HeyJaredRiff Worship
The riff is the foundation of heavy music, evolving over several decades and styles. Many of our favorite songs started with a single idea and guitar in hand. Anyone can write a riff, but what makes a good riff?
- Indexed episodes, last 90 days
- 11
- Latest publication
- Sep 24, 2026
- Audience
- Checking…
- Earliest in this view
- Jul 9, 2026
Latest episodes
#171 - Hot Cross - Risk Revival (opens the original)
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This week on Riff Worship, we unpack the underground legacy of post-hardcore icons Hot Cross and the turbulent creation of their 2007 swan song, Risk Revival. In this episode, we discuss: The band’s roots in post-hardcore and screamo heavyweights Saetia, You and I, and Neil Perry. Their essential catalog, including defining splits with Light the Fuse and Run, Lickgoldensky, and The Holy Shroud. The decision to scrap the album and re-record it from scratch with former guitarist Josh Jakubowski fo
#170 - When Billy Joel Went Heavy Metal: The Story of Attila (1970) (opens the original)
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Long before the ballads and sold-out stadiums, a twenty-year-old Billy Joel ditched classical piano, maxed out a Hammond B-3 organ through a wall of Marshall stacks, and set out to melt faces. In this episode of Riff Worship, we explore the strange, short-lived history of Attila: the legendary proto-metal duo Joel formed with drummer Jon Small. Join us as we trace their evolution from The Lost Souls and The Hassles straight into the meat-locker photoshoots, the catastrophic reception of their 19
#169 - Dead In The Dirt - The Blind Hole (opens the original)
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This week on Riff Worship, we dissect the history of Atlanta’s vegan straight-edge grindcore trio, Dead in the Dirt. We trace their journey from early DIY beginnings to their signing with Southern Lord, exploring the making of their debut LP, The Blind Hole! In this episode, we’ll discuss: Guitarist and vocalist Blake Connally’s bizarre introduction to extreme music, from unearthing a buried Helmet CD in the woods to discovering Napalm Death on the 1995 Mortal Kombat movie soundtrack. The trio's
#168 - Rippikoulu - Musta Seremonia w/ Ukko's Hammer (opens the original)
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Special guest Zach Reini (Ukko’s Hammer) returns to the Riff Worship Podcast to help us unpack the legacy of Finnish death-doom trailblazers Rippikoulu and their monumental 1993 demo, Musta seremonia! In this episode, we’ll discuss: Rippikoulu’s evolution from their chaotic hardcore punk origins in Valkeakoski to becoming architects of crushing, atmospheric death metal. Revisiting their 1992 debut, Mutaation aiheuttama sisäinen mätäneminen and tracing their early foray into gore-obsessed heavine
#167 - Hear 'N Aid - Stars (opens the original)
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In the mid-1980s, global charity supergroups like Band Aid and U.S.A. for Africa dominated international headlines, raising tens of millions of dollars to combat severe famine in Ethiopia. Yet, despite heavy metal’s massive commercial dominance, hard rock and metal musicians were noticeably excluded from pop-centric relief efforts. In this episode of Riff Worship, we break down how Dio guitarist Vivian Campbell, bassist Jimmy Bain, and legendary frontman Ronnie James Dio decided to take action,
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