1994

Prong’s Cleansing: A Deep Dive into the 1994 Album

Prong’s Cleansing: A Deep Dive into the 1994 Album

Neil Johnson 14 December 2025

Introduction Prong’s 1994 album Cleansing stands as a cult classic of 90s metal – a groove-laden, industrial-tinged...

Sixteen Stone – Bush’s Post‑Grunge Breakout Album

Sixteen Stone – Bush’s Post‑Grunge Breakout Album

Neil Johnson 10 November 2025

Released at the tail end of 1994, Sixteen Stone marked the explosive debut of the British rock band Bush and became...

The Making of Live Through This by Hole

Neil Johnson 27 October 2025

Live Through This by Hole: The Story Behind a Grunge Classic Some albums don’t just arrive they...

The Making of Troublegum by Therapy?

The Making of Troublegum by Therapy?

Neil Johnson 16 April 2025

Troublegum by Therapy? – A Defining Moment in Alternative Rock Few albums capture the restless energy and...

Looking Back at Swagger: Gun’s Defining Hard Rock Album

Looking Back at Swagger: Gun’s Defining Hard Rock Album

Neil Johnson 7 March 2025

Introduction In the landscape of 1990s rock, Gun’s Swagger stands out as a defining moment for the...

Far Beyond Driven at 30: Why Pantera’s Heaviest Album Still Matters

Far Beyond Driven at 30: Why Pantera’s Heaviest Album Still Matters

Neil Johnson 25 February 2025

Introduction Released on 22 March 1994, Far Beyond Driven by Pantera is a cornerstone of heavy metal...

The Downward Spiral: Nine Inch Nails’ Defining Album

The Downward Spiral: Nine Inch Nails’ Defining Album

Neil Johnson 7 January 2025

Released on 8 March 1994, Nine Inch Nails' Downward Spiral revolutionized industrial rock with its intense energy...

The Making of Vitalogy: Pearl Jam’s Evolution

Neil Johnson 3 November 2024

Pearl Jam's "Vitalogy," released on November 22, 1994, marks a crucial phase in the band's evolution amidst...

Superunknown: Soundgarden’s Genre-Defining Journey

Superunknown: Soundgarden’s Genre-Defining Journey

Neil Johnson 29 October 2024

Released on March 8, 1994, Soundgarden's "Superunknown" defined the grunge movement, achieving immense commercial success with over...

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.