1) Face Down (formerly … Read Full Bio ↴At least two bands share the name Face Down.
1) Face Down (formerly known as Machine God) is a post-thrash/death metal band from Sweden.
In 1993 bass player Joakim (Harju) Hedestedt and drummer Richard Bng started a band called Machine God along with guitarist Alex Linder. The band was soon joined by vocalist Marco Aro.
After the first gig in spring 1994, guitarist Joacim Carlsson (Afflicted, General Surgery) joined up and they decided to change the band name to Face Down. Later that year, Linder was replaced by Niklas Ekstrand (ex-Tiamat) due in part to his basic lack of interest. With this line up, the first demo was recorded and duplicated in over 800 copies. These were widely spread and given away and none were sent out to record companies.
Through word of mouth, the demo was picked up by Soundfront Music. After a gig in Stockholm in spring 1995 the band signed a contract with Roadrunner Records (through Soundfront Music.) That was also the last gig with Ekstrand, who didn't seem as eager to work as hard as the rest of the band, who in turn doubled their efforts in order to make a great debut album. The album "Mindfield" was recorded in summer 1995 at Soundfront Studio, with acclaimed producer Daniel Bergstrand. Shortly afterwards, Bng left the band. He was soon replaced by drummer Peter Stjrnvind (Unanimated, Merciless) and Face Down was ready for action.
After the release of "Mindfield" in January 96, the band went on an European tour supporting Napalm Death and Crowbar. Around this time the "Kill The Pain" video was shown several times on MTV's Headbangers Ball and the band also appeared in a live interview on the show. This tour also included a couple of gigs with the legendary At The Gates. The European tour was shortly followed by a co-headline tour in the UK with London thrashers Above All and culminated with a magic gig at London Astoria (Metal Hammer's 4-play Night), supporting Cathedral. Back home in Sweden, Face Down attended the awesome Hultsfred Festival and completely devastated the crowd. After lots of problems with Soundfront Records the band stood without a record deal, but was quickly signed on to Nuclear Blast Records. In Autumn of 1996 the band started to work on their second full-length record.
In February of 1997 the band entered Sunlight Studios with producer Tomas Skogsberg. A total of 15 tracks were recorded for their second release in six weeks time. Upon completion of the recording, the band submitted the masters to Nuclear Blast, who in turn, didn't accept the production. The band was forced to re-record the album at Daniel Bergstrand's Dug Out Productions studio in two weeks in July 1997. After the release of "The Twisted Rule The Wicked" in late 1997, Peter Stjrnvind left the band to join Entombed. Hkan Ericsson (from local act Godblender) was quickly brought in to replace him. Tough times lay ahead. The departure of Peter and even more problems with Nuclear Blast made the morale of the band low. The band played some local shows, got promised a couple of tours but nothing ever materialized. The band decided to set up their own tour in the territory where they were best known, the UK, along with HC band Soulquake System from Kristinehamn.
After completing the UK tour in early 1998 with Soulquake System, the band took a break for a few months. Work was resumed during autumn '98, and the band recorded a three track demo-tape at Sunlight Studio.
At this point the relationship with Nuclear Blast was disintegrating completely and further co-operation was impossible. The band once again found themselves without a record deal, with almost all material written for their third album.
In early 1999, Marco decided to leave the band as The Haunted had made him an offer he could not refuse. Face Down was at its lowest point ever. Facing a bleak future with no record label or lead vocalist, Joakim, Hkan and Joacim tried to hold on a couple of weeks but it was pointless. Face Down was dead... The remaining members went their separate ways in spring of 1999.
Over five years later Joakim (Harju) Hedestedt (who was playing base for Construcdead) felt that it was time to reunite the band. He'd heard about Marco Aro's departure from The Haunted and started making some phone calls to his old band mates. The reaction was very positive. To take on the heavy burden of drummer, Joakim asked his good friend Erik Thyselius (also of Construcdead and Terror 2000). Erik gladly accepted the task and the new Face Down was created. Shortly after the band was signed on to Black Lodge Records.
After successfully recording a 3 track demo in the summer of 2004, the band were invited to appear at 'Sweden Rock', the country's largest and most renouned music festival, and also the legendary 'Decibel 2000' festival. Hard work was resumed as the band once again hit the 'Fear and Loathing' recording studio in order to put down tracks for their long awaited third album, 'The Will To Power.'
Produced by Jocke Skog, the album took the band in new directions whilst maintaining the sheer aggression, brutality and impact of their former releases.
