Riff Worship

This week on Riff Worship, we descend into the slowest, darkest, and heaviest corner of extreme music history to explore the birth of Funeral Doom through Thergothon’s 1994 cult classic, Stream from the Heavens! Before disbanding in 1993 and leaving the metal world behind, a group of Finnish teenagers completely rewrote the rulebook on heavy music. Fed up with the oversaturated early-'90s deat...

Discover the chaotic history of metalcore pioneers Deadguy! In this episode of Riff Worship, we chart the band’s volatile journey from their 1993 formation in New Brunswick, NJ, to the creation of their 1995 landmark album, Fixation on a Coworker. This week we’ll explore: How members of Rorschach, No Escape, and Lifetime collided to create an abrasive, influential sound that paved the way for band...

This week on Riff Worship, we explore the brief yet prolific history of His Hero Is Gone and their landmark 1997 album, Monuments to Thieves! Active only between 1995 and 1999, the legendary Memphis, Tennessee crust punk band left their mark on underground music forever. By blending punishing, heavy metal-inspired hardcore punk with a fiercely independent approach, they created a blueprint that st...

In the late 1980s, the San Francisco Bay Area was the undisputed global epicenter of thrash metal. But deep within the underground, a new generation of metalheads were brewing something far more extreme. In this episode of Riff Worship, we are diving headfirst into the blood, guts, and history behind one of death metal’s foundational releases: Autopsy’s 1989 debut album, Severed Survival! Join us...

What does it take to create one of the most abrasive, unsettling metal records of the 21st century? In this episode of Riff Worship, we dive into the shadows to dissect the terrifying sonic legacy of the UK’s most elusive extreme music collective: Dragged Into Sunlight. Formed in 2006 by a group of anonymous DIY veterans, Dragged Into Sunlight have spent the last two decades weaponizing a volatile...

This week on Riff Worship, we’re diving into the comprehensive history of Washington D.C.’s Majority Rule! From skateboarding and high school Driver’s Ed to their final release, Emergency Numbers, we’ll explore the lineage of one of hardcore's most abrasive and dynamic trios. In this episode, we discuss: Their first basement demo and early split 7-inches with Positive State, Turbine, and The B...

This week on Riff Worship, we’re diving into one of the most revered and fiercely debated styles in extreme music: Death Metal! Special guest David Stepanavicius (Atræ Bilis, Fulci Rots) returns to the show to help us trace the genre’s rapid evolution, highlight defining record labels, and break down our Top 5 Death Metal Albums of All Time. From the foundational tape-trading days of Old School De...

This week on Riff Worship, we dive deep into the technical and spiritual labyrinth of Gorguts’ 1998 masterpiece, Obscura! Often hailed as one of the most innovative death metal albums of all time, Obscura was a radical departure that redefined the genre's boundaries. We trace the band’s journey from their 1989 formation in Sherbrooke, Quebec, through their early days with Roadrunner Records an...

This week on Riff Worship, we trace the origins of one of extreme music’s most prolific forces: Full of Hell. We’re joined by special guest John Wooten (Wooten Photo) for a deep dive into the foundations of the band, culminating in their seminal 2011 debut full-length, Roots of Earth Are Consuming My Home! In this episode, we’ll also discuss: The band’s pivotal relationship with the legendary A389...

This week on Riff Worship, we explore the history and impact of the seminal 2002 album Oceanic by post-metal pioneers Isis! Join us as we trace the band’s sonic evolution, from the bludgeoning heaviness of their debut Celestial to the atmospheric and melodic textures that would evolve throughout their career. In this episode we’ll discuss: How James Plotkin (Phantomsmasher, Khanate) bridged the ga...

This week on Riff Worship we take a deep dive into the history and eventual “demise” of the double album! From the introduction of the LP in 1948 to an era of pivotal releases ushered in by Bob Dylan’s Blonde on Blonde, we’ll explore the evolution of the format while attempting to answer several key questions. What actually defines a double album? Is it a matter of intent or runtime? Are they nece...

This week on Riff Worship, we explore the pivotal sophomore era of Coheed and Cambria. We'll trace the band's evolution from their early days in New York mixing punk, funk, and heavy metal as Shabütie to the moment they truly found their voice. Released on October 7th, 2003, In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3 served as the moment the band came into its own both musically and conceptuall...

In this episode of Riff Worship, we dive deep into the origin story and explosive impact of The Dillinger Escape Plan’s 1999 debut full-length, Calculating Infinity! Born out of the ashes of the New Jersey band Arcane, Dillinger set out to create something deliberately alienating and strange by blending elements of free-jazz, progressive metal, and new-school hardcore. We explore the challenging a...

