This week on Riff Worship, we’re joined by prolific multi-instrumentalist Garry Brents (Sallow Moth) and guitarist Joe Gordon (Mortal Decay) for a deep dive into Mortal Decay’s landmark 2002 sophomore album, Forensic!Together, we trace Mortal Decay’s evolution—from their early 1990s origins as Necropolis and Macabre to underground demo staples like Grisly Aftermath (1993) and Brutalizing Creations (1995). We break down the making of their classic debut, Sickening Erotic Fanaticism (1997), and analyze why their 2002 Unique Leader Records release, Forensic, remains a high-water mark for progressive brutal death metal.Plus, Garry Brents gives us an inside look at the upcoming Sallow Moth record, Hydrophilous Brood (out July 24th via Willowtip Records). We discuss collaborating with new drummer Allen Gingerich, unpack the gear behind the Sallow Moth tone, and explore how Mortal Decay’s brutal death metal legacy directly influenced his songwriting!Sallow Moth - Hydrophilous Brood drops 7/24 via Willowtip Records: https://www.willowtip.com/bands/details/sallow-moth.aspxMortal Decay - Sickening Erotic Fanaticism LP Repress is OUT NOW via Hells Headbangers Records: https://shop-hellsheadbangers.com/item-group.asp?PgpID=41321Recommendations:Mastodon - Marrow DeepScasm - Punished by DisembowelmentCathedral - In MemoriamNoctule - Extinguish Thy FlameReinfection - They Die For NothingReeking Aura - On the Promise of the MoonANCIIENTS - Beyond the Reach of the SunInveracity - Circle of PerversionFollow Riff WorshipInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/riffworshippod/Twitter: https://x.com/RiffWorshipPodYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RiffWorshipPodCheck out our Official Playlists:Riffs on Repeat (Spotify)Riffs on Repeat (YouTube Music)Hits from the Crypt (Apple)
Jul 23
1 hr 38 min
This week on Riff Worship, we dive headfirst into one of the 21st century's most visceral extreme music masterpieces: Trap Them’s 2008 sophomore album, Seizures in Barren Praise. Joining us to dissect the record's enduring legacy is Clint Gee, vocalist of Seattle grindcore outfit Smearing!We’ll take a look into the blueprint of the record, exploring how the band seamlessly fused hardcore punk velocity with the legendary Swedish Boss HM-2 buzzsaw guitar tone. From its non-linear track listing to the cryptic lore of the fictional town of Barren Praise, we establish exactly why this album remains a high-water mark in aggressive music.In this episode, we’ll discuss:An in-depth look at the album's creation at GodCity Studios with producer Kurt Ballou, highlighting the evolution from their debut full-length Sleepwell Deconstructor.Unpacking vocalist Ryan McKenney’s unique, paragraph-style lyrical concept—treating the written word as a separate art medium from the music—and how the stark cinematic style of director Dario Argento influenced his approach.Analyzing the specific gear behind the record's devastating riffs, including the Ampeg V4 amp head and the finely tuned HM-2 pedal setup.Discussing the dark, iconic cover art crafted by Deathwish Inc. co-founder and Converge frontman Jacob Bannon.Clint Gee shares his own history in the DIY Nashville and Seattle music scenes, and how Trap Them's legendary live intensity shaped his own musical path!Recommendations:Orphan Donor - AilmentsDemeanor - The Slugs ThroneVulgar Mephitis - From DustFAKE DUST - Decrepitizing Din Of The Cerebral PsyopticonPISSCORPSE - PRECIPICE OF DEATHTotal Power Exchange - Fractured Godhead Terrene MaskInfernal Coil - Within A World ForgottenNapalm DeathThouFollow Riff WorshipInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/riffworshippod/Twitter: https://x.com/RiffWorshipPodYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RiffWorshipPodCheck out our Official Playlists:Riffs on Repeat (Spotify)Riffs on Repeat (YouTube Music)Hits from the Crypt (Apple)
Jul 16
1 hr 39 min
