Cave Bastard

Heavy metal band Cave Bastard was founded in 2014 by bassist Troy Oftedal, a former member of Cattle Decapitation who left that group in 2009, and guitarist Nick Padron, formerly of Bridge Jumper. Their initial performances and recordings also featured Chase Ferguson (ex-Bridge Jumper), Steve Pearce (Gutrot, Ritual Torture), and Steven Reed (Age Of Collapse). In summer 2017, Cave Bastard released a split 12-inch with Austin band Blk Ops, on Accident Prone Records, with four songs by each band. Early the next year, they welcomed new drummer Marlon Matthew (Temblad). Up until now, their most recent release was 2018’s The Bleak Shall Devour the Earth. “Our second album, Wrath of the Bastard, is being released on November 12th via Antrum Records and we are beyond stoked to finally put this out,” reports the band. “Preorders are now available for digital download and limited run CD, and you can stream the first single, ‘Chaos Unearthed,’ through our Bandcamp.” The album artwork is by Indonesian illustrator Varises Otak, who has created record sleeves for FairyHell, Mudface, and others.

Mire

When Nick Hipa recently announced his departure from As I Lay Dying, many were surprised to find that he actually left the band last year, with no mention of the lineup shift from his former bandmates until they were essentially forced to do so by Hipa’s public revelation. The announcement cited estrangement from the band’s lead singer Tim Lambesis, who went to prison for attempting to hire a hit man to kill his wife. While their singer served time, As I Lay Dying renamed itself Wovenwar, with Oh Sleeper’s Shane Blay as their new frontman, and signed to Metal Blade Records, alongside fellow locals Cattle Decapitation. Lambesis emerged from prison and rejoined the group, which again called itself As I Lay Dying, but booking frequently attracted public controversy due to the singer’s felonious history. Hipa recently followed his bombshell announcement by introducing his new band, Mire, which also features Ryan Glisan (ex-Allegaeon, Pyrithion) and vocalist Benton Mckibbe. “Very stoked to share some new music from my band Mire,” says Hipa. “Ryan, Benton, and I started this journey together in 2017, with the simple desire to create stylistically unrestrained music based on mutual admiration for riff based songwriting.” A video for their single “Refined” is streaming online. Says Hipa, “It’s a decently pummeling tune that represents just one facet of what we’ve created together.”

Rob Halford

Judas Priest singer Rob Halford has recorded in San Diego, having first lived in a Hillcrest apartment circa 1999. Halford’s Pain tattoo was done by Gilbert Lynch at Master Tattoo on 5th Avenue (one of the oldest tattoo shops in San Diego), and his arm dragons were inked by Dutch at Jade Tattoo in Hillcrest. Halford recently told Consequence Heavy that he battled prostate cancer last year. “I had my little cancer battle a year ago, which I got through and that’s in remission now, thank God...That happened while we were all locked down, so things happen for a reason as far as time sequence of events. I have nothing but gratitude to be at this point in my life, still doing what I love the most.” Halford added more revelations about his health issues to a newly updated paperback edition of his autobiography Confess. The new chapter reveals he underwent surgery in July 2020, followed by additional radiation therapy after more cancer was discovered, and then an appendectomy after a tumor was found on his appendix. “It’s been a draining year, I can’t deny it, but I’m delighted to have come through it. I feel like I’ve had the most thorough MOT (moment of truth) that a Metal God can have.” Halford also has a new CD box set called 50 Heavy Metal Years Of Music.

Mike Pinto

A resident of San Diego since 2005, singer-songwriter Mike Pinto grew up in a suburb of Philadelphia called Fairless Hills. His music blends reggae, ska, dub, and Latin rhythms, usually based around or anchored by acoustic guitar. After a well-received acoustic LP, Pinto completed his first full-length album Little District with fellow Philadelphian, producer Tim Sonnefeld, utilizing a full horn section, organ, heavy bass lines, samples, and hip-hop beats.

His EP The West Is Still Wild pays homage to his adopted San Diego home, and he’s gone on to be produced by Dan Malsch (the Misfits), Bill Moriarty (Dr. Dog, Lotus), and Sergio Rios (of the band Orgone). A new single drops November 5, “Danny Loves A Fight,” produced by Pete Steinkopf from The Bouncing Souls. “Had to go punk rock while we are still young,” laughs Pinto. He’s currently on a tour that will take him through North and South Carolina, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, before returning to California for a coastal tour that includes a December 2 date at Winstons in OB.

Meidai

Michael May, aka Meidai, is a hip-hop MC who launched his label Off Da Wall MusiQ in January 2006. “My hip-hop alias Meidai, pronounced Mayday, means a very strong individual in Greek,” he says. “It’s also a three-headed horse ram dragon.” A full-length called Death Before Dishonor was followed by his Legendary album, featuring guest contributions from L.E., Nina Beretta, Young Tk, Nahledge, and Katja Glieson. An album called Emdotmay was followed a year later by Poetry Musiq. “Legendary was more political based, Emdotmay was personal about my life, and Poetry Musiq is me evolving,” he told the Reader. An EP release, I Scare Myself, was followed a year later by Professionally Unprofessional 2, while a full-length called Rashad came out in February 2020. A new 12-track full-length, Project L.S.D., was recorded last year, sporting guests such as Big June, None Illa, Cashis, and the late Ryan Bowers, who was shot by police during a 2019 suicide attempt and who eventually did kill himself. November 8 will see the release of a new Meidai EP called Cleared IV Takeoff.