Chris Bowes’ Bandmate Urges Embattled Musician to Make Statement in Wake of Obscene Gloryhammer Leaked Chat

Vincent Jackson Jones, bassist and vocalist of Aether Realm and Wizardthrone, has issued a statement in response to the highly misogynistic and obscenely racist leaked group chats allegedly between members of Gloryhammer, urging his Wizardthrone bandmate Chris Bowes (of Gloryhammer and Alestorm) to address the situation after remaining silent on the matter for over two days.

Earlier this week, power metal group Gloryhammer terminated singer Tom Winkler via email and, in their tweet sharing the news, one Twitter user shared a screenshot of a message from an unnamed source who accused bassist James Cartwright of abuse.

Leaked messages from a group chat — which appeared to feature three members of Gloryhammer, albeit under aliases with notable connections to the band's actual members — then emerged, which captured message exchanges in which belligerently offensive, sexist, misogynistic and racist language was used.

An avatar bearing a near exact resemblance to Bowes as seen in the photo at the top — baseball hat, plaid kilt, keytar and dark, scraggly hair — appeared alongside messages where the n-word was used, among other racial slurs for Black people.

In a statement on Facebook, released late at night on Wednesday, Aug. 25, Jones relayed that his message was "two days late" as the controversy had emerged earlier in the week, and noted "I hope you'll understand that I've been spending all of my time outside of work speaking to everyone that's going to be affected, and trying my best to chart the fairest course of action."

Jones then announced that he would be "suspending my involvement with all projects including Christopher Bowes."

"Chris is also my friend, and he has asked me for time to make his statement before I put him on blast," he continued.

Evidently, that window of opportunity for Bowes had expired and Jones felt compelled to address the situation and publicly pleaded that Bowes "act with haste" in making an official statement because the longer he remains silent, the more painful it becomes for him, fans and friends who are looking for clarity.

Read the full statement and see Jones' Facebook post directly below.

I know a lot of my friends in the metal world have been looking to me to say something. This is two days late, and I’ve had a lump in my throat the whole time. I hope you’ll understand that I’ve been spending all of my time outside of work speaking to everyone that’s going to be affected, and trying my best to chart the fairest course of action.
I’m suspending my involvement with all projects including Christopher Bowes. Bands, tours, all of it. Chris is also my friend, and he has asked me for time to make his statement before I put him on blast.
Chris, I can’t get up on a stage and pretend my shit is all fine without getting this off my chest and saying what I need to say. Every moment that I wait is painful to me, it’s painful to others, to your friends and fans that are looking to you for clarity in this situation. I know that it’s also painful for you. I know you want to do the right thing. I will give you as much time as i can bear. Please act with haste.

On Aug. 25, Loudwire reached out to Napalm Records — home to Gloryhammer, Alestorm, Wizardthrone and Aether Realm — for comment regarding the leaked chat. At the time this story was published (morning, Aug. 26), this request has gone without reply.

We will update all relevant stories with any statement from the label, the bands involved and/or their individual members if/when they become available.