A brand new wave of hardcore music is expanding the local music scene in the Central Valley. With all members only being 18 years old and in college, the band Bay of Pygs is receiving more and more recognition as they continue to share their blend of intense fry scream vocals and catchy melodic switches.
Their recognition as a band spiked after their first annual Halloween show, which took place in a member’s backyard on Oct. 31, 2024. Heavy promotion came from second guitarist Ozomatli Che Grande, commonly known as Ozo, who had already had connections to those who host music events in the alternative scene community.
“I would say I am in the hardcore scene of Fresno,” Ozo said. “A lot of people had seen my band on instagram because I would hype them up.”
Although you can tell that the band’s friendship has a strong dynamic just by soaking up their stage presence, not all members were there from the very beginning. The band began with a few high school kids hungry for others to hear their talent.
They were originally formed of four members: lead guitarist Jacob Peralta, scream vocalist Ben Reyna, bassist Vinvella Gonzales and drummer Julius Zuniga. With this group, they were utilizing opportunities through their high school events, such as assemblies and school rallies, to showcase their music. They started out covering popular songs from artists such as Foo Fighters, Pearl Jam, Metallica and Pantera. After some schoolwide recognition, Ozo joined and was followed by lead cleans vocalist Adam Mirelez, who is the latest addition to the group.
The group’s name, Bay of Pygs, came from an unexpected source of inspiration.
”I think it was sophomore year and I was thinking about Call of Duty: Black Ops. The first mission, I think, was the Bay of Pigs mission in 1960,” Reyna recalled. ”We thought it sounded kind of cool, but then we spelled it with a Y because on Instagram we couldn’t spell it with an I. That’s the band’s secret.”
The way this band executes their sound is special because all members are interested in different branches of alternative music, whether it’s more heavy, melodic or groovy. Each member applies something unique based on what’s appealing to their ear. Some overall inspirations for the band include Avenged Sevenfold, Twenty One Pilots, 7 Angels 7 Plagues, Death and Linkin Park.
The process for creating their music includes a lot of experimentation, even if what they’re trying out is different from what they are familiar with.
“From a drummer standpoint, it’s a lot of trial and error. Even if it sounds super ridiculous, we try it because it might open another path for something better. We eventually get to the making and go into our flow state, as some would say,” Zuniga said.
The band was able to reach a huge milestone by playing at one of Fresno’s more popular music venues, Strummer’s Bar and Grill, on Nov. 6, 2025. This opportunity was great for their publicity since there were many other talented bands included in the show’s lineup. Members shared that the experience felt surreal and that they hope to play at the venue again in the future. Ozo mentions that in the future he’d like to play at the venue Destructive Productions, a warehouse located in Downtown Fresno.
Bay of Pygs has been included in lineups consisting of bands that have been in the industry longer than them, including some of their role models. The band shared that they enjoyed performing with groups such as Entice, Xiomoura, Shpliff and Blend 27. Members agreed that Blend 27 stood out to them in particular.
”I actually really do like Blend 27’s music. I’m really drawn to their samples and their guitar structure,” Mirelez said.
All members have mentioned that they have long-term goals for this band, noting that they think it would be “cool” to make it their profession. They’re also working to get more quality equipment and want to produce a full-length album one day. Reyna said that it would “mean the world” if they could get to play at least one festival in the future.
It’s clear that each band member is driven and committed to what they do. Members say that this is due to their strong bonds and friendship. They believe that they keep each other going.
Bay of Pygs will be performing at Club House Muaythai on Saturday, Jan. 31 with Giyera, Ambretta, Lorraine and A November Morning. Tickets will be available at the door for $10. To learn more about Bay of Pygs and their upcoming performances, follow them on Instagram at @bayofpygsofficial.
