Domestic violence and substance abuse in the metal community

Domestic violence is a serious issue that can arise in various circumstances, often exacerbated by substance abuse. Excessive drinking or drug use can cloud judgment and escalate conflicts, leading to incidents that cause profound harm to all involved. Acknowledging one’s role in such events and seeking help are critical steps toward accountability and healing. Resources are available for those impacted by domestic violence and those struggling with substance abuse.

The music world has not been immune to these challenges. A recently leaked video featuring As I Lay Dying’s Tim Lambesis brought to light troubling behavior involving his now ex-wife or soon-to-be ex-wife. This incident, though not entirely detailed, highlights the ongoing struggles individuals can face with their mental health and interpersonal relationships.

Unfortunately, just a week later, another alarming video surfaced, this time involving Sadus drummer Jon Allen. A few video clips shared by Anubis bassist and vocalist Devin Reiche showed Allen allegedly in an altercation with his partner, Brandy Mae Collins. Social media posts made by Collins further detailed the incident, which allegedly took place while she was undergoing dialysis treatment, resulting in a catheter reportedly dislodging into her ovary. Adding to the distress, the altercation in the video clip occurred in front of her young son.

Reiche, who shared the footage, stated:

“CONTENT WARNING: Extremely detailed video footage of woman hooked up to dialysis being beaten as her elementary school-aged son watches in horror.
So, you know whose music I love??? SADUS. They’re like, one of my favorite bands from that late ’80s/early ’90s period where thrash metal was gradually evolving into technical death metal.
THAT SAID, here’s some footage of their drummer Jon Allen beating the absolute living fuck out of my friend Brandy while she was hooked up to a dialysis machine (as her elementary school-aged son watches and tries to intervene). She ended up hospitalized some days later after she started urinating blood, and it turned out that he had dislodged her catheter into her ovaries, and from what I understand she almost died as a result.
Any questions you may or may not have, I’m sure she’d be willing to answer.”

Collins, who recently underwent a kidney transplant, now faces the dual challenge of recovering physically and emotionally while caring for her son. She has since spoken out, emphasizing the need for love and healing over haste or retaliation. A GoFundMe is now available to help assist her as she navigates recovery, caring for her child, and rebuilding her life.

Metal Insider reached out to Collins as she issued the below statement:

“My biggest statement is that I want there to be healing for all involved. Jon has his own medical issues that are exacerbating this situation as well. I will say that this behavior only started fairly recently. I know that it pisses off the guys in the bands but I’m a human life. I am more than a ticket sale or a fan or a woman. I’m a human being that has fought tooth and nail to even live.

I give all I can to the metal community and I dedicated a considerable amount of my efforts in supporting Jon and his band mates in sadus. I’ve been on daily life support for the last 3 years and just got an emergency transplant and just got home yesterday. Bills are past due and so is rent. Jon’s on the other side of the world and most likely decided he hates me now since I reached out to a friend for help and it went viral. I can’t work.

I can’t even go to the bathroom by myself right now. I am in a critical state and situation. I urge real fans to support in rehab or counseling services. The truth is addiction does this to the best people. And at one point I really thought Jon was the greatest guy in the world. But then there came the vodka and buzz balls being hidden around and he started going deep off with kratom.

Everything began to go downhill after that. Belittling remarks or just downright making me feel like a child and failure at life. There’s a lot of terrible things that happened around that time and there’s a lot of wounds that need to be healed. Believe it or not I still love him very much and hope he will get the help he needs to start getting better emotionally mentally and physically like myself.

I reached out for help not a witch hunt. However given the severity of the situation it’s understandable how people want to blow it up more. It involves some influencal people and musicians. It’s incredibly unfortunate that this was treated more like an oversight instead of getting him real help when it was urged. I went to his band mates for help before it even escalated towards me.

Because he was also being unwell to himself. I really hope that this is the beginning to real healing. I don’t know where this life is taking me but I know that I still hold my heart open with forgiveness and hope he can start seeing his true potential to be loved and healed”

As cameras and social media increasingly document these incidents, they shed light on toxic behaviors and provide an opportunity for individuals to seek accountability and help. The metal community, like all communities, should stand united against abuse, encouraging all parties to seek support.

Domestic violence, whether physical or emotional, remains a common issue in 2024. Addressing these problems requires tools for individuals to seek help and support those in need.