Mixing classic metal with new elements, Shadows Fall is out to revitalize metal and make its own brand of rock at the same time.

American heavy metal has been losing popularity over the last few years, and Shadows Fall frontman Brian Fair says he wants to resuscitate the genre.

“If our name is synonymous with the resurrection of American metal, it is something I would be very proud of,” Fair says.

Shadows Fall is one of the few up-and-coming acts that play metal reminiscent of old thrash metal bands such as Testament or Metallica, with a few new curves thrown in. Fair says he has always tried to mix genres, even in his earlier bands.

“When I started the band Overcast, we brought it all together. We got a lot of shit, but we didn’t care. We grew up with both,” Fair says. “When I was younger there was a division between metal and hardcore. The skinheads would be beating the long hair kids, and the long hair kids would be beating the skinheads.”

Shadows Fall combine death metal growls, hardcore-styled breakdowns and occasional singing with the thrash metal formula of dual guitars, lightning-fast riffs, double bass drumming and guitar solos in their attempt to bridge the gap between genres.

One aspect of Shadows Fall’s music that strays from traditional metal form is the lyrics. Instead of words that reflect negative emotions or fantasy tales about dungeons and demons, Fair says Shadows Fall writes lyrics focused on spirituality and encourage listeners to be active in their lives.

“I have to sing these songs every night. If it’s not heartfelt, it’s a hard thing to do,” Fair says. “Some of these songs we’re going to be playing for a lot of years.”

Since the release of their third album, “The Art of Balance,” in September 2002, the members of Shadows Fall have been on tour promoting themselves constantly.

“I think since the record came out, we’ve been home for five weeks, and that was broken up in pieces,” Fair says.

Not only is the band’s touring schedule heavy, but they have shared the stage with heavy metal greats Iron Maiden and toured with the “Ozzfest” and “Take Action” tours.

They’re currently headlining a tour with supporting acts Death by Stereo and Himsa and are scheduled to play on the upcoming MTV2 “Headbanger’s Ball” tour. Fair says touring with a variety of bands has helped expose Shadows Fall to fans of different sorts of abrasive music, from nu-metal to hardcore.

“It’s amazing. I feel like we’re a pretty overly metal band, but we’ve been lucky to play for every audience,” Fair says. “If you play to the same audience, you’re just preaching to the converted.”

After the upcoming “Headbanger’s Ball” tour, Shadows Fall plans to settle down and record a new album.

For the time being, they’re enjoying their touring schedule and dealing with problems such as bus breakdowns and watching the Red Sox in the playoffs.

“Our drummer is a … Yankees fan, but he’s from New York so that’s OK,” Fair says. “I made him stand on a date at ‘Ozzfest’ and made the crowd chant ‘Yankees suck.’, If there’s one thing a Boston crowd can do, it is chant ‘Yankees suck.'”

Who: Shadows Fall, Death By Stereo, This Day Forward, Himsa

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

When: 5 p.m., Thursday

Cost: $12