DeKALB | Like Rats is a hardcore punk-inspired black metal band from Chicago. Citing heavy, aggressive influences such as Celtic Frost and Discharge, the group may look somewhat out of place when they play with the pop punk band The Wonder Years on Tuesday night at The House Cafe, 263 E. Lincoln Highway.

Guitarist Todd Nief was able to sit down with the Northern Star before taking the stage with Like Rats.

NORTHERN STAR: Tell me a bit about Like Rats. Who is in the band, and how would you describe your sound to both people in the hardcore community and people who have only a passing interest in abrasive music?

TODD NEIF: To people familiar with metal: Warrior, Cavalera, Vigna, McEntee. To people unfamiliar with metal: You probably can’t tell the difference between what we’re doing and something like System of a Down or whatever. Don’t concern yourselves with a bunch of guys in black T-shirts. Instead, go buy a collection of Prokofiev’s piano concertos, because that’s where a whole bunch of Like Rats riffs are stolen from. Prokofiev is much more accessible and much, much, much better.

NS: The Wonder Years are one of those positive hardcore bands with a strong pop punk influence, for better or worse. You guys, on the other hand, remind me of latter years Black Flag, with longer songs, a bit more mid-tempo riffing and sparse use of the staple of positive hardcore: gang vocals. How do you think you will be received by the fans?

TN: Probably not very well, and that’s completely fine. [Fellow openers] Fireworks are good friends of ours, and we thought it would be cool to play together. They’ve often been the “odd band out” at a variety of moshy metalcore fests, so it only makes sense that they would put their friends’ proto-death metal wannabe bands on their pop punk shows.

NS: Having worked security for shows like this in the past, I’ve caught a few stray punches and kicks from kids who like to “hardcore dance.” Being that your band is a bit more angular and dense, without clearly defined “mosh-parts,” how do you feel when you see people expressing their enjoyment of the music through dancing?

TN: I’m terrible at dancing in any iteration, so I’m mostly awestruck by dancers’ simultaneous lack of self-consciousness and impressive kinesthetic awareness. As for “mosh parts,” [Sepultura’s] Arise and [Celtic Frost’s] To Mega Therion have heavier riffs than any silly chug band. The difference is how these riffs are framed in the song. Similarly, I write parts to be heavy, but not necessarily “moshed to.” Still, if people want to injure themselves or others because of riffs that I came up with, at least I’m making a difference in the world somehow.

NS: I’ve seen you guys at DIY shows both out here in DeKalb and in Chicago. What are the biggest differences in the way Like Rats prepares or plays depending on the venue, if at all?

TN: No difference. Dan [Polak] is a freak drummer which makes preparation for shows easy. We hold ourselves to our own high standard regardless of who we’re playing with or where we’re playing.

NS: I hear you guys have a short set [for the Wonder Years show], how do you plan on maximizing your time on stage and put your best foot forward, so to speak?

TN: We’re actually playing quite a few new songs that we’re planning on recording in a few weeks for an LP. These songs are much more “death metal,” and I’m thrilled to have an opportunity to play them live. Not too concerned with a “best foot.” I’d probably be more stoked if we bummed everyone out, honestly.

NS: Finally, sell me on your show. Assume I’m an 18-year-old college student, looking for something to do that night. How would you sell the show to me, and more specifically, how would you convince me to show up early to watch you guys play?

TN: Man, if you’re an 18-year-old college student, you’re probably either delighting in sudden sexual abundance… or you’re wondering why everyone except you gets to have sex. If you’re in the first camp, do what you’re doing, don’t come to this show. If you’re in the second camp, maybe you’ll have something in common with the other sexually frustrated attendees at the subculture punk show. However, you’re probably all too awkward to do anything about it.

To download a free copy of the Like Rats EP, as well as a copy of the demo that ranked on Decibel magazine’s top five demos of 2009, visit likerats.net.