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 death metal scene, the Kaarina-based trio stripped away all speed and aggression to craft something entirely immersive, bleak, and atmospheric. Heavily influenced by the cosmic horror of H.P. Lovecraft and a mixture of non-metal sounds—ranging from Dead Can Dance and Joy Division to dark ambient and goth rock—Thergothon channeled their angst into a frozen, monolithic vacuum of pure negative emotion.Join us as we dissect the band's brief but legendary three-year history, trace the origins of Obscure Plasma Records and Avantgarde Music, and discover how a single, 40-minute album paved the way for bands like Skepticism, Evoken, and Mournful Congregation!Recommendations:CADY - Limitations of the Human FormThis Empty Flow - Magenta SkycodeSkepticism - StormcrowfleetMonumentuM - In Absentia ChristiAhab - The Boats of The Glen CarrigKakothanasy - MetagonismFollow Riff WorshipInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/riffworshippod/Twitter: https://x.com/RiffWorshipPodYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RiffWorshipPodCheck out our Official Playlists:Riffs on Repeat (Spotify)Riffs on Repeat (YouTube Music)Hits from the Crypt (Apple)
Jul 9
1 hr 7 min
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 bands like Converge, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Botch, and many more!Deadguy’s long-standing relationship with producer Steve Evetts, rented Mesa Boogie amps, shared bass gear, and Tim Singer’s faint-inducing vocal performance.The disastrous, underfunded 1995 tour that tore the band apart just three months before their debut album hit shelves. Deadguy's 2021 reunion, the Killing Music documentary, and their evolution into the 2025 full-length album Near-Death Travel Services.Recommendations:Bitter Branches - Let's Give The Land Back To The AnimalsCADY - Limitations of the Human FormRussian Circles - NineKiss It Goodbye - She Loves Me, She Loves Me NotWitch BoltThis Is Hell - Born SuspiciousFollow Riff WorshipInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/riffworshippod/Twitter: https://x.com/RiffWorshipPodYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RiffWorshipPodCheck out our Official Playlists:Riffs on Repeat (Spotify)Riffs on Repeat (YouTube Music)Hits from the Crypt (Apple)
Jul 2
2 hr 1 min
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 still resonates today. We trace their journey from working at a local donut shop to joining the legendary roster of Prank Records and laying the foundations for modern aggressive music.This week we’ll discuss:How an isolated, conservative Southern city fostered a tight-knit DIY community and fueled the band’s dark, aggressive sound.A deep dive into the systemic and historical themes of Monuments to Thieves, including how the stark reality of Memphis' former Auction Avenue inspired the album’s title and artwork.A look at Polymorph Studio in Oakland, California, their collaborations with producer Dan Rathbun, and the unique gear behind their massive, crushing tone.How the band navigated grueling tours across North America, Europe, and Japan, their abrupt final hometown show, and their eventual relocation to Portland, Oregon to form the iconic hardcore band Tragedy.Recommendations:Cattle Press - Hordes to Abolish the DivineFaerie Ring - FAERIE RINGThe Mountain Goats - DaysDevourment - Pious Impiety EPFollow Riff WorshipInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/riffworshippod/Twitter: https://x.com/RiffWorshipPodYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RiffWorshipPodCheck out our Official Playlists:Riffs on Repeat (Spotify)Riffs on Repeat (YouTube Music)Hits from the Crypt (Apple)
Jun 25
1 hr 13 min
