Riff Playbooks: Justin McKinney of The Zenith Passage | 'Algorithmic Salvation'

Justin McKinney from The Zenith Passage stopped by Sheet Happens headquarters to give us a first hand look at how he plays the intricate riffs from the intro of  "Algorithmic Salvation".  Justin kindly walked us through the complicated picking patterns and unconventional note choices that give the riff its signature sound. In the video below, you'll see how Justin transitions seamlessly between sections, positioning his picking hand strategically for each upcoming part and technique.

The balance between melody and technicality in riff writing isn’t always easy, but it’s clear this isn’t Justin’s first rodeo—the man knows exactly what he wants to hear!

If you want to learn alongside Justin, you can grab the FREE tabs right here and play along!

After ripping through several riffs, we took a moment to pick Justin's brain. He shared what he listens to outside of metal, his pre-show warm-up routine, his dream of touring with Meshuggah, and, of course, the essential lesson of how not to cut an avocado!