Allen Blickle, the original drummer of the heavy metal band Baroness, passed away at the age of 42. The Savannah, Georgia–based group shared the heartbreaking news in an Instagram post on September 8, remembering him as a beloved friend and creative partner.
“It breaks my heart to have to share the news that my dear friend, creative partner and former bandmate Allen Blickle passed away a few days ago,” the statement read. “I’m still in shock that he’s gone. We ask for understanding as his family and this band process his passing and grieve his loss. Allen, I love you and miss you. I treasure every moment we shared.”
The cause of death has not been revealed.
Fellow Musicians Pay Tribute
Tributes quickly followed from across the metal community. Kylesa musician Laura Pleasants wrote on Instagram,
“I was so heartbroken when talking w Joe and Summer the other day; finding out how the past month was. I am just gutted, dude. We all thought you had this thing beat. Gone too soon my friend. I’m glad you are at peace and no longer in pain.”
Fans also flooded social media with messages of love and gratitude, celebrating Blickle’s talent and impact. Artist Richey Beckett wrote: “Noooo 💔 I was thinking of Allen yesterday. That time we all hung out at the show in LA was so special! One of my favourite times. Then we went to the Botch show together next time I was in town. Man what a loss, he was a glowing light of a human. 🖤🖤🖤”
Another comment read: “Thats heartbreaking. He was such an incredible dude. The absolute nicest, super talented artist and jaw dropping drummer.”
Another sweet comment read: “Super sad news. Allen was such a kind and thoughtful person, and a total beast of a drummer. It was great touring Europe with him and playing shows every once in a while, he was always smiling 💜”
A Founding Member of Baroness
As per Rolling Stone, Blickle co-founded Baroness in 2003 alongside frontman John Baizley, bassist Summer Welch, and guitarist Tim Loose.
He recorded on three of the band’s acclaimed albums: “Red Album” (2007), “Blue Record” (2009), and the double LP “Yellow & Green” (2012).
The band earned a Grammy nomination in 2017 for Best Metal Performance with their track “Shock Me.” Blickle left the group in 2013, months after surviving a devastating bus crash in Bath, England, that left him hospitalized with fractured vertebrae.
A Life Beyond Baroness
After parting ways with Baroness, Blickle stayed close to his passion. He performed with Romantic Dividends, A Place to Bury Strangers, and Alpaca before moving into composing and sound design. His credits included the film Halfway to Amarillo, Netflix’s “We Are the Champions,” and Showtime’s “The Comedy Store.”
Looking back in a 2013 interview with The Fader, he shared how the near-fatal bus crash reshaped his perspective: “It made me rethink a lot in my life and has been the most difficult time I’ve been through thus far. It was a horrible memory, but I’m trying not to let it define me or stop me from doing what I love.”