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 this week as we break down:How a teenage Chris Reifert crossed paths with Chuck Schuldiner to help create Death's massively influential debut, Scream Bloody Gore, before forming Autopsy.How half the budget for Severed Survival “went up in smoke,” leaving the band just a few days to record with producer John Marshall (Blind Illusion, Metal Church) at Starlight Sound. How Sadus bassist Steve Di Giorgio stepped in at the last minute to deliver the album's devastating, pummeling bass lines. The direct horror influences behind the tracks, including Stephen King's short story Survivor Type, Tim Ritter's Truth or Dare?, and George A. Romero’s Creepshow.The story behind Kent Mathieu’s original Hellraiser-inspired cover art and Kev Walker’s “censored” alternate zombie surgical scene.How Jeff Walker of Carcass helped secure Autopsy a home on Peaceville Records, inadvertently paving the way for legendary labelmates like Paradise Lost, Darkthrone, and At the Gates.From the unrelenting brutality of “Charred Remains” to the sludgy, doom-inspired riffs of “Embalmed,” join us as we celebrate the raw, unfiltered madness that helped kickstart the genre!Recommendations:Abscess / Population ReductionSore Throat - Unhindered by TalentPaul 'Hammy' Halmshaw - Peaceville LifeMastodon - Your Ghost AgainImmolation - DescentEmma Ruth Rundle - These Killing TimesFollow Riff WorshipInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/riffworshippod/Twitter: https://x.com/RiffWorshipPodYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RiffWorshipPodCheck out our Official Playlists:Riffs on Repeat (Spotify)Riffs on Repeat (YouTube Music)Hits from the Crypt (Apple)
Jun 18
1 hr 26 min
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 and uncompromising blend of sludge, death metal, black metal, and noise. Creating exclusively for themselves, the band permanently scarred the extreme music landscape with their 2009 landmark debut, Hatred for Mankind.This week we’ll discuss:Dragged Into Sunlight’s mysterious origins and their experimental, 19-minute long collaborative assault with Liverpool noise artist Kas Mana, Terminal Aggressor.The grueling, sleepless recording sessions of their debut album and the monolithic production made possible by legendary engineers Tom Dring (Corrupt Moral Altar) and Billy Anderson (Eyehategod, Melvins, Neurosis).Honoring the visceral, iconic, hand-drawn cover artwork by the late, brilliant Justin Bartlett. The band’s infatuation with true crime, the cold reality behind their notorious serial killer samples, and the first-hand professional insight of working inside a Texas Death Row facility.From the pummeling riffs of ‘Boiled Angel’ and ‘To Hieron’ to the horrific ambience of ‘Totem of Skulls’—leave the hallway light on and join us as we celebrate a modern masterpiece of misery.Recommendations:Khann - ErodeU.S. Christmas - Run Thick In The NightFollow Riff WorshipInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/riffworshippod/Twitter: https://x.com/RiffWorshipPodYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RiffWorshipPodCheck out our Official Playlists:Riffs on Repeat (Spotify)Riffs on Repeat (YouTube Music)Hits from the Crypt (Apple)
Jun 11
1 hr 5 min
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 Blackout Terror.Majority Rule’s transition into a three-piece, with Matt Michel and Kevin Lamiell stepping up to the microphone.The making of their landmark debut album, Interviews With David Frost, alongside producer Brian McTernan.An in-depth breakdown of Emergency Numbers including working with Jim Siegel at The Outpost, Matt Michel’s iconic photography layout, and a guitar/bass gear rundown.Why the band gracefully parted ways in 2004, their impactful reunion tours with Pg.99 and City of Caterpillar, and how those shows birthed their current project, NØ MAN!Recommendations:Portrayal of Guilt - …Beginning of the EndPortrayal of Guilt - Devil MusicInfant Island - Obsidian WreathNØ MAN - MoanNØ MAN - Glitter and SpitFollow Riff WorshipInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/riffworshippod/Twitter: https://x.com/RiffWorshipPodYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RiffWorshipPodCheck out our Official Playlists:Riffs on Repeat (Spotify)Riffs on Repeat (YouTube Music)Hits from the Crypt (Apple)
May 28
1 hr 8 min
