About
Who's behind
Riff Vault?
My name is Marvin. I'm an independent rock and metal critic based in Germany, writing about heavy music without PR relationships, label affiliations, or agendas.
I started Riff Vault because I wanted to read the kind of music writing I wasn't finding anywhere else — critical, specific, and honest about what makes a record work or fall short.
My focus is on the heavy and the slow: post-metal, sludge, doom, stoner rock, black metal and their intersections. But I'll write about anything that demands to be written about. Genre is a tool, not a cage.
I've been listening seriously to heavy music for over fifteen years. I've seen bands in basements, theatres, fields, and parking lots. I care about this stuff in the way that only makes sense if you've been there.
Every review on this site represents real time spent with a record — multiple listens, proper notes, genuine engagement. I don't score things after one spin.
Contact
Send promos, thoughts, or arguments to riffvault@proton.me. I read everything but can't promise a response. Unsolicited PR pitches go to a special folder.
The Rating System