Introduction
The "Riff Playbooks" column is designed to make you a better player. By gleaning some insight into the technique, composition, and execution of these fine riffs by fine SH artists, you are bound to make headway in your own playing. We cordially invite you to steal a page from our books in order to expand your own diabolical playbook of musical wizardry (not literally though, the books are expensive to create).
Posted — February 17, 2023
To celebrate the 15th anniversary of Protest the Hero's album "Fortress", we punished Luke by convincing him to sit down and relive some dusty old riffs! He chose to rip his way through three examples from the song "The Dissentience". You'll find videos below of all three sections, both up-to-speed and slowed down. We thought it would be helpful for us to provide you with the corresponding tabs, and Luke insisted we give you the entire song transcription - you can grab that right HERE!
We always try to ask our artists some probing questions before they head off. You'll find that video interview at the bottom of the page!
Here's Luke with some thoughts about the song:
"The Dissentience" was the first song we wrote for Fortress, which dates it back a lot farther than 15 years (I am clearly just trying to justify my grey beard here). We took our time when writing Fortress - holing ourselves up in a little rehearsal spot in Toronto for the better part of a year. It was the first time we approached writing music as a job - 5 days a week, 8 hours a day (broken up often with a daily lunch-adventure to Dufferin Mall of course). I remember it being really exciting at the time, and I couldn't wait to get in there each day to see what we'd dream up. We had improved at our craft since releasing Kezia and I think we were eager to prove it. The Dissentience is what happens when you take an album on the road for way too long, and are really eager to write something that represents you now rather than when Kezia came out three years prior.
I still have fun playing these riffs, and hearing them again always gives me a sense of wonder about what in the world we were thinking at the time."
Section A: Bars 1-9 in "Fortress - The Complete Guitar Transcription"
Section B: Bars 10-13
Section D: Bars 24-27
Flash Interview + References Below:
References:
- Flatliners Streaming Link: https://spoti.fi/3SfaL1i
- Symphony X The Odyssey Guitar Book: https://bit.ly/3YRmCVu
- Sikth - DOADD Streaming Link: https://bit.ly/3EkmKET
- Volition Guitar Book w/ Trade Off Solo: https://bit.ly/3YEG5ZH
- NYXL 10-52: https://bit.ly/3I7GWuM
- Luke's Signature Guitar by ibanez: https://www.ibanez.com/usa/pro...
- BTBAM "Colors II" Guitar Book: https://bit.ly/3xy2dZC
- Extreme Best Riff Ever: https://youtu.be/VTM6t1sLync?t=184