Final line-up:
Marco Aro - Vocals
Rickard Dahlberg - Guitar
Joakim Hedestedt - Bass
Christofer Barkensjö - Drums
Former members:
Joacim Carlsson - Guitar (1994-2006)
Erik Thyselius - Drums (2004-2006)
Håkan Ericsson - Drums (1997-1999)
Peter Stjärnvind - Drums (1995-1997)
Richard Bång - Drums (1993-1995)
Niklas Ekstrand - Guitar (1994-1995)
Alex Linder - Guitar (1993-1994)
Henrik Blomquist - Audio Warfare (1994-1996)
Discography
One Eyed Man (Demo, 1994)
Mindfield (1996)
The Twisted Rule the Wicked (1997)
Demo (2004)
The Will to Power (2005)
Demo (2006)
2) Face Down is also a French southern-metal band.
http://www.myspace.com/facedownattitude
human
Face Down Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
give, love and forgive I'm trying.
.. Never painless, emotional emptinessI always keep
raping myself this wayJust darkness,
I'm building myself a mountain of griefI'm left by
myselfNoose of guilt around my neckWill there be someone
here to listen?Self destructive,
or call it what you wantSelf deception,
Am I suicidal?As my pain mounts upI really can't tell
anymoreNow I am I'm left by myselfFed up by thoughtsWill
there be someone here to listen?
Self destructive, or call it what you wantSelf deception,
I do it time and time againCan't put my life on holdI
need to catch my breathSelf destructive,
or call it what you wantSelf deception,
I do it time and time again Halls of emptiness,
filled up with my mistakesStill rejected,
all that's left is loneliness.
..I'm left by myslefFed up by thoughtsThere were no
one here to listen Regret Forget
In this song, the singer is struggling with the burden of emotional pain and emptiness, which has led them to become self-destructive. They question whether they are suicidal as they continue to inflict pain onto themselves. The singer expresses their frustration and loneliness, feeling rejected and left alone with their mistakes. Despite their efforts to live, give, love, and forgive, they feel as though they are building a mountain of grief that they cannot escape.
The lyrics convey a sense of desperation, as the singer reaches out for someone to listen and offer support, yet no one is there to help. They are caught in a cycle of self-deception and denial, which only perpetuates their suffering. The phrase "Halls of emptiness, filled up with my mistakes" symbolizes the singer’s sense of isolation and hopelessness, as they are unable to escape from the negative emotions that are consuming them.
Overall, the lyrics suggest a deep sense of pain and struggle with mental health issues. The singer is honest about their own self-destructive tendencies, yet also expressing a need for help and support. The song underscores the importance of reaching out and seeking help, even when it seems like no one is listening.
Line by Line Meaning
The things you tried to make me believe in
Referring to someone who tried to convince the singer of their beliefs, but ultimately failed.
To live, give, love and forgive I'm trying.
The singer's attempt to live life graciously by giving love and forgiveness.
Never painless, emotional emptiness
Emotional struggle is never easy and always comes with emptiness.
I always keep raping myself this way
The artist is harming themselves by continually making the same mistakes and not learning from them.
Just darkness, I'm building myself a mountain of grief
The artist is creating a heavy sense of sorrow within themselves.
I'm left by myself
The singer feels isolated and alone with their pain.
Noose of guilt around my neck
The singer is carrying the weight of guilt and regret heavily due to their actions.
Will there be someone here to listen?
The artist is seeking someone who is willing to listen and support them through their hardships.
Self destructive, or call it what you want
The artist understands their actions may be harmful to themselves, and is acknowledging different names for their behavior.
Self deception, I do it time and time again
The artist keeps lying to themselves and repeating harmful behavior patterns.
True denial, Am I suicidal?
The singer is deep in denial about their emotional state and contemplates whether they are suicidal.
As my pain mounts up, I really can't tell anymore
The artist is uncertain about how much emotional pain they can handle and is starting to feel overwhelmed.
Now I am I'm left by myself
The singer is left to face their emotional hardships alone.
Fed up by thoughts
The singer is growing tired of their own negative and self-destructive thoughts.
Will there be someone here to listen?
Despite feeling hopeless, the singer is still searching for someone who can offer support and guidance.
Can't put my life on hold
The artist realizes they cannot stop their life from moving forward despite the emotional turmoil they are facing.
I need to catch my breath
The artist is feeling overwhelmed and needs to take a moment to regain composure.
Self destructive, or call it what you want
The singer repeats the same line as before, perhaps acknowledging the severity of their situation.
Self deception, I do it time and time again
The singer continues to deceive themselves and repeat harmful patterns.
Halls of emptiness, filled up with my mistakes
The artist feels as though their past mistakes are haunting them and leaving them feeling empty.
Still rejected, all that's left is loneliness.
The artist has been rejected and left with nothing but a feeling of loneliness.
I'm left by myself
The artist ends the song the same way it started, emphasizing their isolation and loneliness.
Regret Forget
A powerful and poignant ending to the song, urging the listener to reflect on their regrets and move forward with hope towards the future.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind