Mike Milford, the longtime vocalist of Scars Of Tomorrow and founder of Modern Empire Music, has passed away following a battle with cancer.
Milford was a prominent figure in the 2000s hardcore and metalcore scene, particularly throughout Southern California, where he helped establish Scars Of Tomorrow as one of the notable bands to emerge during the genre’s early-2000s boom.
The band posted the following on Facebook:
We’re thinking about our friend and singer, Mike Milford, today as we mourn the news of his passing.
Thank you to everyone who supported Mike and Scars over the past two plus decades. If you ever had the privilege of meeting Mike, you know what an amazing person he was. He was an incredible frontman, artist manager, label exec, father, friend and so much more.
Our thoughts are with Mike and his family today. We hope his legacy lives on through the memories he gave us and all the incredible heavy music he made.
Formed in Orange County, California in 2000, Scars Of Tomorrow developed a sound that combined the aggression of hardcore with metallic elements. Milford served as the band’s frontman throughout its most active years, helping lead the group through numerous tours and lineup changes.
The band initially released material through Thorp Records before signing with Victory Records in 2003. During its time with the label, Scars Of Tomorrow released three full-length albums: ‘Rope Tied To The Trigger’ in 2004, ‘The Horror Of Realization’ in 2005, and ‘The Failure In Drowning’ in 2006.
Throughout that period, the band toured extensively with acts including Atreyu, Himsa, Norma Jean, and Bury Your Dead.
Despite lineup changes and the eventual hiatus of Scars Of Tomorrow in 2007, Milford remained committed to the band and its supporters. The group later reunited, eventually releasing the album ‘Failed Transmissions’ through Artery Recordings in 2014.
Milford’s influence on heavy music extended well beyond his work as a vocalist.
He went on to establish Modern Empire Music, as well as Modern Empire Records, and became heavily involved in artist management and the business side of the music industry. Through those ventures, Milford worked with developing artists in the hardcore, metalcore, and broader heavy music scenes.
His work behind the scenes reflected the same DIY mentality that had defined his years as a touring musician. Milford helped emerging artists navigate management, releases, touring, and the rapidly changing music industry while continuing to advocate for independent heavy music.
Following news of his passing, tributes have begun emerging from members of the hardcore and metalcore communities, with Milford being remembered for both his work as a performer and his efforts to support the next generation of heavy artists.
Over more than two decades, Milford made an impact both from the stage and behind the scenes, leaving behind a body of work that connected the 2000s metalcore era with the modern heavy music community.
The Mosh Network would like to extend our deepest condolences to Mike Milford’s family, friends, and everyone who was impacted by his work and legacy.
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