Bands with the most creative riffing

[Marco Spain]

Besides a lot you have said yet (Opeth, Morbid Angel, Megadeth, Meshuggah, Death...) I would say:

Annihilator: Jeff is the most creative riff machine in thrash metal.
Conception & Ark: Tore Ostby = Genius.
Savatage: Criss Oliva. Personal, creative,... When almighty Criss died, then came Al Pitrelli and Alex Skolnick, both overwhelming not only in solos, in riffs too.

 

[all_sins_undone]

Enslaved. Try the riff in 'Neogenesis'

not nearly as creative as other moments in the enslaved disco

 

[Dark_Karma]

not nearly as creative as other moments in the enslaved disco

Such as...?

NOTE: I'm not questioning your judgement; I'm merely asking for your input

 

[Armageddon's Child]

For starters, pretty much every single second of Vikinligr Veldi...

 

[i aint play this]

Madder Mortem

Not really creative or original imo, the groovy stuff they play is hugely influenced by Korn, really derivative...yes, the members of the band actually admit the influence...not saying it is a bad thing because i like MM, it is just funny to see how crap can be turned into good thing.

 

[Crimson Velvet]

For starters, pretty much every single second of Vikinligr Veldi...

...and Hordanes Land...

 

[Talking Meat]

buckethead, just listen to The Corpse Plower, that song is freaking abnormaly insane

Was just gonna say the same.....Bucket's riffs have gotten extremely intense, his albums "Cuckoo Clocks of Hell" and "Inbred Mountain" are both blistering from start to finish.

 

[opeth_353]

Akercocke
The Axis Of Perdition
Blut Aus Nord
Enslaved
Deathspell Omega

 

[NubianGoddess]

Sir J. Hendrix
Opeth
Dream Theater
Death
Pro-Pain
System of a Down
Slayer
Sepultura

 

[Don Corleone]

sabbath of course...above and before anyone else.

and besides the names you mentioned, here's a band that took the standards set by sabbath a bit further:

TROUBLE

 

[narcoleptic haze]

Necrophagist

 

[Whack]

DEATH (CHUCK STILL RULES !!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
ANNIHILATOR
PRO-PAIN (I'm with NubianGoddess on that one)
SLAYER
MEGADETH
NUCLEAR ASSAULT
AT THE GATES

AND SOME MORE............................

 

[gabaghoul]

Burst
Emperor
Gorod

as well as all the others you guys mentioned.

-GG
np: Abigor - Supreme Immortal Art

 

[Koi]

reclusion
extol
theory in practice

 

[angelofdeath9308]

Metallica
Megadeth
Slayer
Kreator
Black Sabbath
Judas Priest
At the Gates
Shadows Fall

 

[in_absentia]

Nevermore have some pretty awesome riffage

 

[RedinTheSky]

Spastic Ink
Symphony X
Bal Sagoth
Suffocation (Pierced from within) - is way better than Immolation
Enslaved - Everything; the early split with emperor showed who was best
At the Gates - The Red in the Sky is Ours
Opeth
Watchtower
Rush
Spiral Architect

 

[RedinTheSky]

forgot one
Obliveon !

 

[Armageddon's Child]

All the people who chose early ATG - good call.

 

[reality is but a dream]

Iron Maiden + Sabbath + Morbid Angel + Slayer bla bla bla
At The Gates for contributions to dual guitar tremolo polyphony
Gorguts is notable for innovations in rhythm and picking technique
Immortal - Is that a riff or a icestorm?
Thergothon - Totally different idea for use of the guitar
Iced Earth - THE GALLOP!!

im pretty shure iced earth just made a faster variation of the gallop iron maiden popularised