead)

Best – riff – ever!

Highlights: 0:00, 0:34, 1:08, 1:30

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