1989

Extreme’s Debut Album: The Story of Extreme (1989)

Extreme’s Debut Album: The Story of Extreme (1989)

Neil Johnson 25 January 2026

Introduction In the late 1980s, the hard rock scene was dominated by big hair, flashy guitar solos,...

A deep dive into Doolittle by Pixies

A deep dive into Doolittle by Pixies

Neil Johnson 27 October 2025

Why Doolittle Matters When Doolittle landed in April 1989, it didn’t just arrive — it detonated. The...

The Making of Alice in Hell by Annihilator

The Making of Alice in Hell by Annihilator

Neil Johnson 17 April 2025

Alice in Hell by Annihilator: The Story Behind a Thrash Metal Landmark Few albums in metal history...

The Real Thing: Faith No More’s Genre-Defining Album

The Real Thing: Faith No More’s Genre-Defining Album

Neil Johnson 7 January 2025

Introduction Released on June 20, 1989, The Real Thing by Faith No More marked a pivotal moment...

Pretty Hate Machine: Nine Inch Nails’ Industrial Breakthrough

Neil Johnson 20 October 2024

Pretty Hate Machine, released in 1989, is Nine Inch Nails' groundbreaking debut album that fused industrial rock...

Unveiling ‘Bleach’: Nirvana’s Raw Grunge Debut Bleach

Unveiling ‘Bleach’: Nirvana’s Raw Grunge Debut

Neil Johnson 19 October 2024

Nirvana's debut album, Bleach, released in 1989, significantly influenced the grunge movement despite initial obscurity. This raw...

The Headless Children: W.A.S.P.’s Evolutionary Leap

Neil Johnson 26 September 2024

Introduction Released in April 1989, The Headless Children by W.A.S.P. stands as a pivotal moment in the...

Altars of Madness: Morbid Angel’s Death Metal Revolution

Neil Johnson 25 September 2024

Introduction Released on May 12, 1989, Altars of Madness by Morbid Angel stands as a cornerstone in...

Beneath the Remains: Sepultura’s 1989 Breakthrough, Revisited in Depth

Beneath the Remains: Sepultura’s 1989 Breakthrough, Revisited in Depth

Neil Johnson 28 August 2024

1) A world on the brink: setting the stage for Beneath the Remains (1989) By 1988–1989, extreme...

Podcast Episodes

Riffology: Iconic Rock Albums Podcast

Remember when payday meant choosing which CD or vinyl you were blowing it on? Standing in HMV doing the mental maths, convincing yourself two albums was basically essential. Riffology is Neil and Chris chasing that feeling again, one classic record at a time.

This is a show about the albums that raised us —
Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Motley Crue, Def Leppard,
Iron Maiden, Megadeth, Pink Floyd, Radiohead,
Skunk Anansie, Gojira, Soulfly and the rest.
If it’s 25+ years old, loud and iconic, we’re in.

Each episode is two Gen X mates diving into studio sessions, producer chaos and band drama plus the joy of taped-over cassettes, dodgy car stereos and sitting on the floor with a record sleeve.

We nerd out when we should: Albini vs Vig, room-miked vs close-miked,
Neve consoles, dynamic-range disasters and those “how did this get approved?” moments.

If you grew up when albums were events, this is your place. Some weeks it’s an old favourite; other weeks it’s something you abandoned in ’94. Either way, Riffology’s here to talk rubbish, tell stories and remind you why these records mattered.

When eight-minute songs feel like three-minute punches

Hosts: Neil & Chris
Duration: ~124 minutes
Release: Not scheduled

Episode Description

Neil and Chris dive into Metallica’s Master of Puppets, not just as a landmark metal record, but as a moment-in-time document, the “perfect storm” of power, groove, precision, and emotion. Neil argues it’s one of the greatest albums ever made, full stop, placing it alongside canon-level heavyweights, while Chris digs into why it still feels like a band completely locked in with each other.

Along the way, they explore the wider Metallica arc, from the raw thrash roots of Kill ’Em All, through the “peak metal” pairing of Ride the Lightning and Puppets, and into the proggy pivot of …And Justice for All and the later mainstream explosion. It’s also an episode shot through with grief and “what if” questions, especially around Cliff Burton, his musical influence, and how different Metallica might have been if he’d lived.

What You’ll Hear:

Why Neil thinks Master of Puppets is the best metal album ever made, even if he reaches for Ride the Lightning more often
The Cliff Burton era, his theory background, harmonies, and why the band still sounds like it misses him
Thrash vs prog vs hard rock, and where this album sits in Metallica’s evolution
Analog-era discipline, no Pro Tools, no click, and the “band on their A game” feel
How Metallica went from underground scene heroes to the inflection point of “One” and beyond

Featured Tracks & Analysis:

They spotlight key moments across the record, including “Welcome Home (Sanitarium)” as a shared favorite, praising its atmosphere and production, plus deep appreciation for “Orion” as a Cliff-driven instrumental epic. They also touch on “Master of Puppets” and the cultural jolt of its Stranger Things resurgence, proof that a long, heavy 1986 track can still become a modern “hero moment.”

There’s also talk of why the album has zero filler, how each track keeps a distinct identity despite the long runtimes, and why the band’s relentless touring ethic helped build the legend.

Tangential Gold:

Vinyl nerd corner, dead wax inscriptions, Metallica’s “Obey your remaster,” and why collectors obsess over run-out grooves
A detour through Stranger Things needle-drops and how licensing can resurrect catalog music
Nicknames as culture, from schoolyard lore to workplace “Comet” disasters
The running joke of “tattoo flaps” as the only acceptable tattoo solution

Why This Matters:

Master of Puppets captures Metallica at a rare intersection, youthful hunger, elite musicianship, and a widening musical vocabulary, all recorded with analog constraints that demanded real performances. The episode frames the album as both a pinnacle and a turning point, the last statement before tragedy reshaped the band’s trajectory.

Perfect for: metal fans, music history nerds, vinyl collectors, and anyone curious how a supposedly “long and complex” album became a timeless, mainstream-touching classic.