Balmora Bassist Says Band Is “Nuked” Following Allegations Against Guitarist

Once again, a prominent young hardcore band seems to be disintegrating in chaotic, dispiriting fashion for reasons related to one member's alleged abuses. In this case, the band is Balmora, the young Connecticut metalcore revivalists who only just released their debut album These Graven Halls on Friday. Since the LP's release, Balmora's social media accounts and their website have been deactivated in the wake of grooming allegations against guitarist Jay Torblaa.

As Lambgoat reports, the allegations against Torblaa, also a touring member of Torture, came out over the weekend. One Instagram user wrote that Torblaa continually messaged her and her sister starting in 2023, when the user was 15 and Torblaa was 19, claiming that Torblaa displayed a "pattern" of "stalking" and adding, "It's not OK that Jay gets to get away with doing this to multiple underage girls."

In a statement posted on their Instagram on Monday, Balmora's other members wrote that they "don't fuck with this at all obviously" and that Torblaa "will be stepping away from the band and our summer tour will continue on as planned." Balmora's headlining tour with fellow metalcore revivalists Azshara and Holder was set to begin tomorrow night at the Middle East in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and I was planning to go see them in Richmond over the weekend. Now, that tour seems less and less likely to happen. (If there's no Stereogum hardcore column this month, that's why.)

In a since-deleted Instagram Story that he posted hours later, Balmora bassist Danny Cuneo took credit for the statement and added that the band is "nuked."

Balmora recorded their new album These Graven Halls with new singer Paul Cole, formerly of Since My Beloved, replacing founding vocalist Chris "Senti" Misenti. Last night, the Middle East posted the Balmora date on their list of upcoming shows, but cancellation may be imminent.

If you or someone you know has undergone sexual abuse, please visit rainn.org or contact the National Sexual Assault Helpline at 1-800-656-4673.