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Bob Marinelli / Facialmess - _Split_ (Distorted Vision)
(8.5 out of 10)
As much as I am open to covering as many different acts as possible, it is hard not to keep returning to past favorites when their output is this damn good. Distorted Vision Records brings together the chaotic noise workings of Bob Marinelli with one of Japan's leading (and somewhat unsung) noise master Facialmess. Marinelli's side provides more of the excellent fast paced sound swirls that have made him (in my mind) one of the single best artists in the United States today. The collage of noise provided can best be described as the beautiful sound your '86 Ford Taurus' factory speakers make as the busted tape deck devours your brand spanking new Winger cassette while you simultaneously experience the thrills of a ten car pile up accident occurring right in front you. In other words, it is nothing short of orgasmic. Facialmess, in turn, slow the pace down a bit while still providing a number of quick changes to their sound and still managing to kick up the harshness another level. Everything from boomy bass explosions, therapeutic feedback, and distorted voice manipulation for good measure come dancing out of the audio channels, not giving two shits or a flying fuck what poor creature's ear drums are in their way. Could this be love? I think so. This is definitely a release any noise junkie will want to get their grubby little hands on, not to mention newbies to the genre fixing to kick back, relax, and blow their $2,000 speaker systems.
-Chronicles of Chaos


Bob Marinelli/Facialmess - split CS (Distorted Vision)
Marinelli does some of the most incredible rapid-fire noise bursts in the world. He's one of my favourites. Kenny of FACIALMESS delivers "Shibuya Rock City", a pulsating, harsh piece with wonderful editing. Really entertaining.
-Noise Today @ Psignalpath e'zine


Bob Marinelli/Facialmess split (Distorted Vision)
The third split in the series on Distorted Vision (I need to get the Marinelli/Flutter one sometime!), this one showcases more of Marinelli's unique warbiling noise on one side, and Facialmess's rapid harshness on the other. Pennsylvania's Bob Marinelli once again delivers a collaged feeling on "Chaos In Action", more of his rather unique sounds, but with seemingly a little more emphasis on the "natural" distortion (read: overamplification). Japan's Facialmess, Kenny Sanderson (not a native resident of course ;) ) delivers "Shibuya Rock City" which is, for lack of a better term, fucking harsh. A good compliment to Marinelli's sound, Sanderson pumps out a wall of noise that is thick and dense as any, but still manages to fluctuate and change over time. Much of the track is akin to the traditional "jet engine roar" of good quality Japanese noise, the feeling of total aural oppression. However, "Shibuya Rock City" also thins out on occasion for low end crunches, pulsating noises and such. Really busy...each side of this tape is unique sounding, and both tracks vary over their approximate 12 minute time spans. Damn good, I'd rate this one a bit higher than the Marinelli/Outermost split (which is also great), just due to the Facialmess side.
-False Prophet Campaign

Following reviews are by Joe Lombardo

FACIALMESS - Nothing but Meat (cs)
This is some of the most terrifying shit I have heard in a while. I am talking about pure audio perfection and nothing less. FACIALMESS is biting sound for this pungent world full of eager ears. If you don't own a release from FACIALMESS, you are cheating yourself! This cassette is 10 minutes of perversely coarse audio bliss. You are going to definitely need a cigarette after this and possible a cool
damp towel for your face. Don't deny yourself the pleasure! Contact:
FACIALMESS c/o Kenny, 29-11-107 Takinoi 4-chome, Funabashi-shi, Chiba 274 Japan.

Lasse Marhaug/Facialmess - split (cs)
I often think of Lasse Marhaug as one of the few new, legions of noise. Each one of his sound works is something completely different from his previous release. This among many other reasons, make Lasse a true favorite of mine and of the noise world. This work is an example of why monotony can be soothing, most likely only to the demented; still soothing nonetheless. This is an other great sound work by a true master. As for Facialmess, I have had a lot of you ask about this guy. Well, plain and simple -- Kenny will melt your weak ass leaving you only enough energy to beg for more. Faster than the speed of light and louder than sound bearer being broken, Facialmess will give you the best audio orgasm of your life! Get with it and get in touch with Facialmess. Don't say I didn't warn you, this is for harsh noise freaks only! Contact Lasse Marhaug, P.O. Box 1402, Leangen, 7002 Trandhein, Norway and Facialmess c/o Kenny Sanders, 29-11-107 Takinoi
4 chome, Funabashi-shi, Chiba 274, Japan.

Facialmess/Hermit -- split (cs)
Facialmess is the real deal. Although this piece is a bit dated, it's
nothing less than harsh, hellish noise. The loops and high pitches are severe enough to kill most farm animals. Dare to see what they will do to you? Hermit inhabits the other side with more minimalistic, haunting sounds. This is a true blessing because you going to need a brake after the 1st 10 minutes of Facialmess. A great split, both sides are guaranteed to make a shitty day at work, better. Contact:
Facialmess/Bloated Corpse Productions c/o Kenny Sanderson, 29-11-107 Takinoi 4 chome, Funabashi-shi, Chiba 274, Japan. Hermit, P.O. Box 8183, Victoria, B.C. V8W 3R8, Canada.

