Some Concord High students don’t know of Caleb Scofield, a heavy metal musician raised in Pembroke, but they should.

Scofield played bass and sang in various bands in the late 90’s and early 2000’s up until he made his own band and started crafting his own music. 

He grew up with an interest in heavy music after hearing such New Hampshire bands as Inline and the Rat. Their influence pushed him to join a band of his own, Strike 3, while he was in high school. Scofield was a lead vocalist for that band. 

A year after he graduated Pembroke Academy, he joined his primary band, Cave In, serving as a vocalist and bassist as a permanent member. He moved to Los Angeles after marrying in 2004.

In Los Angeles he joined Old Man Gloom, a metal supergroup formed by Aaron Turner of Isis and Santos Montano.

Scofield formed Zozobra in 2006, which allowed him to write his own songs. Zozobra released three albums, the final being 2013’s Savage Masters.

He then released an album with Old Man Gloom in 2014. This was the last piece of music heard from Scofield, as he died March 28, 2018, when his truck collided with a toll booth, in Bedford, New Hampshire, and burst into flames.

People in the metal community showed their support for the family. Members of Converge, Jesu, Every Time I Die, The Red Chord and Isis, among others, pitched in. A crowdfunding page was made to receive donations for Scofield’s memorial service. An initial goal of $1,000 was surpassed in 24 hours; the group ended up raising $72,000 in just one day.

His record label, Hydra Head Records, released a memorial package including previously unheard music and tribute merchandise. All profits went straight to Scofield’s wife and two children.

Scofield’s two bands, Cave In and Old Man Gloom, hosted additional fundraising shows to help the family. 

Scofield’s legacy lives on in his music. Listeners can find Cave In, Old Man Gloom and Zozobra on all streaming platforms. If you haven’t tried to listen to any heavier metal, I highly recommend checking these out.