Former Sadgiqacea vocalist/drummer Fred Grabosky brings us his new project God Root and what a project it is, following up their 4 track EP released last year, the band have roared back with their debut full length released on the 11 July and to put it simply, “Salt and Rot” is one of the best records we’ve heard this year, and a uniquely disorienting listen. With its balance of inhuman tones and ritual chants, it feels simultaneously outside of history and utterly indebted to it. Packing such epic arrangements into a 33 minute record feels impossible, as lesser acts have failed to deliver similar ambitions into double disc efforts.
As
with Sadgiqacea, these Philadelphia
Today
with the album but a few weeks old, we invited the band to talk about the
lifeblood of all bands worldwide, the might of the riff. So come with us as we take our weekly trip into the extreme and turn the volume all the
way up to eleven, as God Root choose some of their favourite riffs
of all time.
“Each
of us has immense respect for the song writers who push riffs with their
hearts. We like to think we take after that mind set in our own writing. We
want to feel it. “Salt and Rot” contains a lot of riffs that we really feel in
our loins. Here's a list of some of all-time favourite riffs that we've been
inspired by and aspire to live up to”.
The
Mars Volta
– “Take the Veil Cerpin Taxt” (chosen
by Jordan
I
can't think of a band that mixes intricate guitar parts and noise any better
than The
Mars Volta. At 3:40, after being taken on what is already an insane
sonic journey, the song quiets and out of this King Crimson-esque mellotron
part starts to bubble this stumbling, idiotic riff that sounds like it's had a
little too much to drink. The riff seems like it was written by a toddler
smashing their toy truck into a step sequencer at first but then you start to
realize that this is a riff and "oh shit, it's angry." before you
have enough time to say "I get it" this phaser of death swallows it
up and the rest of the band joins back in to form this ultra-noisey super
groove.
Runner up: “Red” by King Crimson
The Melvins – “Boris” (chosen by Ross)
This riff is the grandpappy of 10,000 bands and 100,000 songs. A riff you name
your band after. A riff I named my cat after. A riff so heavy you laugh at it
when you first hear it. Like "what the fuck is this... he's basically
playing 3 notes for 9 minutes." And then you find yourself craving it.
Always wanting more. Chasing that riff dragon. But no other riff comes close.
Never like that first time. Extra props to the live version with the Big Business
boys joining in for insane 4 part harmonies.
Runner
up: “Christbait Rising” by Godflesh
Morbid
Angel – “God of Emptiness” by (chosen
by Keith)
The opening riff of this song is perfect. The snaking, unpredictable, and
totally crushing guitar immediately conveys blasphemy and total evil. Morbid Angel
has a way of finding the perfect "wrong" notes in their riffs and it
makes them sound completely sinister and alien like pronouncing the name of
some ancient Lovecraftian beast. It's just the most pulverizing thing I've ever
heard.
Runner up: “Sight Beyond Sight” by Rwake
Neurosis – “The Doorway” (chosen by Fred)
This
is kind of a no-brainer for most people that love heavy music I guess, and
maybe even an unoriginal answer to some, but I don't care. I honestly would
like to lump this whole damn song into one "favorite riff", but if I
had to choose a specific riff in this song, it would have to be the breaking
point riff with an epic crash at 3:20 in. This riff is so damn good it's
stupid. It's set up perfectly to pummel you after 3 minutes of 2 swirling riffs
that seem to send you into a daze from violent electric shock. A haunting and
intense stupor washes over you as you hear both Scott and Steve bark and howl
at you...and then it hits. Holy fuck, it's like the earth is being split open
only to send your body hurling into the abyss. As you're free falling through
the earths core at disgusting speed, the mid tempo riff evolves with clever
harmonic palm mutes...and then you're legally dead, you smash into the surface
below, but the next riff violates your obliterated corpse even further... the
song is an all out assault on the psyche for a solid 7 minutes. I have so much
love for this band, this album and this riff.
Runner
Up: “Set the Controls for the Heart of
The Sun” by Pink
Floyd
James
Brown
– “Ain't it Funky Now” (chosen by Joe)
The
teeth-grinding single mindedness that this riff is played with is something I
think about a lot. The whole rhythm section is on board with that attitude and
the tension is physical. The way they just lean into it unceasingly for minutes
at a time never fails to make my muscles tense up involuntarily. This riff is a
great example of the power of sheer repetition in music.
Runner
up: “Journey Into Satchidananda” by Alice Coltrane
