Reviewed by Ian Webber

Facedown Records are known for promoting their current acts by periodically releasing free download samplers. The artists featured here all hail from the louder end of the musical spectrum, often dipping into the brutal and challenging, as is the Facedown way. The 11 tracks on offer start relatively quietly with the more melodic sounds of Everything In Slow Motion and My Epic, but soon dip into energetic hardcore with the help of Colossus. Amongst the bigger names featured are veteran Scandinavians Extol with their inventive mixture of aggressive metal and progressive soundscapes. Although the nature of the recording means that there is no flow from one track to the next, the quality and variety of material included means that this can be listened to as a whole package. Guitars grind throughout, vocals growl and wail with venom and breakdowns from the likes of The Burial and Fallstar showcase some of the best in loud Christian music. If you enjoy your music at bone shaking volume, check this out.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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