TIME2MOSH: Slayer

This is the first post in my new series TIME2MOSH, where I will pick a band/mosh riff I like and talk about how much I like them. Keep in mind that moshworthy riffage is very subjective, and you won't always agree with my definition of what a mosh riff exactly is, but you'll probably ALWAYS agree that the riff twin-guitar-attackages that I pick are pretty gosh darn mighty.

Pictured: SLAYER

Slayer was the natural first choice for a column entitled TIME2MOSH because, as we all know, before Slayer there wasn't really any such thing as moshing. Have you ever heard of slamdancing at a Led Zeppelin concert? Thought not.

I had to think for a while about what riffs I should include, because they have SO MANY GREAT ONES!!!

The first riff I picked it midway through Raining Blood, and it slows the galloping propellant rhythm down to a half-time crawl. We now know this as a breakdown. That makes this the first breakdown, meaning it effectively started a few new metal subgenres with a single riff! (See video below)

Mosh at approx 2:10!

This is a really boring mosh riff, but I give it a pass because it's like, the first one ever. Slayer had a really great thing going for them. I feel like up until the mid-nineties they had this really menacing vibe that no other band possessed except maybe like Morbid Angel or something.

Riffage number two comes from a different album altogether: Seasons In The Abyss. I could probably write a whole post on how much of a moshfest that album is, but especially this song. This song.

This song.

War Ensemble!

Tom Araya talks about killing people and other things of a violent nature in this song, so you know it has to have a great mosh riff. Actually the whole song is just a mosh riff. Literally, pick out any 5 second sample and it will have you moshing. My favorite riff comes partway through the song after a ludicrous drum fill courtesy of a Dave Lombardo.

Mosh at 2:20!!!

This riff actually sounds angry and mean, which is something that all of the metal releases of the past 20 years seem to lack. Regardless, many bands jumped onto the moshtrain, and in the decades to come we would be presented with some truly terrifying moshage. I just picked Slayer for this first post so people could start to see the evolution of the mosh or something like that.

Next week we'll continue our exploration of total mosh fury with a band who I think started the modern breakdown template that most ____-core bands follow today, and pulls it off to a much greater effect:

SUFFOCATION!!!