Iron Age's Wade Allison dead, heartbroken fans recall how the riff king 'changed the game'
We have lost quite a number of celebrities in 2020 and adding to the bad news, another artiste is no more. Rock metal legend Wade Allison from the renowned band Iron Age breathed his last recently. The cause of his death is not yet revealed. The artist, who belonged from Austin, Texas, had his own share of fan following.
The publication Brooklyn Vegan broke the sad news. Tributes poured in on Twitter from people who knew him. His fans also took to the micro-blogging site where they spoke about his music and the band’s albums. Paying tribute to the late artist, one shared, "We lose another icon today. Iron Age will never be the same. RIP #wade #ironage." One music label posted, "RIP Wade. The first HC guitarist I heard that truly blew my mind. His riffs changed the game. Condolences to his friends and family."
We lose another icon today. Iron Age will never be the same. RIP #wade #ironage
— I Read Poetry (@poetry_read) September 12, 2020
RIP Wade. The first HC guitarist I heard that truly blew my mind. His riffs changed the game. Condolences to his friends and family
— Triple B Records (@TripleBRecords) September 12, 2020
One person who knew the artist shared on Twitter, "No words. Love to all the friends. Love to The Iron Age Family. I will love you forever Wade." He continued with another tweet where he shared a photo of the late artist with a positive message which read: "He was our brother. A musical inspiration and a god of this s**t. Wade forever."
No words. Love to all the friends. Love to The Iron Age Family. I will love you forever Wade.
— Damian Abraham (@leftfordamian) September 12, 2020
He was our brother. A musical inspiration and a god of this shit. Wade forever. https://t.co/e9aOi8mu23
— Damian Abraham (@leftfordamian) September 12, 2020
Another user shared, "You would pick me up from culinary school everyday BLASTING oxblood or humming riffs from constant struggle before it was written. You were my big brother. My best memories are with you. I have Iron Age lyrics tattooed on my knuckles cause you said i wouldnt. I love you Wade RIP." One fan posted, "Rest In Power Wade Allison. A true pioneer of the damn riff game man. Every guitarist wanting to start a crossover band looked to his riffs. Sleeping Eye and Constant Struggle are god tier records. Much love to the Tejas family. #ripwadeallison #riprileygale”
You would pick me up from culinary school everyday BLASTING oxblood or humming riffs from constant struggle before it was written. You were my big brother. My best memories are with you. I have Iron Age lyrics tattooed on my knuckles cause you said i wouldnt. I love you Wade RIP pic.twitter.com/855IUPMnIC
— ATTRACTIVE MEXICAN (@ITSFASTRONALD) September 12, 2020
Rest In Power Wade Allison. A true pioneer of the damn riff game man. Every guitarist wanting to start a crossover band looked to his riffs. Sleeping Eye and Constant Struggle are god tier records. Much love to the Tejas family. #ripwadeallison #riprileygale pic.twitter.com/9QGWpzE5L2
— Bootleg_Jnut (@JNUT123) September 12, 2020
One paid tribute with the message, "Im blessed to have worked with so many larger than life artists while they were still around with us. their trust truly helped make me feel validated when i wasnt so sure in myself. rip riley, rip wade, rip peep. gone but never forgotten.” One added, “My older brother. I’m in pieces. I loved you so much then and now.”
im blessed to have worked with so many larger than life artists while they were still around with us. their trust truly helped make me feel validated when i wasnt so sure in myself.
— KORANTINE (@sure2win) September 12, 2020
rip riley, rip wade, rip peep.
gone but never forgotten.
My older brother. I’m in pieces. I loved you so much then and now. pic.twitter.com/vZGQpmjluN
— . (@A_SativaDiva) September 12, 2020
Iron Age paved a way for bands like Power Trip. In a 2017 interview with The Guardian, Power Trip vocalist Riley Gale had said, "Power Trip definitely wouldn’t be the band we are without Iron Age. Those guys are sort of like our older brothers, and showed me a lot of really good music, not just thrash metal but a lot of cool s**t in general. The way Wade Allison writes his riffs is like no other guitar player that I can name."
Iron Age released two albums namely ‘Constant Struggle’ in 2006 and ‘The Sleeping Eye’ in 2009. The band also dropped a few singles and EPs namely ‘Iron Age’ in 2005, ‘Butcher’s Bill’ in 2006, ‘Burden of Empire’ in 2007, ‘The Way Is Narrow’ in 2008 and ‘Saga Demos’ in 2011.
Speaking to Bandcamp about their music in an exclusive interview in 2019, Allison had said, "We knew we didn’t want to be a modern hardcore band that says they’re influenced by New York hardcore from the '80s but really sounded like they were from the '90s. We drew as directly from our influences as we could while putting things together in our own way."
May your soul rest in peace, Wade.
You can listen to Iron Age’s second album here.