Faith in Agony – Insight | Progressive Rock Central.com

Grenoble, France-based, grunge/metal band, Faith in Agony, independently released their sophomore album, Insight, on October 24^th of this year.

Faith in Agony is a band with music that focuses on their dark, emotional soundscapes reminiscent of early Paradise Lost. Their second album, Insight, is what the band describes as, “A natural continuation of Drowned & Exalted. It is firmly rooted in the alternative music scene. It’s a visceral, uncompromising record, where themes tinged with intense vulnerability resonate throughout the tracks. We collaborated with Sébastien Camhi from Studio Artmusic, who perfectly met our expectations. The result is an album that is both furious and sincere, wrapped in thick fuzz and catchy melodies, all within a fully accessible format.
This album lends itself to multiple interpretations depending on the context. Here, it offers an introspective view of one’s life journey, blending an intense gaze – since our experiences must be relived – with the distance needed to explore their nuances. This dual tone runs through the album and is reflected in its different listening phases, connected to many themes, found notably in the lyrics.”

Faith In Agony is made up of members: Madie, on lead vocals; Guillaume “Grey” Poupon, on guitar and backing vocals; Eva Riché, on bass and backing vocals; and Quentin Riché, on drums and backing vocals.

Faith in Agony.

In 2024, Faith In Agony made a mark by reaching the finals of three major competitions: Hellfest, The Voice of Hell, Musilac, and Guitare en Scène. On stage, they have captivated audiences at venues like Bridge To Hell, La Belle Électrique, Cabaret Frappé, and Destroy Fest. They’ve shared the stage with notable bands including Ultra Vomit, Infected Rain, Akiavel, and Bukowski. The band released two EPs in 2016 and 2017, followed by their debut album, Drowned & Exalted, along withsix music videos in 2021.

In 2025, they dropped two singles, “Fakir,” and “Red Pills,” and another track, “These Lines,” alongside their respective music videos.

“Being Beauteous,” kicks off the album, with some great drum intros, before the electric guitar and bass take over. Madie, who sounds a little like Amy Lee, when she is delivering her heavier vocals, does a wonderful job of getting the band’s message across, with fire! She sings powerfully in this Soundgarden-like grunge metal machine of a band, “Their hands were so sweet, when they pulled me out of the hat. They said: “Fly, fly, fly above the hunting ground, bullets can’t reach you from up high. Look how they love you, look how good it is to shine, shine, shine. Take the risk to ride. The higher you rise, the harder you’ll fall. The higher you are, the deeper you’ll crawl!” Some honest and powerful lyrics delivered with Soundgarden-like sincerity. A full-on metal dynamo of an opener. I’m in! Over 5 minutes of welcome to the grunge show, hope you’re ready?

“These Lines,” on the other hand, opens slow and quietly, with soft electric guitar and Madie singing, “Time has gone, gone too far. I’m a strange creature between hate and pain. Time has gone, gone too far. I cannot sleep. I cannot stay here just me, down hunting for reasons. Hate and blame. Hurting thoughts – Floating.” The metal/grunge soundscape roars to life, and then later settles back into the slow quiet delivery, before closing the song with more of the fire power unleashed. Another great grungy metal firebrand. The “time has come,” lines remind me of the Zepparella concert I just saw this past weekend. Yeah, that was good preparation for this. As much as there is grunge in those guitars, there is also the sounds of Jimmy Page.

“Worms,” opens slowly again with great drums and powerful bass and electric guitar. Madie sings, “The one who sneers but never grows. The one who’ve seen but, never (been) involved. You’re caught up in fear. Deserting the throne.” She gets backup help from Eva Riché, and together they sound so rich. The heavier blitz enters the soundscape, but it is not impervious. You can still hear these ladies clearly. Thank you for that Faith in Agony. Madie and Eva continue, “You can’t stop sobbing all around. The swamp is drying out. The Grand Cyclops still sees with only one eye. Too grubby to feel, taste, lead, or shine. Did you hear in the steam that the walls were drawing close? So meet your end at the hands of your sons.” The grunging guitar sound reaches for the sky!

“Bipolar,” opens with a loud electric lead guitar salute, with drums providing excellent support. Madie sings, and screams at times, “There’s no future now. They locked me inside, down. I’m weaving in the corner of the grange. A new queen uncrowned. They scream but I don’t know how to tell. The ermine falls down, loud. Lords and goats received my faith. What is it about me? Distant confusing. Unleashed and nothing, yeah. What is it about then, ranting and raving. Will ya surround me ? yeah. SAY YEAH. Ache- Nothing / What is about ? Rage- Nothing / What is about me ? Urge- Nothing / What is about ? Bless- Nothing / What is about me ? Help- Nothing / What is about ? Faith- Nothing / What is about me ?” Another powerful song, of reaching out for someone to care and help find solace.

“Pandora,” is another powerful metal rocker. Madie sings, “I wasn’t meant, to be craved, but to be brave. Rough, they shaped me into clay. I just did what it takes. Mind yourself. I provide you the monster. Beyond the pot, some hell beneath. Mind yourself ’cause, I have cleared all your whispers. Revealed the forms. And shattered the lid. Mind yourself.” A song yearning for empathy and friendship. That ends with a woman discussing what might happen, now that we have opened Pandora’s Box, of nuclear weapons.

