The raw and chaotic synth lines of Crystal Castles‘ breakthrough 2008 single "Alice Practice" felt like a transmission from an 8-bit underground overtaking mainstream airwaves. The track exemplified a counterculture ethos that resonated with fans escaping their own realities through the band‘s abrasive concerts.
In those early days, the Toronto duo of Ethan Kath and Alice Glass ignited industry intrigue, rejecting conventional fame markers. With three acclaimed albums, their niche appeal soon swelled into a global following. But behind the scenes, a disturbing pattern of exploitation was also taking root.
Origins of an Iconoclastic Sound
Ethan Kath and Alice Glass first met in Toronto‘s punk scene in 2006 when Glass was just 18 years old. With Glass‘s confrontational lyrics and screeching delivery complemented by Kath‘s glitchy synth hooks, they tapped into a dark emotional vein growing in youth culture.
"We make music because we hate the world and we hate ourselves," Glass told NME in 2010.
They were branded "addictively abusive" by Pitchfork and conjured a fervent fanbase. Across their first two albums, Crystal Castles‘ signature disjointed electropunk sound contained the catharsis of anarchic warehouse raves.
Songs like "Baptism" and "Doe Deer" balanced cacophony with hypnotic melodies. Glass‘s raw expression of pain felt genuine and resonated with reputations for intense live performances where both she and fans could lose themselves.
Mainstream Recognition and Simmering Troubles
Their star rose through the early 2010s alternative charts and buzzed music blogs. But the first signs of imbalance in the duo emerged. In interviews, Kath did most of the talking while Glass retreated beneath hoodies and hungover expressions. She slowly disappeared from publicity altogether.
Behind closed doors, the abuses recounted by Glass allegedly grew steadily worse. She claimed financial control tightened along with Kath‘s grip over all professional choices. Glass contends she became psychologically unable to leave as he used blackmail tactics like threatening to ruin her career.
"He forced me to have sex…saying I couldn’t leave unless we finished what we’d started."
Publicly though, critical adoration soared. Their 2012 album "III" broke into the top 10 in both US and UK charts. Tracks like "Wrath of God" and "Affection" pulsed with the frantic yet graceful energy of two artists seemingly at their creative peak.
"This is Glass continually purging her thoughts…there’s catharsis found in the way her vocals confront inner demons," wrote Vice.
But the partnership ended abruptly in 2014 when Glass departed, confiding privately in friends about years of severe mistreatment. Kath quickly replaced her with singer Edith Frances, continuing Crystal Castles shows and working towards a fourth album.
An Abusive Past Comes to Light
In October 2017, Glass broke years of silence by posting a detailed account of consistent psychological torment and sexual abuse dating back to when she first met Kath as a teenager.
“He ordered me to crawl on my hands and knees and bark like a dog or I wasn’t allowed to eat that day.”
The manipulative tactics described included alienating her from colleagues, doling out erratic rewards and penalties, restricting access to her passport or finances, and continual coercion and assault behind closed doors.
Glass revealed in visceral detail a cycle of entrapment as Kath allegedly leveraged his power as her producer to control nearly all aspects of her life. She risked further trauma by speaking out to help those experiencing similar domestic horrors.
Shock Waves Through the Music World
The lurid accusations incited an immediate flurry of debates, legal threats and voyeuristic speculation. But Glass‘s core message resonated—that the music world can conceal deeply embedded systemic exploitation.
Kath retorted by accusing Glass of deceit and plotting to undermine Crystal Castles along with comments dismissive of abuse allegations. But his blanket refutations rang empty for many.
“I am outraged and hurt by the recent statements made by Alice about me and our prior relationship," said Kath.
Nettwerk Music cut ties with Kath and he was condemned in the press. Three more women soon came forward confirming similar patterns of harassment and coercion from Kath. A dark portrait emerged of a serial manipulator leveraging his indie celebrity for abuse.
Legal Dismissals and a Solo Reckoning
In 2018 Kath threatened defamation suits against Glass for her public testimony. But in a setback, courts ultimately dismissed his case for lack of jurisdiction.
For Glass though, her goal was justice through transparency—not further legal circus. Along with non-profit groups she encouraged female, non-binary, and POC artists to come forward and know they wouldn‘t be silenced.
In 2020 Glass released her aptly-titled solo debut album “PREY//IV," which Pitchfork hailed as "a triumph of resilience". Her lyrics exposed the predatory mechanisms that can trap young artists seeking approval and assurance never provided.
“This is for the innocents with no one believing them…”
And her soul-baring solo work acting as an expose on abusers became its own form of long-overdue retribution against years of exploitation.
Echoes of Music‘s MeToo Reckoning
Recent scandals like around R. Kelly and Ryan Adams suggest the music world still condones systemic mistreatment. There‘s a growing acknowledgement that vulnerability surrounding artists, groupies and collaborators enables covert abuse.
The @CallOutCollective Instagram creates space for victims‘ stories often drowned out by fame. And chart-toppers like Halsey and Billie Eilish openly discuss surviving assaults early in their careers.
“We’ve allowed people—mostly men—to weaponize complacency against us,” wrote Halsey.
For Crystal Castles, their final album amassed controversy instead of acclaim. Glass continues speaking out so survivors know they aren‘t alone. She‘s now viewed as an avant superhero overcoming exploitation, charting her own defiant course.
Kath presses forward with sporadic shows, joined by a rotating cast of expressive though oft-anonymous singers. But the veil once shrouding his predatory enabling has lifted. Instead he seems haunted by accuser voices, while Glass‘s solo freedom rings bold and unbroken.
