RIFFOBIA – Riffobia

Hailing from the dungeons of Greece, Thrash Metal band Riffobia plan to release their self-titled third studio album through Floga Records on March 13, 2023. Following six years of recording absence, Riffobia showcases the band’s growth and strength over the years, and fans can expect nothing, but their best effort yet. The album was recorded by the band themselves, features drum recordings by Milt Argyriou, and was mastered by Achilleas Kalantzis. The band’s current lineup consists of Achilleas Theoktistou on bass guitar, Chris Ntelis on lead vocals, Dimitris Kontogiannis on guitars, and Michalis Zounarakis on drums.

An Acquired Taste

Riffobia’s sound relies greatly on aggressive drumming, screaming/growling vocals, time signature changes, shredding guitar riffs, and heavy bass lines. It’s fair to say that their music has some Death Metal and Black Metal influences too. Tracks like “Herald of Pain,” “Consume-Obey,” and “Welcome to Hell” fit the previously mentioned characteristics perfectly. Riffobia’s music also has a sense of rebellion, as shown through tracks like “God of Hate” and “Prisoner.” The closing track, “Soul Collector,” is an interesting one because the tempo is slower than most of the album tracks, the drumming isn’t as intense, and the guitar playing is very controlled and more “mellow.”

The thing with screaming/growling vocals is it’s hard to understand the lyrics, which takes away the pleasure of listening to the album, in a way. Riffobia is not a one-and-done album; it takes multiple listens to take in the vocals and everything else that’s going music-wise. For any band that features growling vocals, in general, it’ll probably take multiple listens to figure out what the vocalist is singing about.

Final Assessment

Overall, Riffobia is a good album! The screaming/growling vocals aren’t for everyone, but if listeners can get past the vocals and take the time to make out the lyrics, they’ll be able to appreciate how talented these guys are. Plus, the album cover is really eye-catching!

Album Tracklist

1. The Divine Infinity
2. God of Hate
3. Herald of Pain
4. Merciless
5. Prisoner
6. Consume-Obey
7. Murder
8. Welcome to Hell
9. No Turning Back
10. Soul Collector

Band Lineup

Achilleas Theoktistou – bass guitar
Chris Ntelis – lead vocals
Dimitris Kontogiannis – guitars
Michalis Zounarakis – drums