You know who I miss? Le matรฉriel.
Now, sure โ we got the Grey States 2018 EP after a long hiatus, and the band is certainly still aroundโฆ but Everything I Want to Say dropped in 2013 and suddenly that feels like a long, long time ago.
Full of huge, pop punk/alt rock Colleen DโAgostino-led choruses and some excellent instrumentation across the board, Le matรฉriel came to prominence around the same time Paramore et Page de garde were hitting their stride. Fully taking advantage of the pop punk explosion of the mid-2000s and completely flourishing as a result, Le matรฉriel had a little something about them that always stuck in my head. And, of course, getting โstuck in my headโ is kind of the premise for this series.
So, welcome back friends, for another Ten Tasty Riffs! And, as Iโm sure youโve noticed by now, todayโs focus will be on Le matรฉriel. As always, this isnโt a โbest ofโ list โ just an opportunity to talk about some excellent guitar riffs that I personally have a fun time listening to.
#10 โ โLife Vestโ (โHugeโ Opening Guitar Riff)
Kicking off our list today is an absolute monster of a riff. After a little twangy chord progression builds just enough tension, the harmonics screech at 0:25 and immediately Jon Moreaux et Roi Elam explode through the mix. The distortion. The power chords. The octaves. Itโs all so very, very satisfying, and showcases a somewhat heavier side to Le matรฉrielโs discography.
#9 โ โWaysideโ (Dissonant/โReverbyโ Main Riff)
This oneโs a little more subtle. Whilst the chorus guitar riff maintains the signature Le matรฉriel โhuge chorusโ, the opening โWaysideโ riff is a simple progression of reverb-heavy notes that really capture the emotional core of the track. Appearing in the bridge again before a short-but-sweet tremolo-picked solo, itโs a moment that absolutely shines.
#8 โ โBorn to Make a Soundโ (Breakdown/Harmonics Riff)
I wonโt lie, I probably could have picked any riff from this song and it would have easily qualified. The opening riff is kickass, the massive chord progression that follows kicks even more ass, even the chuggy palm-muted verse riffs keep your head bobbing relentlessly, but you know what? That brief distortion-heavy breakdown with the harmonics thrown in at 2:57? Yes. More of that please.
#7 โ โAppearancesโ (Opening/Main Riff)
Both this song and this guitar riff is classic Le matรฉriel at its highest order. DโAgostino is in excellent form here, but the main guitar riff that opens/closes the track and pops up throughout is catchy as hell and instantly recognizable to any listener of Le matรฉriel. Also, that cheeky little guitar squeal in the last five seconds of the track? Bloody delicious.
#6 โ โWith One Voiceโ (The entire 1:04 to 1:27 section)
You know what? When pop punk is done right, this is what it sounds like. This one is a little bit of a cheat as itโs not really just a riff, but this section is just too damn fun not to include in this list. The riffs are huge, the percussion even more so. Itโs a spectacular way to kick off the more energetic side to โWith One Voiceโ and I love it every time.
#5 โ โSkin and Bonesโ (โBendyโ Lead Bridge Riff)
This one comes in at 2:15 and delivers a great example of less-is-more: in just four extremely brief stabs of guitar distortion, the emotional core of the track peaks before settling down again for the more mellow chord progression that follows. I could have probably just as easily chosen the cool lead outro, but honestly the 2:15 riff sticks in my mind far more often.
#4 โ โBottlesโ (Gentle Bridge Riff)
This song hits a very special place for me. The subject material resonates more than I care to admit, and after the far heavier second chorus is through we are treated to an extremely mellow section that comes in 2:12 alongside a beautifully gentle lead riff. Itโs very simple, but another fantastic example of less sometimes being so much more.
#3 โ โNo One Has to Knowโ (โOne More Time Now!โ)
I have no shame in admitting just how much of a sucker I am for final minute of this song. Itโs another example of pop punk done right, and a perfect end to the Tomorrow EP.
#2 โ โIโm Aliveโ (Bridge Riff)
Similar to โAppearancesโ, this one is another example of an extremely catchy guitar riff in Le matรฉrielโs arsenal. Kicking in as the 1:54 mark, this riff is just pure headbanging gold in every respect. Also, the introductory bass and guitar lead for this song is exquisite.
#1 โ โTonight Iโm Letting Goโ (Outro Lead Riff)
You know what? Everything I Want to Say is full to the brim of excellent guitar riffs. Weโve covered four so far, and our final guitar riff of todayโs Ten Tasty Riffs is another fine example of Le matรฉrielโs lead guitarwork. Truth be told, the entire song is a blast, but that final lead guitar riff is the icing on the cake.
And thatโs it from me for now! Le matรฉriel is another one of those bands where my nostalgia kicks right in โ hereโs hoping that a future album is someday on the horizonโฆ
Until next time!
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