Update: The Entire Band Just Quit The Faceless
UPDATE, 9:00am EDT: Michael Keene has issued a statement in which he vows to find new band members and reiterates that he will not be canceling any shows. More info here.
Original Post:
A few short minutes ago we reported that vocalist Ken Sorceron had quit The Faceless, saying that his reasons “are easy for anyone with internet access to guess.”
Now it seems the entire rest of the band is following him out the door, leaving founder/leader Michael Keene behind.
Guitarist Justin McKinney (also of The Zenith Passage) posted a statement on Facebook that’s very similar to Sorceron’s: no mention of Keene at all, and the same reference to “having access to the internet” for fans being able to figure out the reason for his departure. Here it is in full:
“After dealing with The Faceless for roughly 4 years now, I have decided that I need to remove myself from the band, it is not easy doing this, but being treated the way we have over the years it’s just something I can’t take anymore. I am not going publicly into detail, but if you have access to the internet it should be apparent whats going on here. It’s been super fun and incredible touring and playing alongside Ken Sorceron, Bryce Butler and Chason West. We all had high hopes in repairing the band, worked hard and dealt with things we shouldn’t have and E.J. Shannon Management really busted his ass to do so as well, I love all those guys and I wish them nothing but the best. But I need to push forward and focus on the reason why I even do this, and that is The Zenith Passage. I’ll see you all soon.”
Drummer Bryce Butler also posted a statement and changed his job status to “Started new job at Abigail Williams” after updating it to “Left job at The Faceless” a few minutes before:
“This is not easy for me to do… But it is for the best. After a lot of thought, I’ve decided that I will be leaving The Faceless. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity that I was given, but the band is not what it appeared to be. I am not going publicly into detail, about exactly why.. But there are many things that I’m not comfortable with. I don’t feel right moving forward. There are unnecessary levels of stress, and i have to do what’s best for my health. Thanks to the Internet, a lot of you already have a good idea of what’s going on. It was an incredible honor playing with Ken Sorceron and Justin McKinney and I will miss them dearly. We all had hope in repairing the band, and EJ Shannon really has done so much to try to make that happen. But I can’t and won’t put myself in a position that doesn’t sit right with my soul. I wish these guys nothing but the best. I will absolutely still be touring and I’m excited to announce that I will be playing live drums for Abigail Williams. Thank you so much to everyone who has supported me through all of this. I am eternally grateful and I will see you all soon ???? ???? ????”
In case you haven’t been keeping track — we don’t blame you — The Faceless haven’t taken a bass player on their recent tours, having the parts piped through the PA instead. So that’s everyone: the whole band just quit on Keene.
Look: as McKinney and Sorceron stated, a small amount of effort put into a Google search will reveal the reasons Keene hasn’t been able to hold onto band members and has been regularly canceling shows for years now. Keene admitted to battling a substance problem in an interview earlier this year, and we can only conjecture that those issues have reared their ugly head again; the man needs help. Was there any specific incident that kicked off this latest mass exodus or was it just the sum total of all the shit these guys have put up with over the years? Presumably we’ll find out soon.
It’ll be interesting to see whether Keene continues with The Faceless, and if any aspiring young musicians are desperate enough to take a chance with him. I wouldn’t be surprised.
In the meantime, band manager E.J. Shannon has told MetalSucks that he and Keene are already working to find replacement members right now, and insists The Faceless are not planning on canceling any shows.