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 Death Metal (OSDM) to the modern purveyors of brutal slam and tech-death, we’ll each share our personal lists and spotlight the essential new bands carrying the torch forward!Follow Atræ BilisFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/atraebilis/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/atraebilis/Follow Fulci RotsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/fulcirots/Website: https://fulcirots.bigcartel.com/productsAustin's Top 5 Death Metal:Death - HumanCarcass - Necroticism - Descanting the InsalubriousMorbid Angel - Gateways to AnnihilationCattle Decapitation - The Harvest FloorGorguts - Colored SandsDylan's Top 5 Death Metal:Defeated Sanity - Passages Into DeformitySuffocation - SuffocationCryptopsy - None So VileCarcass - HeartworkCannibal Corpse - KillDavid's Top 5 Death Metal:Deicide - LegionOrigin - Informis, Infinitas, InhumanitasDisgorge - Consume the ForsakenDecapitated - Winds of CreationDevourment - Molesting the DecapitatedHonorable Mentions:Suffocation - Pierced From WithinCannibal Corpse - Tomb Of The MutilatedCannibal Corpse - The BleedingCannibal Corpse - BloodthirstBrodequin - Festival of DeathDefeated Sanity - Psalms Of The MoribundMortician - Final Bloodbath SessionGorgasm - Masticate to DominateHate Eternal - King of All KingsDying Fetus - Destroy the OppositionDecrepit Birth - And Time BeginsThorr's Hammer - DommedagsnattHuman Remains - Using Sickness as a HeroEntombed - Left Hand PathdISEMBOWELMENT - Transcendence Into The PeripheralDragged Into Sunlight - Hatred For MankindCannibal Corpse - VileCryptopsy - Whisper SupremacyCephalic Carnage - XenosapienGorguts - From Wisdom To HateJob for a Cowboy - RuinationExhumed - Anatomy Is DestinyDisgorge - Cranial ImpalementDeprecated - Deriding His CreationCynic - FocusImmolation - Failures for GodsBehemoth - The ApostasyDying Fetus - War of AttritionThe Black Dahlia Murder - RitualDismember - Indecent & ObsceneNile - Annihilation of the WickedMorbid Angel - DominationHate Eternal - I, MonarchEntombed - Wolverine BluesCattle Decapitation - Death AtlasCattle Decapitation - Monolith of InhumanityBeneath The Massacre - FearmongerJob for a Cowboy - GenesisThe Black Dahlia Murder - DeflorateNew Death Metal:Atræ Bilis - AumicideSanguisugabogg - Hideous AftermathDeliquesce - Saviour / EnslaverFit For An AutopsyIngestedBlood IncantationRevocationParty CannonOuter HeavenLago - VigilDream Unending - Song Of SalvationDefacement - DoomedWretched Blessing - Psychic Barriers to EntryNithing - Agonal HymnsTheurgy - Emanations of Unconscious LuminescencePutridity - Ignominious Atonement Follow Riff WorshipInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/riffworshippod/Twitter: https://x.com/RiffWorshipPodYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RiffWorshipPodCheck out our Official Playlists:Riffs on Repeat (Spotify)Riffs on Repeat (YouTube Music)Hits from the Crypt (Apple)
May 21
2 hr 11 min
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 and legendary producer Scott Burns. We’ll explore how being dropped by their label and a four-year hiatus led to a period of intense experimentation and fine-tuning.In this episode, we’ll also discuss:How gutiarist/vocalist Luc Lemay’s conservatory education in violin and composition influenced the architecture of Gorguts’ songwriting.The critical role of late guitarist Steeve Hurdle in pushing the band’s sonic textures and thematic depth.Reconnecting with engineer Pierre Rémillard (Cryptopsy, Kataklysm, Voivod) at Studio Victor to capture the album’s raw, natural sound!Help Steve Evetts Rebuild His Studio: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-steve-evetts-rebuild-his-studioRecommendations:Human Remains - Using Sickness as a HeroSPENT CASE - FEAR STATESERPENT LORD - The Once Forgotten Ways of OldThe Smashing Pumpkins - AdoreFollow Riff WorshipInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/riffworshippod/Twitter: https://x.com/RiffWorshipPodYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RiffWorshipPodCheck out our Official Playlists:Riffs on Repeat (Spotify)Riffs on Repeat (YouTube Music)Hits from the Crypt (Apple)
May 14
1 hr 23 min
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