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? Each week, riff disciples Austin Paulson, Dylan Adams, & Justin Swindle attempt to answer this question by discussing their favorite riffs, how they came to be, and why we still worship them today.
Riff Worship
Claim This Podcastby Austin Paulson, Dylan Adams, and Justin Swindle
4.8(49 reviews)
167 episodes
Updated Daily
Accepts GuestsHas SponsorsLocation 🇺🇸
88
Podcast Authority
BetaExcellentBased on show quality, social media presence, reviews, charts, and more
Quality95
Social94
YouTube85
Engagement71
Podcast Overview
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? Each week, riff disciples Austin Paulson, Dylan Adams, & Justin Swindle attempt to answer this question by discussing their favorite riffs, how they came to be, and why we still worship them today.
Language
🇺🇲
Publishing Since
4/19/2023
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Recent Episodes
July 16, 2026
#162 - Trap Them - Seizures In Barren Praise w/ Clint Gee (Smearing)
<p>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!</p><p>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.</p><p>In this episode, we’ll discuss:</p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p>Analyzing the specific gear behind the record's devastating riffs, including the Ampeg V4 amp head and the finely tuned HM-2 pedal setup.</p><p>Discussing the dark, iconic cover art crafted by Deathwish Inc. co-founder and Converge frontman Jacob Bannon.</p><p>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!</p><p>Recommendations:</p><p><a href="https://orphandonor.bandcamp.com/album/ailments" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">Orphan Donor - Ailments</a></p><p><a href="https://demeanor.bandcamp.com/album/the-slugs-throne" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">Demeanor - The Slugs Throne</a></p><p><a href="https://vulgarmephitis.bandcamp.com/album/from-dust" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">Vulgar Mephitis - From Dust</a></p><p><a href="https://ironlungrecords.bandcamp.com/album/decrepitizing-din-of-the-cerebral-psyopticon-lungs-320" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">FAKE DUST - Decrepitizing Din Of The Cerebral Psyopticon</a></p><p><a href="https://pisscorpse.bandcamp.com/album/precipice-of-death" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">PISSCORPSE - PRECIPICE OF DEATH</a></p><p><a href="https://totalpowerexchange.bandcamp.com/album/fractured-godhead-terrene-mask" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">Total Power Exchange - Fractured Godhead Terrene Mask</a></p><p><a href="https://infernalcoil.bandcamp.com/album/within-a-world-forgotten" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">Infernal Coil - Within A World Forgotten</a></p><p><a href="https://napalmdeath.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">Napalm Death</a></p><p><a href="https://thou.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">Thou</a></p><p>Follow Riff Worship</p><p>Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/riffworshippod/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://www.instagram.com/riffworshippod/</a></p><p>Twitter: <a href="https://x.com/RiffWorshipPod" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://x.com/RiffWorshipPod</a></p><p>YouTube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@RiffWorshipPod" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://www.youtube.com/@RiffWorshipPod</a></p><p>Check out our Official Playlists:</p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37W4wEyb5ELf2y0YYlhRy2?si=631b8a90067e4876" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">Riffs on Repeat (Spotify)</a><a href="https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/hits-from-the-crypt/pl.u-8aAVXvauoNWybL" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer"></a></p><p><a href="https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvwGr2qsmQQrsJbS8IPgAvs7Lx45gaVs7&si=XAGEfVe1DEjBfjjJ" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">Riffs on Repeat (YouTube Music)</a></p><p><a href="https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/hits-from-the-crypt/pl.u-8aAVXvauoNWybL" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">Hits from the Crypt (Apple)</a></p>
July 9, 2026
#161 - Thergothon - Stream from the Heavens
