Facedown Records
Facedown Records | |
---|---|
Founded | 1997[1] |
Founder | Jason Dunn |
Genre | Metalcore, post-hardcore, Christian metal, Christian hardcore, Christian punk, hardcore punk |
Country of origin | US |
Location | Fallbrook, California |
Official website |
facedownrecords |
Facedown Records is a Christian record label based in Fallbrook, California, devoted mostly to hardcore punk and metalcore bands (Christian and secular). Founded by No Innocent Victim drummer Jason Dunn,[2] the label started off small with a number of 7" record releases by bands such as Overcome, Dodgin Bullets, and Born Blind. As the label grew, it was able to sign artists for full album deals. xDISCIPLEx and the Deal, who were both popular in the Christian and secular scenes, released material on Facedown, as well as Canada's Figure Four, One-21, and Point of Recognition. The label also signs straight edge groups such as xDEATHSTARx and xLooking Forwardx.
Bands like Seventh Star and Nodes of Ranvier released well-received records through the label, but it was the release of Turn It Around by Comeback Kid (featuring members of Figure Four) that really brought the label more notice. Comeback Kid toured behind that album for the following two years, eventually leaving Facedown to sign with Victory Records.
War of Ages, For Today, Sleeping Giant and others make up the self-described "Facedown Family". Facedown has more recently signed Twin Cities metalcore group Your Memorial, Nashville metalcore group A Plea for Purging and Alabama southern metal group Remove the Veil.
Strike First Records
Strike First Records is Facedown's imprint label, which provides label services for smaller bands, and sometimes acts as a "Facedown training ground"; some Strike First bands, such as Bloody Sunday, Kingston Falls, Call to Preserve, and War of Ages have since moved to Facedown.[3] All of Strike First's releases are limited edition physical issue, and are made using no plastic, from recycled cardboard.[2]
Dreamt Music
Late in 2007, the label announced a new imprint, the rock-based Dreamt Music.[4] Dreamt Music focuses more on Christian Alternative and Classic Rock unlike its Christian Metal counterparts Facedown and Strike First Records. See Dreamt Artists for list of Dreamt Music signed artists.
Facedown Fest
The label also hosts an annual two-day "Facedown Fest" in southern California.[5] The festival is usually made up of the entire Facedown and Strike First rosters. It has been the site of final performances by The Deal, xDisciplex A.D., and xDEATHSTARx, Seventh Star, and served as the introduction of xLooking Forwardx to Facedown fans, prior to the band signing with the label. The popularity of the Fest has grown, and in November 2005, an additional two days were held in Annapolis, Maryland for the convenience of those in the eastern part of the U.S. who cannot easily make it to California.
Current artists
- Attalus
- The Burial
- Colossus
- Everything in Slow Motion
- Extol
- For All Eternity
- Gideon
- Hope for the Dying
- My Epic
- Rival Choir (formerly Mouth of the South)
- Saving Grace
- Those Who Fear
- War of Ages
- Your Memorial
Past artists
Active
- A Hope for Home (unsigned)
- Ace Augustine (Strike First Records) (signed to Red Cord Records)
- Altars (unsigned)
- Ark of the Covenant (unsigned)
- Bloodlined Calligraphy (Strike First Records)
- Clear Convictions (Strike First Records) (unsigned)
- Comeback Kid (currently signed to Victory Records)
- The Deal (reunited in November 2008)
- XDEATHSTARX (last show April 4, 2009; several members are now in Sleeping Giant, reuniting at Facedown Fest 2015)
- Dogwood (currently on Roadside Records)
- Dynasty (unsigned)
- Fallstar (unsigned)
- For Today (signed to Nuclear Blast Records)
- Hands
- Hanover Saints (reunited; members are also in BRIAN HANOVER AND THE WOUNDS)
- The Great Commission (signed to Ain't No Grave Records)
- Immortal Souls (signed to Rottweiler Records)
- Impending Doom (signed to E1 Music[6])
- xLooking Forwardx
- Messengers (unsigned, members in Modern Pain, Heretic, Hollow Point, Never In Ruin)
- Nothing Til Blood (StrikeFirst, unsigned)
- Opposition Of One (StrikeFirst)
- Overcome (active, unsigned)
- Seventh Star
- Shapes Stars Make (Dreamt Music) (currently unsigned)
- Sinai Beach
- Sleeping Giant (active, signed to Ain't No Grave Records[7] and Century Media Records)
- Take It Back! (Currently signed to Wrong Ones Records)
- Torn in Two (changed their name to Red Red, playing local shows)
- We the Gathered (Strike First Records)
Disbanded
- A Plea for Purging
- Abel (Dreamt Music)
- Anchor
- Alove for Enemies (members in Letter to the Exiles)
- Anam Cara (member also in Twelve Gauge Valentine)
- As Hell Retreats (signed to Ain't No Grave Records)
- Bloody Sunday
- Brutal Fight (Strike First Records)
- Born Blind
- Call to Preserve
- Ceasefire
- Counting The Days (Strike First Records)
- Demise of Eros (Strike First Records; One member went on to join Once Nothing and Haste the Day)
- Dodgin' Bullets
- Earth from Above
- Falling Cycle (One member went on to join Sinai Beach)
- Flee the Seen (dropped from Facedown)
- Hit The Deck (Strike First Records)
- In Due Time (Strike First Records)
- Indwelling (members now in Overcome)
- Inked in Blood
- In the Midst of Lions
- Jesus Wept (Strike First Records)
- Kingston Falls
- Leaders (Last show on June 27, 2015)
- Letter to the Exiles
- Means
- Nodes of Ranvier
- One-21
- Onward to Olympas (one member went on to join Forevermore)
- Point of Recognition
- The Redemption Song (Strike First Records)
- The Rekoning
- Remove the Veil
- Silence the Epilogue (Strike First Records)
- Symphony in Peril
- This Runs Through (members are now in Sleepwave and To Speak of Wolves)
- Through Solace
- Thieves & Liars (Dreamt Music)
- Today Forever (Strike First Records)
- Trauma (Strike First Records)
- Within (Strike First Records)
- Wrench in the Works
- xDISCIPLEx A.D. (members are currently in Jesus Wept)
Hiatus
- Figure Four (two members are also in Comeback Kid)
- No Innocent Victim
- Sleep for Sleepers (Dreamt Music) (member in The Wandering Tree)
Affiliated
- Persevere (disbanded)
- Phanatik (disbanded)
- Positive Youth (disbanded)
- Sympathy (active)
References
- ↑ Sciarretto, Amy (April 13, 2010). "Interview with Facedown Records founder, Jason Dunn". Noisecreep. Retrieved August 13, 2015.
- 1 2 "Company Profile: Facedown Records". Alternative Press 251 (June 2009), p. 38.
- ↑ "Artists". Strike First Records.
- ↑ New Imprint Label from Facedown Records. Decapolis, November 16, 2007.
- ↑ "Facedown Fest 2013". facedownrecords.com. Retrieved April 3, 2015.
- ↑ wookubus. "Impending Doom Sign With eOne Music". Theprp.com. Retrieved April 3, 2015.
- ↑ http://www.indievisionmusic.com/2011/03/15/new-sleeping-giant-album-info/