DT riff "hall of fame"

[bosk1]

Was just thinking about this on the drive in this morning.  Which riffs do you think are true standout all-time-great riffs that you would put in the metal riff hall of fame, if there were such a thing?

One standout to me is the:
  dugga-dugga-dun, da-dun-da-dun
  dugga-dugga-dun, da-dun-da-dun, WEEEEEEEEEE!
riff.  I mean, really, when a riff is so distinctive that you can type it out like I just did without listing the song, and probably 95% of the fanbase is going to recognize it on that basis alone, it's a classic in my book.   

So what are some of yours?

[Sycsa]

The Dark Eternal Night? I probably couldn't think of another DT riff you could type out like that. DT is chok-full of great riffs (DT12 alone is full of them), but they're not that hummable most of the time. I don't consider that an important criteria, I'm usually far more engaged with the type of music I can't simply hum. To answer the question, the Pull Me Under riff definitely has to be up there, it was a hit and that riff is really catchy, I probably hum it on a semi-daily basis. du-du-dum DA-RA rum-tum-tum...

[KevShmev]

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[?]

10:03 in ITNOG has to be my all-time favorite - so crushing! The main riff in Lie is another standout, being so bad-ass and heavy yet rocking and groovy at the same time. 3:22 in the same song may be the most underrated DT riff ever, because it makes me want to headbang every time I hear it, yet I rarely see any appreciation for it.

[bosk1]

...but they're not that hummable most of the time. I don't consider that an important criteria...

Haha!  Actually, I think that is a perfectly valid criterion, actually.  Ritchie Sambora once made a comment along the lines of trying to write solos that people could hum along to, because those are the types of solos people remember, and memorable solos often make for memorable songs.  Say what you will about Ritchie or about Bon Jovi as a band, but to me, that is a pretty insightful comment, and one that I tend to agree with.  No, it isn't necessary for every riff or every solo, and it isn't the end-all-be-all either, but it can be an important factor.

Oh, and good choices on the riffs you mentioned.

[bosk1]

Home

Which one?  There are a couple that I think could qualify.

[KevShmev]

Home

Which one?  There are a couple that I think could qualify.

WOMP! WOMP!

[Tom Bombadil]

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Pretty much this

[bosk1]

Home

Which one?  There are a couple that I think could qualify.

WOMP! WOMP!

I'm with you.

[Sycsa]

Haha!  Actually, I think that is a perfectly valid criterion, actually.  Ritchie Sambora once made a comment along the lines of trying to write solos that people could hum along to, because those are the types of solos people remember, and memorable solos often make for memorable songs.  Say what you will about Ritchie or about Bon Jovi as a band, but to me, that is a pretty insightful comment, and one that I tend to agree with.  No, it isn't necessary for every riff or every solo, and it isn't the end-all-be-all either, but it can be an important factor.

Oh, I don't dispute that at all. When I started thinking about riffs, I realized that my all-time favorites are not that fun to hum and the riffs I tend to hum all the time are usually not in my top 10. So it's not a crucial criteria to me and if I had to make two lists, My Top 10 Favorite Riffs and Riffs I Would Put in the Riff HoF respectively, I'd probably end up with two different lists.

Ritchie Blackmore said something like that regarding Smoke on the Water: "You gotta keep things simple when you want to take the audience with you. Think of Beethoven's 5th Symphony, ta ta ta taaaa, just two notes, instantly recognizable, yet it doesn't sound like anything else."

[bosk1]

Well, and that is probably why you are the man.  (I actually looked it up.  Under "the man," it lists you.  True story.)

[TheGreatPretender]

The opening riff to TROAE is the best riff DT has ever written IMO. At the very least, it would definitely deserve a spot on the DT riff hall of fame.

The main riff from Lie as well.

As I Am

JP wrote a lot of sick riffs!

Bosk, you're referring to the end of TDS/beginning of TROAE in the Original post, correct?  I never really thought of that part as a riff, for some reason. I think because it feels to me like the dominating aspect of that part is the drums, so it always struck me as more of a rhythmic pattern than a guitar riff. Although that pattern is used throughout the 12SS, so we could definitely hear it in TGP, in the middle of TDS, TSF... I haven't paid close enough attention to TROAE so see if they snuck it in there, but I wouldn't be surprised.

[bosk1]

Bosk, you're referring to the end of TDS/beginning of TROAE in the Original post, correct?  I never really thought of that part as a riff, for some reason. I think because it feels to me like the dominating aspect of that part is the drums, so it always struck me as more of a rhythmic pattern than a guitar riff.

Yeah, that's the one.  Yeah, the drums are also prominent.  But even with the prominent drums, and with the guitar so percussive and the fact that you can argue that the guitar is just augmenting the drums, it is still a guitar riff.  And a MIGHTY one! 

[Podaar]

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Pretty much this

+1

With a gigantic honorable mention to 2:31 of Lost Not Forgotten...right after the tickle section! 

[Syzzle]

Both of the riffs in the intro and verse of Illumination Theory

[Outcrier]

There is As i Am riff too.

[robwebster]

Bosk, you're referring to the end of TDS/beginning of TROAE in the Original post, correct?  I never really thought of that part as a riff, for some reason. I think because it feels to me like the dominating aspect of that part is the drums, so it always struck me as more of a rhythmic pattern than a guitar riff. Although that pattern is used throughout the 12SS, so we could definitely hear it in TGP, in the middle of TDS, TSF... I haven't paid close enough attention to TROAE so see if they snuck it in there, but I wouldn't be surprised.