<p>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!</p><p>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. </p><p>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.</p><p>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!</p><p>Recommendations:</p><p><a href="https://cadyheron.bandcamp.com/album/limitations-of-the-human-form" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">CADY - Limitations of the Human Form</a></p><p><a href="https://thisemptyflowdarknessshallrise.bandcamp.com/album/magenta-skycode" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">This Empty Flow - Magenta Skycode</a></p><p><a href="https://skepticism.bandcamp.com/album/stormcrowfleet" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">Skepticism - Stormcrowfleet</a></p><p><a href="https://avantgardemusic.bandcamp.com/album/in-absentia-christi" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">MonumentuM - In Absentia Christi</a></p><p><a href="https://ahab.bandcamp.com/album/the-boats-of-the-glen-carrig" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">Ahab - The Boats of The Glen Carrig</a></p><p><a href="https://kakothanasy.bandcamp.com/album/metagonism" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">Kakothanasy - Metagonism</a></p><p>Follow Riff Worship</p><p>Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/riffworshippod/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://www.instagram.com/riffworshippod/</a></p><p>Twitter: <a href="https://x.com/RiffWorshipPod" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://x.com/RiffWorshipPod</a></p><p>YouTube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@RiffWorshipPod" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://www.youtube.com/@RiffWorshipPod</a></p><p>Check out our Official Playlists:</p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37W4wEyb5ELf2y0YYlhRy2?si=631b8a90067e4876" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">Riffs on Repeat (Spotify)</a><a href="https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/hits-from-the-crypt/pl.u-8aAVXvauoNWybL" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer"></a></p><p><a href="https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvwGr2qsmQQrsJbS8IPgAvs7Lx45gaVs7&si=XAGEfVe1DEjBfjjJ" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">Riffs on Repeat (YouTube Music)</a></p><p><a href="https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/hits-from-the-crypt/pl.u-8aAVXvauoNWybL" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">Hits from the Crypt (Apple)</a></p>
July 2, 2026
#160 - Deadguy - Fixation on a Co-Worker
<p>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.</p><p>This week we’ll explore:</p><p>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!</p><p>Deadguy’s long-standing relationship with producer Steve Evetts, rented Mesa Boogie amps, shared bass gear, and Tim Singer’s faint-inducing vocal performance.</p><p>The disastrous, underfunded 1995 tour that tore the band apart just three months before their debut album hit shelves. </p><p>Deadguy's 2021 reunion, the Killing Music documentary, and their evolution into the 2025 full-length album Near-Death Travel Services.</p><p>Recommendations:</p><p><a href="https://bitterbranches.bandcamp.com/album/lets-give-the-land-back-to-the-animals" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">Bitter Branches - Let's Give The Land Back To The Animals</a></p><p><a href="https://cadyheron.bandcamp.com/track/limitations-of-the-human-form" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">CADY - Limitations of the Human Form</a></p><p><a href="https://russiancircles.bandcamp.com/album/nine" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">Russian Circles - Nine</a></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqB2Et-lgX8" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">Kiss It Goodbye - She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not</a></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@WitchBoltMusic" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">Witch Bolt</a></p><p><a href="https://trustkill.bandcamp.com/album/born-suspicious" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">This Is Hell - Born Suspicious</a></p><p>Follow Riff Worship</p><p>Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/riffworshippod/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://www.instagram.com/riffworshippod/</a></p><p>Twitter: <a href="https://x.com/RiffWorshipPod" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://x.com/RiffWorshipPod</a></p><p>YouTube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@RiffWorshipPod" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://www.youtube.com/@RiffWorshipPod</a></p><p>Check out our Official Playlists:</p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37W4wEyb5ELf2y0YYlhRy2?si=631b8a90067e4876" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">Riffs on Repeat (Spotify)</a><a href="https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/hits-from-the-crypt/pl.u-8aAVXvauoNWybL" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer"></a></p><p><a href="https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvwGr2qsmQQrsJbS8IPgAvs7Lx45gaVs7&si=XAGEfVe1DEjBfjjJ" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">Riffs on Repeat (YouTube Music)</a></p><p><a href="https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/hits-from-the-crypt/pl.u-8aAVXvauoNWybL" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">Hits from the Crypt (Apple)</a></p>
167 total episodes available
Recent guests on Riff Worship
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Zach Reini
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Shaune Kelley
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Zachary Ezrin
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