Michael Scalzi (born December 8, 1969) is an American musician and a philosophy professor at Diablo Valley College.

[4] In the late 1980s, Scalzi formed The Lord Weird Slough Feg in Pennsylvania, but relocated to San Francisco in 1990 with the hopes of resurrecting the heavy metal scene in the United States.

Hammers of Misfortune got started in the mid-1990s as Unholy Cadaver when Scalzi joined in with guitarist John Cobbett and drummer Chewy Marzolo.

In 2003 the band signed a deal with Cruz Del Sur, releasing their second album The August Engine by the end of the same year.

Scalzi contributes guest vocals on two tracks of their album Overtaker (2022), “Dark Brennius” and “Overthrower”.