This is tough. Less than three weeks after the tragic death of Power Trip frontman Riley Gale, we’ve learned that Wade Allison of fellow Texas hardcore band Iron Age — a band who helped pave the way for Power Trip — has passed away. Tributes have come in from those who knew him, including 20 Buck Spin, who reissued their second and final album, 2009’s beloved The Sleeping Eye, last year:
In a 2017 interview with The Guardian, Riley Gale 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 shit in general. […] The way Wade Allison writes his riffs is like no other guitar player that I can name.”
Power Trip also paid tribute:
Rest In Peace to our brother Wade Allison of Iron Age. Thank you for your friendship, brilliant music, and endless inspiration. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/vjW1rDrYvi
— POWER TRIP (@powertriptx) September 12, 2020
Wade has also played in Mammoth Grinder and Eternal Champion. Last year, Iron Age played NYC for the first time in nine years.
Rest in peace, Wade.
Stream Iron Age’s The Sleeping Eye and watch a video of Iron Age in 2005, below, alongside more tributes to Wade from Damian Abraham (Fucked Up), Creeping Death, Red Death, Brian Cook (Russian Circles, Sumac, Botch), Jonah Falco (Fucked Up, Career Suicide), Fuming Mouth, Mindforce, and others.
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
Texas hardcore will forever be indebted to Wade Allison and Riley Gale. Two legends whose contributions to this world went far beyond music. Rest in Power.
— Creeping Death (@CreepingDeathtx) September 12, 2020
RIP Wade Allison another brother lost. Great friend and unreal songwriter/musician. He proved that you can still do familiar styles/sounds but inject your unique weirdness into it to make it your own. We exist because of his character & vibe. LOVE FOREVER.
— Red Death (@RedDeathDC) September 12, 2020
https://twitter.com/bbcbubblegutz/status/1304833970597556224
There isn’t one thing that would accurately memorialise knowing Wade Allison, being in his presence as a musician, and it definitely could not do justice to the hurt of finding out he is gone. My heart goes out to the Allisons, the Metz’, and all our surrogate Texas family. 💙
— Jonah Falco (@jonahjonahfalco) September 12, 2020
RIP WADE ALLISON
— Fuming Mouth (@FumingMouth) September 12, 2020
RIP Wade Allison
Long live Iron Age— Mindforce (@MindforceNY) September 12, 2020
Awful news. 💔 R.I.P. Wade Allison. Take good care of each other out there, folks. https://t.co/wSJOFFeFUl
— Saint Vitus (@saintvitusbar) September 12, 2020
https://twitter.com/andy_oconnor/status/1304614155438166018
Dammit. Texas hc/metal family is just getting hammered in rapid succession. I love all of you deeply and hope you stay safe out there in the coming days. Wade forever. Iron Age forever.
— Dark Operative (@dark0perative) September 12, 2020
https://twitter.com/unlocked_body/status/1304591705455251457?s=21