20 Best Hard Rock & Heavy Metal Guitar Riffs Of 2016
1. Allegaeon - "Proponent For Sentience III: The Extermination"
Featuring guest turns by the likes of Benjamin Ellis from Bloodshot Dawn and Soilwork's Bjorn "Speed" Strid, Allegaeon's progressive, harsh and melodic opus "Proponent for Sentience III: The Extermination" is the best stand-alone metal song to come out of 2016. Hands down.
And because of that, it just had to be on the best riffs list. Every drop of the guitar-work here, from that mind-blowingly complex opening to the abundance of solos to the to the polyrhytmic chugging to the melodic death metal harmonies is perfect. The riffs are accessible and awe-inspiring to both newcomers and old-school Allegaeon fans while also packing the perfect mix of aggression and melody that classic melo-death is anchored around.
This is metal in its purest and best form. Metalhead or not, listen to "Proponent for Sentience III" as, even if you don't like the music, it will give you infinite respect for the precision and masterful skills heavy metal's musicians possess.
--
What awesome riffs did you fall in love with last year? Tell us in the comments.