Riffology — A Perfect Circle: Mer de Noms

Maynard James Keenan takes a detour from Tool, rents a room to guitar wizard Billy Howerdel, and they accidentally build the most elegant “super-group” debut of the millennium.

Neil and Chris dig into the Mer de Noms mythos:

• how a guitar tech’s home demos became a platinum record
• the secret names and symbols hidden in the artwork
• Josh Freese’s drums that sound like they were recorded i...

Riffology — Deftones: White Pony (2000)

TL;DR: Deftones dodged the nu-metal pigeonhole and built a shimmering, heavy, cinematic classic. We get into label shenanigans (hi, Maverick/Madonna), the Back to School (Mini Maggit) detour, Terry Date’s drum-forward production, the Maynard cameo on “Passenger,” and why “Change” became the gateway track.

What you’ll hear

• Not-your-average “nu-metal”: Shoegaze, trip-hop...

Anthrax pivot hard into the ’90s on Sound of White Noise—first with John Bush, last with Dan Spitz—and somehow make it feel inevitable rather than mid-life crisis. We dig into why the songs land (drier drums, thicker guitars) and how a label switch put a new sheen on the chaos. Along the way: Dan Spitz’s surprise second act as a master watchmaker and a brief “It’s-a-me Mario” detour while trying to say “Badalamenti” like adults.

Ti...

Anthrax get serious. We dig into Persistence of Time (1990)—the darker, tighter, grown-up pivot where Joey Belladonna’s vocals cut through a heavier mix, the grooves slow just enough to hit harder, and the Joe Jackson cover somehow makes perfect sense. Along the way: a supply-chain crisis (Coke Zero + red/black Fruit Pastilles), a self-own “burglary” story involving several PDAs, and the glorious chaos of Married… with Children: My...

Soulfly’s debut gets the dry-ice treatment: Max channelled grief into groove and built a new tribe from scratch. We dig into Ross Robinson’s Indigo Ranch crunch (’97–’98), Andy Wallace’s mix, George Marino’s finishing pass, and why the record sits between thrash, hardcore and late-90s “heavy with swing.” Guests roll through—Burton C. Bell & Dino Cazares, Chino Moreno, Benji Webbe, Fred Durst & DJ Lethal, Eric Bobo, Christia...

Sepultura’s Beneath the Remains gets the full Riffology treatment: the leap from Schizophrenia to something lean, hostile and oddly elegant. We dig into why the first half feels near-bulletproof (“Beneath the Remains,” “Inner Self,” “Stronger Than Hate,” “Mass Hypnosis”), how those nocturnal sessions at Nas Nuvens bled into the record’s raw edge, and where Scott Burns helped sharpen the attack. It’s the grim middle ground between t...

In this episode, Chris and Neil bravely tackle the Foo Fighters’ debut—after a brief existential debate on the meaning of “all the important information.” The conversation meanders through Dave Grohl’s divine ascension, the British tradition of turning on beloved celebrities, and whether being in a band is more like a relationship or just a convenient way to keep busy. Expect insightful tangents on the cyclical nature of “coolness,...

In this instalment of Riffology, Chris arrives early and fully prepared, a development so shocking that Neil repeatedly checks he hasn’t fallen into a parallel universe. They introduce Stereophonics’ second LP Performance and Cocktails, whose title came from a business card handed to the band at the bizarre New York club Shine – a haunt featuring trapeze artists wearing pig’s‑heads. Chris describes the record as a “comfort blanket”...

This week, we sharpen our scalpels and wade into Heartwork by Carcass. Expect a forensic examination of melodic death metal’s most clinical album: guitars get dissected, solos catalogued, and lyrics scrutinised under a microscope. We probe the transition from grind to groove, speculate on the true pH of Liverpool water, and ponder if this is the only metal album fit for display in the Tate Modern.

No medical degrees required, but a...

A discussion of Black Sabbath’s Paranoid that manages to cover the essentials: melodic guitar work, enduring riffs, and the occasional existential observation about endless skies and the moon. The conversation is punctuated by more affirmations than a group therapy session (“Yeah.”) and includes a rigorous evaluation of Tony Iommi’s guitar playing, described as among the most melodic ever committed to record. Proceedings end with t...

In this episode, your hosts put away any pretence of picking a favourite and instead take a measured, nostalgic stroll through both of Oasis’s defining albums: Definitely Maybe and (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? Rather than rank or compare, we revisit what made these records cultural landmarks—from the studio anecdotes and infamous Gallagher antics to the endless debate about which tracks truly deserve classic status.

Expect dry...

Join us for an expertly meandering 20-minute warm-up during which we forget what we’re meant to be doing, then suddenly remember we’re here to talk about Formaldehyde by Terrorvision.

Neil celebrates his birthday by buying his own fruit pastilles and reminiscing about heated car seats, while Chris contemplates the joys of nice soap and avoiding Glastonbury. Eventually, we discuss the album, including the bassist’s optimistic confes...

This week, we attempt to remember how podcasts actually start and then promptly forget what we were talking about. Join us as we take a meandering, moderately reverent stroll through Feeder’s debut album Polythene—the record that had us singing “High,” even if no one else asked for it (or knew what it was).

We chat about setlists that audiences never wanted, the confusing popularity of “Mr. Brightside” at every acoustic night, and ...

This week, we fulfil a long-standing listener request (hello, Lindsay) and dig into Manic Street Preachers’ Everything Must Go. Expect the usual blend of forensic music analysis and complete shambles, as we celebrate Lindsay’s loyalty, discuss how long we’ve been doing this (answers vary from three to seventy-five years), and try to work out what day it is.

Chris reveals his secret life as a Download Festival rock star, we reminisc...

It’s another barely-controlled episode as we tackle Ash’s 1977: part Britpop nostalgia, part forensic Wikipedia investigation. We discuss what melisma is (with a Beyoncé impression you won’t soon forget), why half the world has never heard of The Wildhearts, and the challenges of figuring out exactly what’s on an album when even the band can’t be bothered to send a proper tracklist.

There’s music theory, sort of. There’s podcast ad...

On this episode of Riffology, Neil and Chris dive into The Wildhearts and the lasting legacy of 90s alternative rock. Expect stories about band t-shirts as badges of honour, the curious truth behind Loughborough’s Left Legged Pineapple, and a healthy amount of nostalgia for the days when discovering a band felt like joining a secret club. Along the way, there’s plenty of debate, music memories, and the occasional detour into other ...

In this landmark 50th episode of Riffology, Neil and Chris tackle Gun’s classic album Gallus with all the professionalism you’d expect from two people fuelled by fruit pastilles and fizzy drinks. Join them as they navigate the finer points of Scottish rock, explore the mythology of slightly-in-key singing, and reminisce about gigs, birthdays, and the eternal quest for musical consistency.

Expect dry observations, accidental insight...

In this episode of Riffology, Neil and Chris shine a spotlight on Little Angels and their 1991 breakthrough album The Young Gods. Often overshadowed by the grunge explosion in the US, Little Angels carved out a distinctive space in the UK’s hard rock scene—combining stadium ambition with sharp songwriting and radio-friendly polish.

We explore how The Young Gods straddled the late ’80s and early ’90s British rock identity, why they ...

In this episode of Riffology, Neil and Chris dive deep into Backstreet Symphony, the electrifying debut album from British hard rock band Thunder. Released in 1990 and packed with timeless riffs and anthemic choruses, this record marked a bold statement from one of the UK’s most underrated rock outfits. From its chart-topping singles like “Love Walked In” and “Dirty Love” to its roots in the post-hair-metal blues revival, we explor...