This week on Riff Worship, we’re throwing it back to the turn of the millennium to dissect an extreme metal anomaly. Combining elements of gabber, speedcore, and deathgrind, The Berzerker’s self-titled debut is a monument to creative integrity and raw experimentation. We are joined by special guests Luke Kenny and Sam Bean (The Berzerker) alongside David Stepanavicius (Atræ Bilis, Fulci Rots) to b...

This week on Riff Worship, we’re diving into the bizarre, blood-soaked, and fiercely persistent origins of Andrew W.K. and his 2001 landmark debut, I Get Wet. We trace the transformation of an Ann Arbor piano prodigy into a global party icon, navigating his journey from Michigan’s eclectic underground to the mainstream spotlight. Alongside special guest Tom Orr (Last Breath Zine), we’ll discuss: A...

This week on Riff Worship, we take a look at the prolific and tumultuous history of Seattle rock legends Alice In Chains and the making of their 1992 magnum opus, Dirt! In this episode we’ll explore… The band’s glam metal roots and evolution into one of the heavy hitters of the Pacific Northwest. The massive success of their debut album Facelift and the acoustic departure of the Sap EP after signi...

This week on Riff Worship, we’re taking a look at the long-standing musical tradition of the “cover song.” Whether it’s a popular hit or a niche favorite, covers often act as a direct pulse to the listener—offering a glimpse into an artist’s personal influences and taste. Throughout the history of hardcore punk, cover songs have served as a bridge between eras by introducing new generations to the...

Following the release of the now-iconic Jane Doe, Converge could have easily delivered a direct sequel to satisfy fans craving the same sonic intensity. To avoid the risk of pigeonholing themselves, however, the band opted to write for themselves and subverted expectations with a more minimal, live approach on their follow-up album. This week on Riff Worship, we’re diving deep into one of the most...

This week on Riff Worship we’ll explore the Louisville hardcore scene with a deep dive into Breather Resist and their seminal 2004 album, Charmer! We’re joined by guitarist Evan Patterson (Jaye Jayle, Young Widows, Future Heart Works) to discuss the band’s evolution from projects like The National Acrobat and Abscise, the recording sessions at Downtown Recording with producer Kurt Ballou (Converge...

This week on Riff Worship we’re tracing the origins of one of death metal's most foundational pillars: Morbid Angel. We’ll follow the band’s formative years in Tampa, Florida, to the chaotic journey toward their 1989 debut album, Altars of Madness! On this episode, we explore: Guitarist Trey Azagthoth’s obsession with the occult and how the Necronomicon influenced the band’s otherworldly sound...

Building on the momentum of their genre-defining Trustkill Records debut, This Is Love, This Is Murderous, Orange County’s Bleeding Through returned in 2006 with their most ambitious work to date. By seamlessly weaving together elements of death metal, hardcore, and black metal, the band pushed their signature metalcore sound into emotionally daring new territory. From scathing tracks like “For Lo...

This week on Riff Worship, we’re exploring the chaotic history of Pageninetynine (Pg. 99)—from their DIY basement roots in Sterling, Virginia, to their lasting impact on a generation of hardcore and extreme music. We’ll dive into their early split releases with bands like Enemy Soil and Reactor No. 7, the evolution of their 14-member collective, and the making of their definitive album, Document #...

By 1993, death metal had reached its arguable commercial peak, with bands like Carcass and Morbid Angel infiltrating major labels and spawning a sea of imitators. Meanwhile, Melbourne’s diSEMBOWELMENT set out to break the mold with their sole full-length album by incorporating influences far beyond the confines of extreme music. Packed with crushing riffs, off-kilter melodies, and ghostly ambience...

This week on Riff Worship, we dive into our Top 5 Favorite Punk Records of all time (or at least at the moment). From the foundational riffs of the Ramones and The Misfits to the breakneck speed of Minor Threat and Dead Kennedys, we explore the albums that helped define the genre and shaped our musical DNA. Follow Riff Worship Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/riffwors...

2025 was an incredible year for heavy music. In this episode, we're breaking down some of our top albums of the year (in no particular) across heavy metal, hardcore, and more! We also take a look back at our favorite Riff Worship moments of 2025, share our honorable mentions, and discuss are most anticipated releases of 2026! What were your favorite albums of 2025? Riff Worship's Best of 2...