Face Down is a Swedish groove/death metal band from Stockholm, active from 1993 to 2011. The group begins under the name Machine God, formed in 1993 by bass player Joakim (Harju) Hedestedt, drummer Richard Bång and guitarist Alex Linder. Vocalist Marco Aro joins soon afterwards.

After the first live performance in spring 1994, guitarist Joacim Carlsson, who has also played in Afflicted and General Surgery, joins and the band changes its name to Face Down. Linder later leaves and is replaced by Niklas Ekstrand, previously of Tiamat. The early line-up records the first demo, which is duplicated in more than 800 copies and spread informally rather than sent to record labels. It is eventually picked up by Soundfront Music through word of mouth.

Record deals and albums

After a show in Stockholm in spring 1995, Face Down signs with Roadrunner Records through Soundfront Music. The debut album, Mindfield, is recorded at Soundfront Studio in summer 1995 with producer Daniel Bergstrand and released in January 1996. Around this time drummer Richard Bång leaves and Peter Stjärnvind, known for work with Unanimated and Merciless, takes over.

Following Mindfield, the band tours Europe with Napalm Death and Crowbar. The video for “Kill The Pain” appears several times on MTV’s Headbangers Ball, and the band also gives a live interview on the programme. The tour also includes dates with At The Gates. In the UK, Face Down co-headlines with Above All and later plays London Astoria supporting Cathedral. The band also appears at Hultsfred Festival in Sweden.

After problems with Soundfront, Face Down signs to Nuclear Blast Records. Work on a second album begins in autumn 1996. The band records 15 tracks at Sunlight Studios with Tomas Skogsberg in February 1997, but Nuclear Blast rejects the production. The album is then re-recorded at Daniel Bergstrand’s Dug Out Productions studio in July 1997 and released as The Twisted Rule The Wicked later that year. After the release, Peter Stjärnvind leaves and Håkan Ericsson of Godblender replaces him.

Breakup and reunion

By 1998, the group is running its own UK tour with Soulquake System after further label difficulties. It records a three-track demo at Sunlight Studio in autumn 1998, but its relationship with Nuclear Blast ends completely. In early 1999 Marco Aro leaves after joining The Haunted, and the remaining members end the band later that spring.

Over five years later, Joakim Hedestedt revives Face Down after learning of Marco Aro’s departure from The Haunted. He recruits Erik Thyselius, also of Construcdead and Terror 2000, on drums. The reformed band signs to Black Lodge Records and records a three-track demo in summer 2004. It is invited to Sweden Rock and the Decibel 2000 festival, then records the album The Will To Power at Fear and Loathing studio with producer Jocke Skog. The group’s final line-up includes Marco Aro, Rickard Dahlberg, Joakim Hedestedt and Christofer Barkensjö.

Discography

Face Down’s listed releases include the demo One Eyed Man in 1994, Mindfield in 1996, The Twisted Rule the Wicked in 1997, a demo in 2004, The Will to Power in 2005 and a demo in 2006.