Vulvodynia have announced they’ve split with vocalist Zion Bittenbender and will no longer appear on Defeated Sanity’s upcoming US tour. The move follows sexual misconduct allegations that surfaced shortly after Bittenbender was announced as the band’s new frontman in late 2025. Bittenbender has denied the accusations in his own public statement.
According to Lambgoat, an accuser posted on Instagram alleging sexual assault and misconduct, and said they had screenshots of messages that backed up multiple incidents, including claims that Bittenbender assaulted partners while they were asleep. The post also alleged he dated a 16-year-old when he was 19, and described a pattern of pursuing much younger women. The accuser described one incident where, after they pulled away when he tried to have sex with them, he allegedly forced himself on them, then later made a comment that they were embarrassed they “couldn’t get turned on.” Bittenbender later denied the allegations in a separate public statement.
In the new statement, Vulvodynia apologise for the delay in addressing the situation, say they take the allegations seriously, and admit parts of how it was handled earlier should have been managed better. They also say they’re starting the process of finding a new vocalist, with details on auditions to follow. Until then, guitarist Lwandile Prusent will cover vocal duties for the band’s remaining shows this year.
The tour Vulvodynia had been lined up for was Defeated Sanity’s US headlining run in support of Chronicles of Lunacy, booked across April and May 2026, starting April 16 in Anaheim, California, and ending May 16 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Vulvodynia and Organectomy were announced as main support for the full stretch, with Excrescence, Scasm, and Horrific Visions rotating in as regional openers on select dates, and tickets were already on sale at the time. Defeated Sanity have since confirmed Inferi stepping in as the replacement for Vulvodynia.
