Facedown Records | The Metal Resource

HolyName – Self-titled

Posted by TMR on April 22, 2023 at 20:12 No Responses »

Apr 222023

HolyName is a spiritually-minded metalcore/drone hybrid band, which is the best way I can describe them! They call their sound “Holy Drone Violent Worship” which I can’t think of another band taking that approach – it definitely piqued my interest. There are times of meditative drone and times of violent worship throughout the album with lyrics to lift the listener above our mundane existence. There is a pervading sacred atmosphere to the entire album which isn’t easy to do with metal.

HolyName came from the ashes of the legendary Sleeping Giant when Tommy Green (Sleeping Giant) and his friend Joe Holt recruited from their church community nationwide to make a worship “mix-tape”. This project attracted the attention of Facedown Records in 2021. They released four singles in quick succession that year with not much news in term of an album until almost a year. January 13, 2023 was the street date for this debut album.

HolyName’s branding is steeped in Eastern Orthodoxy and early church imagery which flows from Tommy’s discovery of the roots of his faith. After a season of death and profound brokenness, Tommy dove into understanding the early church and grew in love with the ancient liturgical practices of Eastern Orthodoxy. The new album is his love letter to Christ and tribute to Eastern Orthodoxy.

Post-Hardcore/Rock Band Comrades Says Goodbye (Statement Available)

Posted by thrashboy on January 6, 2023 at 18:11 No Responses »

Jan 062023

Post-hardcore/rock band Comrades recently checked in with the following:

My heart has risen to a place where I can come to you with this. It is not news, in the sense that it has been years, but it is a thing that has weighed in my hands nearly every day since it’s necessity. “Comrades” came to me as Lewis put it: “Friends united for a common purpose.” I remember well, that dusty winter evening that we all perked up at the mention of it, it felt electric on the air. “Comrades”.

Our then-drummer huddled over his laptop, securing the necessary handles and assuring that we weren’t encroaching on someone else’s space. We became what we had already been, Comrades.
This band was a collective effort of heart, skill, struggle, and growth; the joys and grief (that is to say, everything) involving many wonderful, talented people for more than ten years. Over a decade spent; a spending that gave back infinitely more.

Confessions of a Traitor – “Punishing Myself Before God Does”

Posted by John Jackson on December 14, 2022 at 20:14 No Responses »

Dec 142022

Confessions of a Traitor bring emotion and authenticity to their first release on Facedown Records, delivering a punishing metalcore album that works in so many ways.

Confessions of a Traitor are one of the most recent signings to Facedown Records and definitely fit the the sound of what many of have come to expect from Facedown since the early 2000s, namely metalcore with faith-influenced lyrics. C.O.A.T are London based and have released two eps, Seasons in 2014, and Illuminate in 2016 and a full length titled Guided in October 2019. The band describes their sound as a “blend of melodic elements with crushing grooves” that “evoke emotion and energy.” The band strives to create an atmosphere that gives hope and provides “an escape for people, even if just for a moment.”

“Aggressive music for positive people” features prominently in the C.O.A.T. bio and the album certainly fits that description. Right from the opening track there is no question this is a metalcore album in the Facedown Records tradition. “Punishing Myself Before God Does” has good pounding drums, heavy down-tuned guitars, and some great vocals both in the shouted verses and in the clean almost soaring chorus/group parts. Overall the track has a bit of a catchy groove feel to it and nevertheless is heavy. Taking a higher level view, there is a bit of familiarity to the track and many on the album as they employ many of the expected sonic elements found in metalcore songs.

HolyName (Ex-Sleeping Giant) Debut ‘Creed (REV Gang)’, Former xDeathstarx Vocalist Eric Gregson Guests, Announces New Album

Posted by thrashboy on October 1, 2022 at 11:46 No Responses »

Oct 012022

HolyName (ex-Sleeping Giant vocalist Tommy Green, etc.) have premiered their song ‘Creed (REV Gang)’. Eric Gregson of defunct straight edge hardcore band xDeathstarx, guests on this latest single.

Additionally, HolyName have announced a January 13th release date for their self-titled debut album on Facedown Records. Pre-orders for that are available here. Several other musicians will be making cameos on the full record, including Demon Hunter vocalist Ryan Clark, Impending Doom singer Brook Reeves, Convictions frontman Michael Felker and more.

Bloodlines – “Hevel” (ep)

Posted by Ankit Sood on July 14, 2022 at 12:43 No Responses »

Jul 142022

From the Gulf Coast of Texas come Bloodlines, a four-piece modern-core outfit taking cues from bands like For Today, Impending Doom and Convictions. The band’s 2019 debut LP Hostile | Minds, marries classic metal core with a distinctly progressive twist, was hailed as a “dark and violent record,”. Bloodlines’ mission statement is as clear as their sound is brutal. They plainly assert that their vision is very simple and that’s to spread the hope and love of Jesus Christ. The band released their EP “Hevel” on the November 12th of 2021 under the Facedown record label.

The band wrote HEVEL to address seasons of life, with the band taking inspiration from the biblical book of Ecclesiastes. The band quotes, “Ecclesiastes uses the word ‘meaningless’ a lot, which is translated to ‘hevel’ in Hebrew and has a different interpretation. The word ‘hevel’ in the context of the book means vanishing vapor or smoke. So in essence, Ecclesiastes wasn’t necessarily saying that the work and the seasons we go through in life are meaningless, but rather they are just fleeting, ever-changing. Like vapor, here one minute and gone the next.”

The EP opens up with a hard hitting “Lotus” which pounces off with a plethora of crafty breakdowns as the Vocals juggle between a mix of guttural and clean styles. Be it for the chugging guitars, melodious chorus, or the ambient electronic soundscapes, all gels well with the overall song delivery. Next up with “Devil” heavy ambient soundscapes open the track with an eclectic guitar paving way to a djent filled verse. The bass rumbles as the songs move to its breakdowns paired well with screeching and guttural vocals, at the same time adding bits of melodies through the course of the song. A good use of electronica interrupts at the interlude before the song’s final blow.

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