Top 50 Riffs in Extreme Metal

Caecius

Doomed Traveler
Sep 30, 2007
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This is the list of the top 50 extreme metal riffs by Decibel Magazine.

50. Sepultura - Dead Embryonic Cells
(3:34 to 4:10)
49. Pig Destroyer - Trojan Whore (0:41 to 1:25)
48. Danzig - Twist of Cain (Intro/verse riff)
47. Torche - Rockit (Entire Song)
46. Rotting Christ - Fgmenth, Thy Gift (2:08 to 2:49)
45. Exodus - Bonded By Blood (0:27 to 0:54)
44. Isis - Celestial (the Tower) (Intro Riff)
43. Helmet - In the Meantime (0:23 to 0:36)
42. Earth Crisis - Firestorm (Intro to 0:48)
41. Black Sabbath - Children of the Grave (Intro to 0:50)
40. Defleshed - Mealbounded (1:48 to 2:10)

39. Dio - Holy Diver (1:19 to 1:39)
38. Cro-Mags - We Gotta Know (Intro Dirge Riff)
37. Dissection - The Somberlain (Intro)
36. Pentagram - All Your Sins (Intro to 0:16)
35. Ministry - Just One Fir (Main Riff)
34. Morbid Angel - Chapel of Ghouls (1:51 to 2:23)
33. Bolt Thrower - World Eater (0:51 to 1:37)
32. Mercyful Fate - Curse of the Pharaohs (0:14 to 0:28)
31. Motorhead - Orgasmatron (0:10 to 0:53)
30. Botch - Saint Matthew Returns to the Womb (Intro to 0:14)

29. Kyuss - Green Machine (Intro/Verse Riff)
28. Eyehategod - Dixie Whiskey (Intro/Verse Riff)
27. Death Angel - Bored (Intro to 1:05)
26. Paradise Lost - Eternal (0:08 to 0:40)
25. Mastodon - Blood and Thunder (Intro/Verse Riff)
24. S.O.D - Milano Mosh (Intro)
23. Diamond Head - Am I Evil? (1:24 to 3:31)
22. Entombed - Left Hand Path (Outro)
21. Converge - The Saddest Day (Intro)
20. Death - Zombie Ritual (Intro)

19. Metallica - Master of Puppets (0:21 to 0:49)
18. Megadeth - Holy Wars...the Punishment Due(4:37 to 4:55)
17. Black Flag - Black Coffee (Intro/Chorus riff)
16. Pantera - I'm Broken (Intro to 0:24)
15. Slayer - Angel of Death (1:38 to 2:06)
14. Dismember - Override of the Overture (3:13 to 3:34)
13. Iron Maiden - Hallowed Be Thy Name (4:24 to 6:24)
12. Katatonia - Murder (0:15 to 1:15)
11. Godflesh - Christbait Rising (4:54 to 6:24)
10. Celtic Frost - Into the Crypts of Rays (1:54 to 2:09)

9. The Dillinger Escape Plan - 43% Burnt (Intro/Outro)
8. Metallica - Creeping Death (Intro/Outro)
7. Neurosis - Locust Star (4:30 to end)
6. At The Gates - Blinded By Fear (0:38 to 0:55)
5. Black Sabbath - Supernaut (Intro)
4. Helmet - Blacktop (chorus riff)
3. Judas Priest - Breaking The Law (Intro to 0:12)
2. Carcass - Corporal Jigsore Quandary (Intro to 0:33)
1. Slayer - Reigning Blood (0:51 to 1:27)

Of course there are some flaws, but most of these are worth listening to. What riffs do you guys think were overrated, underrated or absent?
 
the problem is that alot of the riffs listed aren't EXTREME metal... for example Dio is heavy metal not extreme, so is Sabbath and Priest, etc. There are actually some good picks here like The Somberlain but overrall I'd say this is quite flawed.
 
the problem is that alot of the riffs listed aren't EXTREME metal... for example Dio is heavy metal not extreme, so is Sabbath and Priest, etc. There are actually some good picks here like The Somberlain but overrall I'd say this is quite flawed.

Yeah I agree.
 
I guess black metal is not extreme metal...

