Metal fans leave little room for humor in their music. Yet amid the heavy metal images of skulls, Satan and blood, it’s also possible to find a little time to laugh.

“I’m not into the tough guy scene at all,” says Gary Mann, bassist for New York-based metalcore band If Hope Dies. “We don’t want to be like that.”

Mann says his band tries to stay as far away from those metal cliches as possible.

Although the band uses song titles like “Roddy Piper’s Magic Sunglasses” and “Sugar, Free Donuts” to add an element of humor rarely found in the heavy music scene, Mann says he isn’t concerned with fans who might write off If Hope Dies as a joke band.

“I don’t really care if they like us or not,” Mann says. “They can go buy a Six Feet Under record.”

Mann says that although there is a lot of humor in If Hope Dies, anyone who delves into the lyrics of the group’s latest album, “The Ground is Rushing Up to Meet Us,” will find songs dealing with serious subjects.

“We all stand for a lot of important things, like politics and the environment,” Mann says.

One thing the members of If Hope Dies are serious about is their recently signed record deal with Metalblade Records.

“Metalblade told us, ‘Write a record you guys are proud of and we’ll put it out,'” Mann says. “We don’t have to tone it down or put in singing parts.”

Since the new album is being jointly released by Metalblade Records and friend/Unearth singer Trevor Phipps’ Ironclad Recordings, Mann says that the members of If Hope Dies are in the enviable position of having a trusted friend as their boss with the addition of the increased support a larger label can offer.

“We answer to Trevor, but we have Metalblade’s money,” Mann says.

Mann says that if there is a downside to working with a larger record company, it is the pressure to create new material in a more timely fashion.

“We spent five months writing the last record,” Mann says. “Now we have deadlines.”

Mann says the band draws inspiration from music outside of metalcore’s often strict stylistic confines, citing heavy yet diverse acts like Dying Fetus and Mr. Bungle.

“What’s kind of weird about us is that we don’t listen to much stuff we sound like,” Mann says.

Despite the band’s various musical inspirations, Mann says the band members’ disdain for their 9-to-5 jobs played a much bigger role in driving If Hope Dies to succeed.

“Some of the guys worked in factories and I washed dishes in a nursing home for three years,” Mann says. “We all hate work; we’re never going to work again.”

Ultimately, the area where the band has met the most success is the live setting, Mann says.

“We sound way better live than on CD,” Mann says. “If you want to see a bunch of long-haired assholes rock out, come to our show.”

Who: If Hope Dies

Where: Hairy Mary’s, 2307 University Ave., Des Moines

When: 5 p.m. Thursday

Cost: TBA