It's not really a riff when it appears in TROAE - the guitar only contributes one chord - but it echoes the rappy bit in Reflections of Reality, and that is a riff. A very good one.

[Invisible]

All the ones mentioned are great, especially Lie, The Dark Eternal Night, Illumination Theory and The Root of All Evil, but you can't talk about DT riffs without mentioning Pull Me Under, like Sycsa did.

There are so many, but when thinking hall of fame I have to go with Under A Glass Moon, that intro is completely unique and memorable, and everything that follows for that matter, it's not even among my favourite songs, but that intro is chill inducing and the part that follows "Dun-dun da-da-dun da-da dun-dun". Lost Not Forgotten, the only song I consider an auto rip-off from the band, doesn't come close, I'm sorry.

Strange Deja Vu, especially the "back on my feet again" part. Love the guitar on the whole "something is ugly familar" section.

Clearly JP has a great way of making riffs very melodic, but when he doesn't they are also awesome: The Glass Prison. Da-da dada-nana dada-nana nana nana WAH WAH WAH Love it!!

About To Crash Reprise, oh yeah, that's another good stuff.

I'd start mentioning ITNOG, but all Train of Thought is a riff factory I wouldn't know where to start.

[vbrodrigues95]

When I think about riffs, the ones that comes to my mind are:
 
Wahwah riff of The Glas Prison
Lie
From "back on my feet again" and on to the "something is ugly familiar" of Strange Deja Vu, like it was already mentioned
Looking Glass
The heavy riff after the intro of On The Backs of Angels
The IT riff after the intro

And the list goes on

[TAC]

I love the riff under the solo in A Rite Of Passage.

[TheGreatPretender]

I love the riff under the solo in A Rite Of Passage.

I think AROP has quite a few flaws, but I would say it has some really memorable and great riffs all throughout.

[vbrodrigues95]

I love the riff under the solo in A Rite Of Passage.

Oh yeah, love this one

[The Holy Tune]

Lie has a kick-ass riff.
I love Peruvian Skies' riff from 4:19.
The chorus riff of Misunderstood fits the song magnificently.
TGP is full of beautiful riffs. Any of the 12SS (except Repentance, I don't really like it) has beautiful riffs.
ToT is a really heavy album, contains some of the best riffs ever such as the intro of As I Am or right Honor Thy Father right after the 33rd second.
TRAOE's intro is great, but TSF has an even heavier feeling to it right before that solo.
Sacrificed Sons also sounds very good at the chorus parts.
8VM has so many, I can't even comprehend many
SC is also full of great riffs, like ToT. I especially like Forsaken, TDEN, TMOLS and ITPOE.
BC&SL has that amazing two songs, TCOT and TSF are amazing in means of EVERYTHING.
Well, thinking about it again, any song in that album has magnificent riffs.
ADTOE? BMU, BMD somehow lacks power but has very good sounding things. Lost Not Forgotten, Outcry and BAI have tasty riffs.
DT12 has the "chocolate cake" tone, so whatever JP plays with it sounds great! But TEI and anything from IT sound way better than the rest.

[JayOctavarium]

The beginning of "Restoration" in  The Glass Prison

[?]

The beginning of "Restoration" in  The Glass Prison

Oh yes, that one too

[mirko_metal_88]

I can add Another Won, i just love that opening riff! but i guess my favourite one is the riff at 8.05 of Endless Sacrifice

[TheGreatPretender]

I can add Another Won, i just love that opening riff! but i guess my favourite one is the riff at 8.05 of Endless Sacrifice

There are at least 3 songs on WDADU that I would have gladly sacrificed to have a polished version of Another Won on the album. But the live version on Score was great too.

[YtseJamittaja]

Endless Sacrifice's riff in the chorus. The most badass riff ever which should have used more in the song.

[wolfking]

The Glass Prison.  The one in the middle of the song that reprises in This Dying Soul.  Perfection.

[wolfking]

The Glass Prison.  The one in the middle of the song that reprises in This Dying Soul.  Perfection.

The beginning of "Restoration" in  The Glass Prison

Yeah this one.

[Nearmyth]

The Glass Prison

Dun Dun  Dada DUH dun  Dada DUH dun  Dada DUH dun dodododo WAH WAH WAH

 

Pretty much anything out of TGP and Train of Thought are great

I also particularly like the In The Name of God main riff. So simple, but so awesome.

[Kotowboy]

The Dark Eternal Night? I probably couldn't think of another DT riff you could type out like that. DT is chok-full of great riffs (DT12 alone is full of them), but they're not that hummable most of the time. I don't consider that an important criteria, I'm usually far more engaged with the type of music I can't simply hum. To answer the question, the Pull Me Under riff definitely has to be up there, it was a hit and that riff is really catchy, I probably hum it on a semi-daily basis. du-du-dum DA-RA rum-tum-tum...

The 12 Step Suite riff. The intro to Root.

[Laughingplace56]

The 12 Step Suite riff. The intro to Root.

This and "Restoration" in TGP are my absolute favorites from them. They're just fucking perfect.

[Kotowboy]

OK fess up !!!

Does anyone know the names of all 12 *tracks* in the 12 Step Suite in order - off by heart ?

[JayOctavarium]

Endless Sacrifice's riff in the chorus. The most badass riff ever which should have used more in the song.

Another one in my top 5 or so