Decibal is usually not so shitty about this kind of stuff. But the absence of something like I Am The Black Wizards or Transilvanian Hunger is inexcusable. Those are as universally known as anything ever in the genre, and still didn't make this list.
 
I guess black metal is not extreme metal...

Decibal is usually not so shitty about this kind of stuff. But the absence of something like I Am The Black Wizards or Transilvanian Hunger is inexcusable. Those are as universally known as anything ever in the genre, and still didn't make this list.

yup pretty much
 
where dead angels lie by dissection also salvo by bolt thrower. but i agree with everyone that most of the songs there arnt "extreme metal"
 
Amon Amarth - The Dragon's Flight Across The Waves
1:23 - 1:37, 3:58 - 4:23

 
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50. Sepultura - Dead Embryonic Cells (3:34 to 4:10)
49. Pig Destroyer - Trojan Whore (0:41 to 1:25)
48. Danzig - Twist of Cain (Intro/verse riff)
47. Torche - Rockit (Entire Song)
46. Rotting Christ - Fgmenth, Thy Gift (2:08 to 2:49)
45. Exodus - Bonded By Blood (0:27 to 0:54)
44. Isis - Celestial (the Tower) (Intro Riff)
43. Helmet - In the Meantime (0:23 to 0:36)
42. Earth Crisis - Firestorm (Intro to 0:48)
41. Black Sabbath - Children of the Grave (Intro to 0:50)
40. Defleshed - Mealbounded (1:48 to 2:10)

39. Dio - Holy Diver (1:19 to 1:39)
38. Cro-Mags - We Gotta Know (Intro Dirge Riff)
37. Dissection - The Somberlain (Intro)
36. Pentagram - All Your Sins (Intro to 0:16)
35. Ministry - Just One Fir (Main Riff)
34. Morbid Angel - Chapel of Ghouls (1:51 to 2:23)
33. Bolt Thrower - World Eater (0:51 to 1:37)
32. Mercyful Fate - Curse of the Pharaohs (0:14 to 0:28)
31. Motorhead - Orgasmatron (0:10 to 0:53)
30. Botch - Saint Matthew Returns to the Womb (Intro to 0:14)

29. Kyuss - Green Machine (Intro/Verse Riff)
28. Eyehategod - Dixie Whiskey (Intro/Verse Riff)
27. Death Angel - Bored (Intro to 1:05)
26. Paradise Lost - Eternal (0:08 to 0:40)
25. Mastodon - Blood and Thunder (Intro/Verse Riff)
24. S.O.D - Milano Mosh (Intro)
23. Diamond Head - Am I Evil? (1:24 to 3:31)
22. Entombed - Left Hand Path (Outro)
21. Converge - The Saddest Day (Intro)
20. Death - Zombie Ritual (Intro) (Should be number one tbqfh)

19. Metallica - Master of Puppets (0:21 to 0:49)
18. Megadeth - Holy Wars...the Punishment Due(4:37 to 4:55)
17. Black Flag - Black Coffee (Intro/Chorus riff)
16. Pantera - I'm Broken (Intro to 0:24)
15. Slayer - Angel of Death (1:38 to 2:06)
14. Dismember - Override of the Overture (3:13 to 3:34)
13. Iron Maiden - Hallowed Be Thy Name (4:24 to 6:24)
12. Katatonia - Murder (0:15 to 1:15)
11. Godflesh - Christbait Rising (4:54 to 6:24)
10. Celtic Frost - Into the Crypts of Rays (1:54 to 2:09)

9. The Dillinger Escape Plan - 43% Burnt (Intro/Outro)
8. Metallica - Creeping Death (Intro/Outro)
7. Neurosis - Locust Star (4:30 to end)
6. At The Gates - Blinded By Fear (0:38 to 0:55)
5. Black Sabbath - Supernaut (Intro)
4. Helmet - Blacktop (chorus riff)
3. Judas Priest - Breaking The Law (Intro to 0:12)
2. Carcass - Corporal Jigsore Quandary (Intro to 0:33)
1. Slayer - Reigning Blood (0:51 to 1:27)

Pretty cool riffs (the bolded ones) but badly placed, Raining Blood is no where near 1st. I really hope this was some kind of public opinion thing because some of those weren't anywhere near extreme metal, and most of the ones who were aren't really in the top 50 list IMO.