The leading riff from SLIPKNOT track The Negative One has been named the best of 2014 by readers of Total Guitar magazine.

The piece from comeback album .5: The Gray Chapter tops a poll ahead of work by Slash, Mastodon, Royal Blood, Steel Panther and others.

Total Guitar say: “The return of Iowa’s finest following the passing of founding member Paul Gray was always going to be a raw one. The Gray Chapter certainly lived up to that. It’s absolutely encapsulated in The Negative One’s riff onslaught – it’s Slipknot at their thrilling best.”

The track is also nominated for 2015’s Best Metal Grammy, with the winner to be named in February.

TOTAL GUITAR READERS’ BEST RIFFS OF 2014

Slipknot: The Negative One (.5: The Gray Chapter)
Slash: Withered Delilah (World On Fire)
Mastodon: The Motherload (One More ‘Round The Sun)
Royal Blood: Little Monster (Royal Blood)
Steel Panther: Gloryhole (All You Can Eat)
Jack White: Lazaretto (Lazaretto)
Rival Sons: Electric Man (Great Western Valkyrie)
Machine Head: Beneath The Slit (Bloodstone & Diamonds)
The Black Keys: Turn Blue (Turn Blue)