Bilmuri touring guitarist Reese Maslen has stepped down from the band following a wave of disturbing allegations shared publicly by a former romantic partner. The claims, which began circulating online earlier this month, detail alleged emotional abuse, racism, misogyny, intimidation, and deeply troubling behavior during their relationship.
Days after the allegations became public, Maslen announced his departure from Bilmuri, issuing the following statement: “I exhibited behavior on several fronts during a previous relationship that I deeply regret. I am so sorry not only to her, but to anyone else these behaviors have affected. At this point, I can only apologize and take the steps to be a better person for myself and everyone else in my life.
“Effective immediately, I am stepping down from Bilmuri. I loved every second of my time with them, but it’s important that I take this time to work on myself.”
The accusations were posted in a lengthy public statement by Maslen‘s former partner, who said she came forward after “months of deliberation,” believing that remaining silent would be a disservice to herself and others.
In her statement, she accused Maslen of engaging in racist, misogynistic, manipulative, and threatening behavior, describing a pattern of conduct that included verbal abuse, intimidation, coercive control, and emotional harm.
Among the allegations, she claimed: “You hide behind the persona of an immature ‘funny guy,’ making edgy jokes and feigning ignorance of the true meaning and impact of the words you use… You have attended just enough therapy to weaponize its language to your advantage.”
She further alleged repeated racist remarks and fetishization tied to her ethnicity, including jokes she described as overtly offensive and demeaning: “Your infatuation with Japan and Asia has bordered on fetishization… Countless times you have made jokes at the expense of my ethnicity while touting casual racism.”
The statement also describes alleged threats of self-harm, possessive behavior, and intimidation: “You have threatened to off yourself under the guise of a joke if I didn’t reply quick enough… You would name-call me and raise your voice at me when I questioned you and stood up for myself.”
One of the most serious sections of the statement addressed how Maslen allegedly behaved during a miscarriage: “The way you treated me during my miscarriage was abhorrent. You hung up on me during a crisis, called me an attention seeker, and said our baby was ‘gross,’ insisting that wanting to give them a proper burial was not ‘normal.'”
She concluded by clarifying that her allegations were directed solely at Maslen, not any bands, artists, or companies he has worked with, and expressed concern about individuals with such behavior being given a public platform.
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