Seventh Annual Facedown Fest

All right, so I’m the first to admit that I’m neither an ardent fan of hardcore/metalcore bands nor a listener of most Christian music (a touchy topic, I know). However, one of the best things about being a music journalist is the chance to be regularly exposed to music which I wouldn’t learn about on my own, which is how I first discovered the band Alove for Enemies and then learned about Facedown Records.

Alove for Enemies is a prolific Christian hardcore band, putting out five albums over the last six years which has allowed them to develop a strong, unique sound and music which has a message without being preachy. Their last album, Resistance, was produced by Facedown Records, a mostly-but-not-entirely Christian hardcore label which was founded by Jason Dunn (drummer for No Innocent Victim). 2007 marks the tenth anniversary of Facedown Records and the seventh anniversary of their annual Facedown Fest live music festival.

This year’s event takes place on March 23rd and 24th at the Glasshouse in Sun City, California. Bands to perform include:
• Alove for Enemies – The band that sparked my personal interest in the label.
• No Innocent Victim – The band of the guy who started it all.
• Point of Recognition – Now defunct but reuniting for the festival.
• Sinai Beach – Now moved on to Victory Records but making an appearance at the show.
• War of Ages – This band has toured extensively and so has developed an awesome attention-getting stage presence.
• xDEATHSTARx – Eight member straight-edge hardcore Christian band that stands out as the label’s current star.

Schedule can be found here.

Southern California is beautiful in March, so if you’re looking for a vacation to the area, use the Facedown Fest as an excuse to take the time off and maybe expose yourself to sounds which aren’t on your usual playlists.