As the details have surfaced over the last 24 hours regarding the tragic death of Rev. Jim Forrester outside the Fells Point, Baltimore, tattoo/piercing shop where he worked, the portrait they’ve drawn has only seemed more senseless. The former bassist for Sixty Watt Shaman, currently of Foghound and Serpents of Secrecy, on the mend from ongoing health issues, finding sobriety, married, getting through, and then shot in the chest outside his place of employment? You’d have a long, long way to go before you ever managed to convince me that makes any fucking sense whatsoever.

One thing Maryland heavy has always done, however, is rally together when the situation calls for it, and yeah, I’d say this situation calls for it. Two stages in Frederick, Maryland, will run benefits next Friday, Dec. 29, with proceeds going to Jim‘s funeral costs and honestly whatever else who the hell cares what they do with the money take all the money just take it please take it and take lasagna too. I’ve heard rumblings about more benefit shows to come and something brewing for Maryland Doom Fest 2018 as well next June, so stay tuned for more and I’ll update as much as I can because Jesus tapdancing Christ, some asshole shot Jim Forrester.

Fucking devastating.

Lineups for the shows at Cafe 611 and Guido’s Speakeasy follow here. If you can’t make it, there’s also a GoFundMe set up linked below that you should donate to. Hell, even if you can go you should donate, because again, just take all the money please take all the money.

Here:

Rev Jim Benefit Concert – Dec. 29

Cafe 611 & Guido’s Speakeasy
N Market St, Frederick, Maryland

This event will feature 13 killer bands on 2 separate stages. Both Cafe 611 & Guido’s next door will be hosting this remembrance of Rev Jim’s life and fundraiser. Bands will be revealed soon. All proceeds go to his family. We will celebrate your existence forever Jim.

This wonderful, gental, kind man was tragically taken from us by a senseless act. All proceeds are to help alleviate the financial strain on his family: https://www.gofundme.com/funds-for-forrester

Show time is 6pm-12:30 pm Friday Dec 29th.

Lineup:

Cafe 611:
King Giant
Earthride
The Age of Truth
Thousand Vision Mist
Thonian Horde
Faith in Jane
Dee Calhoun & Louis Strachan

Guido’s Speakeasy:
Bailjack
The Druids
Et Mors
Seasick Gladiator
Clamfight
Thee Iron Hand
Lifetime Shitlist

https://www.facebook.com/events/180510659201090/
https://www.gofundme.com/funds-for-forrester

Foghound, The World Unseen (2016)

When Thee Iron Hand made their existence public back in May with the unveiling of the track ‘Lungful of Blood,’ the Maryland doom four-piece threatened that they’d make their way to the stage for the first time this summer. Well, it’s hot and humid as shit in Frederick, so it must be summer, and we now know where and when the live debut from the supergroup with members of Iron Man, Ironboss and The Hidden Hand (you can see the lineup below) will take place. Thee Iron Hand hit the stage next Friday, July 14, at the Shamrock Inn in Baltimore, in the considerable company of Weed is Weed and Mangog.

One could hardly think of more appropriate compatriots for Thee Iron Hand to play their first show, particularly if the running theme of the night is “pedigree.” Weed is Weed, of course, is fronted by Maryland doom godfather Dave Sherman, of Earthride and Spirit Caravan infamy, and Mangog features in its lineup former Iron Man drummer Mike Rix and Beelzefuzz/ex-Revelation bassist Bert Hall, Jr., so indeed, on the level of dudes-in-bands-who-were/are-also-in-other-bands, it makes an awful lot of sense. And I’ve no doubt it’ll be a damn good time, front to back across the entirety of evening. Also, it’s free. So there’s that too.

To mark the occasion, Thee Iron Hand have posted a second rehearsal demo clip, this one featuring a minute of a track given the uncomfortable-sounding title “Pissing Chrome.” You can once again hear Thee Iron Hand straddling the line between heavy rock and metal here, and I’m increasingly interested to find out where they’ll ultimately fall on that scale when they hit the studio for a first outing of one sort or another. Presumably we’ve got a little ways to go before they get there, but when I hear more in that regard, I’ll let you know.

For now, enjoy:

Thee Iron Hand, “Pissing Chrome” rehearsal outtake

“The track is about perseverance, not letting obstacles interfere, and reveling in the joy of accomplishment.” — Dee Calhoun

(lyrics: Calhoun; music: Crocco, Falkinburg, Kennedy) c. 2017

Thee Iron Hand is:
Screaming Mad Dee (Iron Man) – voice
Matt Crocco (Lifetime Shitlist, Ironboss) – guitar
Bruce Falkinburg (The Obsessed, The Hidden Hand) – bass
Patrick Kennedy (Ironboss) – drums

Thee Iron Hand on Thee Facebooks

Thee Iron Hand on YouTube

Let’s face it: It’s hard to speculate what a band might become based on their lineup and a minute-long snippet of a rehearsal room recording. They haven’t even played a live show, so I’m not going to try to guess at the range of what Thee Iron Hand might shoot for as they set to writing songs with an intent toward making a stage debut this summer ahead, presumably — or perhaps coinciding with — a first studio venture.

That said, I do think it’s fair to be excited at the prospect of what a new band with members of Iron Man, Ironboss and The Hidden Hand might be able to accomplish together, and so as one sees Bruce Falkinburg (ex-The Hidden Hand, ex-The Obsessed) teaming up with Ironboss guitarist Matt Crocco and drummer Patrick Kennedy and the three-piece bringing Iron Man frontman Dee Calhoun on board to be the voice of the band, yeah, that’s some fodder for speculation right there. All the more so with that minute of rehearsal jam to go on, which you can hear below in a piece of a song called “Lungful of Blood.”

I guess the upshot here is there’s much more to come, so stay tuned. I’d be a little bit surprised if these guys didn’t wind up on the bill one way or another for Maryland Doom Fest next month, provided they’re ready even to do a short set, but beyond that, I’ll post more when I have more. In the meantime, I chased down Calhoun for some more info on how Thee Iron Hand came together and you can see what he had to say under the lineup info, which follows here:

Thee Iron Hand – Lungful of Blood

Members/former members of legendary acts The Obsessed, Iron Man, Ironboss, and The Hidden Hand have joined to form Thee Iron Hand. The lineup is:

Screaming Mad Dee (Iron Man) – voice
Matt Crocco (Lifetime Shitlist, Ironboss) – guitar
Bruce Falkinburg (The Obsessed, The Hidden Hand) – bass
Patrick Kennedy (Ironboss) – drums

Dee Calhoun on Thee Iron Hand:

“Matt was putting feelers out for a singer for this project that he, Bruce, and Patrick had going on. He approached me regarding it, and once it became clear that Iron Man was going to be out of commission for a while, I jumped at it. They pretty much already had songs written and arranged, all I needed to do was write lyrics and melodies. The styles are meshing very, very well. The vibe is a little different that a lot of what I’ve done before, but I welcome that and think people are really going to dig it.”

The quartet will be hitting the live stage beginning in Summer 2017.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrzOQMWnSXZxNWkaH_cFScA

Thee Iron Hand, “Lungful of Blood” rehearsal outtake