Facialmess -- The Madcap Barrel Smiles (cs)
This is strictly for the criminally insane, chronic listeners only! Harsh, speedy sounds that will make you a believer in true audio pleasure. This will punish you like a stepfather without soul and will rip your feeble existence to shreds. It's harsh enough to melt granite
and more powerful to drown out death itself. This is the reason you started listing to noise in the first place. Mandatory for those out there who think the harshest, is not harsh enough! Simply stated, it's "Other worldly." ContactFacialmess/Bloated Corpse Productions c/o Kenny Sanderson, 29-11-107 Takinoi 4 chome, Funabashi-shi, Chiba 274, Japan.


















FACIALMESS - THE MADCAP BAREL SMILES(???) [CS]
I'm not sure if I have the title correct as it's blacked out in part but I am sure I am close at least :). This is the latest release from Facialmess I believe and the first material I have heard from him. The Noise is very spastic and blasting with a lot of cool high pitched effects and noises coming through. There is also a lot of insane, whacky, good old fashioned distorted screaming ala Masonna which, along with the spastic nature of the recording, leads me to compare this release to by Masonna. Don't get me wrong, Facialmess is not a Masonna clone, but shades of that sound find there way in this though that, to me, makes it all the much better since I am a Masonna nut. It has been awhile since I have come across a Noise artists who really can pull out the insanity and wild blasting that can truly make a Noise artists work go from great to excellent, but Facialmess has answered that call. I highly recommend this to any fan of harsh, spastic, neighbor scaring, speaker blowing, orgasm inducing Noise. You won't be disappointed.
CONTACT: Spite, 90 North Lowell Rd., Windham, NH 03087, USA
(Napalm Jesus)

FACIALMESS The Madcap Barely Smiles c-46 (Spite)
Deliciously brutal, one of the best releases of the year. Fast and furious harsh noise, Facialmess is taking the world by storm. This is a short review, but you know you want this tape. One of the new harsh gods. (Spite, 90 North Lowell Rd., Windham NH, 03087-1602, USA)
(Assume Power Focus)


Facialmess -- The Madcap Barely Smiles
For all intents and purposes, Kenny Sanderson IS Facialmess. He's been at it on and off since 1995, but even some of the more committed fans of noise have never even heard of him, probably because until lately, most of his recordings have been on his own Bloated Corpose Productions or extra-small cassette labels. Thanks to a little right place/right time on my part, I'm finally able to hear what some have described, along with fellow Japanese noise artists Kazumoto Endo (formerly Killer Bug) and Kohei Gomi (aka Pain Jerk) as "the next wave of noise."
Well? Is it all that? Let me get back to you on that after I get rid of this twitch I seem to have developed in my face. We've seen the concept of noise as entertainment gradually change through the century, from Russolo's revolutionary idea that the sound we throw away or try to avoid could be just as engaging, to the Pierres' (Schaeffer and Henry) ability to turn din into high art, to the late '70s roots of junk music and electronics, courtesy Merzbow and Hijokaidan, to the big boom years of proliferating noise acts (1989 and 1993, roughly), we've hit another new "era." This time, the new group is taking the "idea" of noise and turning it into something that can measured in terms of "skill" and "virtuosity." Pierre Henry to Grandmaster Flash to DJ Spooky, it's all just a turntable, all a continuum. So here, and so with Gomi and Endo and many many others.
There are some who would tell you that this development is antithetical to noise, that noise is just NOISE, and so how can you define noise with a sense of dynamics, flair and, um, grace as noise anymore? Yeah, tell me all noise is intrinsically the same after you've gotten rid of all 35 of your different Macronympha records. Unlike other genres of music, where instrumental virtuosity tends to dilute the wild energy of the amateur, noise virtuosos (for the most part) are simply finding ways to make the scary downright terrifying. And that's just what this is.
Facialmess comes on like an explosion in a outlet mall cutlery store, full of sharp flying objects, injured bystanders and confused screaming. It keeps this mood and intensity level for nearly 46 minutes (my one complaint is a few overtly sample-heavy sections that allow a little too much human element in), with almost no letup. You feel winded after side one, and by the time you're done, you literally feel drained. I'm still unsure if the last 15 minutes drag a little bit or if I'm just too numbed by the time it rolls around to get anything out of it. Like most of these new noisers, this tape changes very quickly, never staying in one place for too long, but still offering repeated (sampled) phrases, as if to taunt you with the semblance of structure. Those of you who heard Kenny on the Fabrik I: Rator comp got a small taste of what Facialmess is all about, but the speed, editing and intensity here is like nothing anywhere. I'll bet you could use this recording as an insecticide.
In short, get this record while you can, because it's in an edition of 50, and it won't be around long. And boy will you kick yourself in the ass if you miss this. One of my favorite releases this year.
(Chris Seinko)