“Sea Inside,” opens with an avenging lead electric guitar roar, accompanied by more bold bass chords. Madie sings, “Down where the floor gives you back all your twisted sides. Can you hear the sound of (the) sea? Where the doves deserve to die. Deep, right above. Breaking water enough. It brings you something. Step back before. Breaking water enough. It brings you something!” Gut busting drums help to really rock this one.

“For Real,” opens with a slow, bluesy beat. Madie matches with a bluesy vocal serenade. She sings, “So many questions. And no answer at all. I’m a stone, standing here. And no matter what. If you say so. I’ll build another wall. Don’t remind me, for. It feels useless. I don’t mind to bleed. A pain I understand. That’s how I love myself.” Easily one of the best songs on the album. Very reflective and powerful with its lack of the metal/grunge sound. Until the songs’ end. Those grinding metal electric chords remind me of so many Manchester bands, the list would be too long to share.

“Nasty Mary,” opens with Madie coughing to the metal/grunge electric guitars, bass, and drums. She sings, “Just rolled out of bed for five, blinking, slippers on, smellin’ your green perfume. Tastes are crazy. Minds are fighting. I’m so excited, you should stay in my head. ‘Nice to see you home again. It’s nice to tease you come again. (But) I know your soft fakes. No-glance, digging through so much waste. Shit! Guess I went too far. Oh, nasty Mary. How could you betray me? Oh, nasty Mary. Gave you so much. Loved you so much. So high high.” Towards the end the song, the volume drops enough for Madie to sing quietly, but straight up. Then, she screams the name “Mary!”

“Half A Man,” is another of the best songs on the album. But not because of the singing or guitar work. It’s those opening drums! Thank you Quentin Riché! Madie takes over, with the metal/grunge soundscape playing behind her. She sings, “I send you a mirror. So you can get some boost. Blend it with filters. It’s better to fake the truth. Rotten teeth, beneath a smile. Who’s bet on the guns but not the mind. A second-rate man, here’s your pride. That’s a fact you’re dead Inside. Look how you’re nothing. Look at you slick. Look how you’re sinking. Look at you!” All of that and Madie screaming near the end. Wow!

“Electric Waves I,” is an incredible, over 3-minute metal instrumental that begins with buzzing electric guitar and ocean waves. The drums are excellent and the guitar sounds reminded me so much of some of my favorite Mission, (Leeds band from the UK, popular in the 1990s), music. Another of the album’s best songs.

“Electric Waves II,” on the other hand is more of a vocal song. Excellent, innovative metal electric guitars surround Madie as she sings, “Sun lingers on. Wind on my skin. Sparkling sweet fire. Sparkling sweet fire. I feel it. I feel it, love.
No, no, don’t leave. It’s just a lightning feeling.” The mid-section of the song has a wonderous, Lez Zeppelin – like electric guitar solo that would bring a smile to Jimmy Page’s face.

“Fakir,” Slows things down to a cool blues crawl. Madie sings, “Is it still as easy now? Did you nail me? Now how is your tone? Down, down low. Seems you failed it. Whines won’t cover that heat, that bite. You’ve just tiptoed but baby. It seems like every blow can be acceptable. You have to walk on it. Now don’t you feel, don’t you feel ashamed? Now don’t you feel , don’t you feel the same?” A little like something off Led Zeppelin’s Presence album, but with much less bravado.

“Red Pills,” is the epic closer. And it opens with a Van Halen-like electric guitar buzz. Then, Madie sings, and trades a vocal spat with another singer, as she sings, “My little ego, My little world. Unwanted state of love. He told me in the mirror. Ambition must grow. Come to the true world brother. Go for the red pill . You’d better spit it away. You’d better throw it away. Go for the red pill. You’d better spit it away. My little ego, My little world. Unwanted state of love. He told me in the mirror. Ambition must grow. Come to the true love brother.” The ending kinda reminds me of a song I remember from the Melbourne, Australia band, Jet. “Get What You Need,” off their debut album.

Faith in Agony’s Insight, is a very good, grungy, metal album, full of Badmotorfinger-like electric guitar power and sound. The bass playing is instep with the rhythm and it is clearly audible within the soundscape. The drums, oh the drums! And, the pièce de resistance, is a lady who can sing above and beyond all the loudness. Yes, Madie has a great voice; and in the band’s music videos, she is the show; often teasing and bringing her own hegemony to the band’s sound. This band has all the elements it needs to be a powerhouse metal contender. Insight, does provide volumes of insight into how this band can lead and fill festival seats. Give them a chance and you cannot go wrong!

Insight was composed, arranged, and written by Faith In Agony. It was recorded and mixed by Sébastien Camhi at Studio Artmusic. It was mastered at Kohlekeller Studio. Album artwork by Léa Martin.

Album Track List:

01. Being Beauteous – 5:05
02. These Lines – 3:51
03. Worms – 4:56
04. Bipolar – 4:01
05. Pandora – 4:23
06. Sea Inside – 4:10
07. For Real – 3:45
08. Nasty Mary – 3:48
09. Half A Man – 3:28
10. Electric Waves I – 3:49
11. Electric Waves II – 6:35

12.Fakir – 3:16

13. Red Pills – 3:34

Band Website and Social Media Links:

https://faithinagony.bandcamp.com/album/insight