10 Best Riff Writers in Metalcore, Chosen by Darkest Hour

Here are the 10 best riff writers in metalcore, chosen by Darkest Hour guitarist Mike Schleibaum.

If there’s one thing that keeps everyone coming back to metalcore, it has to be the riffs, right? RIGHT?! Of course it’s the riffs. Riffs are everything in metal and metal is everything in life, therefore riffs are truly all we need.

So, we tabbed a metalcore riff expert here and just in time to celebrate Darkest Hour’s milestone 10th studio album (out Feb. 16 on MNRK Heavy).

What You Should Know About Darkest Hour

From: Washington, D.C.

First Album: The Mark of Judas (2000)

New Album: Perpetual | Terminal (2024)

Darkest Hour formed in 1995, coming up with the rest of the late ’90s/early ’00s metalcore innovators. It was one of the most exciting eras of metal and, while Darkest Hour may not get as much recognition as some of their peers, they’ve been a beacon of consistency. Diehard fans have championed their name over the decades, and it almost always circles back to how nasty their riffs are.

Here they are, 10 albums deep and still churning out scene-best riffage, bestowing new rippers upon fans who have been waiting since 2017 for another Darkest Hour record.

Just take one listen to the monster title track below and you’ll see (and hear).

Darkest Hour, “Perpetual Terminal” Music Video

READ MORE: 10 2000s Metalcore Albums That Should Have Been Bigger as Chosen by Unearth’s Trevor Phipps

Guitarist Mike Schleibaum and vocalist John Henry are the lone remaining founders, anchoring this metalcore vessel and maintaining a standard of quality regardless of who has been in and out of the lineup.

See Schleibaum’s selections for the best riff writers in metalcore further below.

Purchase your copy of ‘Perpetual | Terminal’. Follow Darkest Hour on Instagram, X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook. Catch the band on tour this year too.