Recent trends in independent rock music seem to be going in paradoxical directions. Amidst the horde of lo-fi indie pop and the hazy nostalgia of so-called “chillwave,” there’s a much darker and heavier subgenre that is currently exploding with creativity. Don’t call it a comeback, but underground heavy metal is one of the most interesting and vibrant music scenes right now.

Kylesa, who will be playing at Time to Laugh on Sunday, is one such band that has enjoyed the resurgence in popularity of metal among more typically indie publications. For example, websites like Pitchfork and Stereogum both ranked Kylesa’s newest album, Spiral Shadow, among their top 50 of 2010. The Journal recently had the chance to talk with vocalist and guitarist Laura Pleasants.

The group formed in 2001 in Savannah, Georgia. Pleasants and Philip Cope, also guitarist and vocalist, are the only original members left in the lineup.

“Kylesa started like 10 years ago, out of the ashes of Philip’s old band, Damad, who were very active in the underground in the 90s. They did a lot to help the local scene, booked a lot of shows,” Pleasants said. “I would go to all those shows because I was hungry for music. They turned a lot of people on to what was underground at the time”.

This context reveals the long gestation period Kylesa has undergone and how at the beginning, they were decidedly ahead of their time. Pleasants has noticed a number of big changes over the past decade. She explains, “the kind of music we do is more accepted now than it was in 2001, things were just different in the underground, and the metal scene wasn’t as accepting of bands using outside influences like indie rock, punk or psychedelic.” This factor is hugely important to Kylesa’s recent success. Beyond the expected metal signifiers like the thrash of Slayer or the electrified riffs of Black Sabbath, they also amalgamate the hardcore punk of Black Flag, the headiness of Pink Floyd, the relentlessly slow sludge of the Melvins and the DIY rock of Fugazi into their sound.

Spiral Shadow retains the dynamically complex and brutal force of 2009’s Static Tensions, while incorporating more overtly psychedelic elements.

“Philip and I wanted to explore more of our psychedelic side and influences but part of it also was just a natural progression,” said Pleasants. For evidence of this aesthetic, see the video for “Tired Climb,” directed by David as “tripped out naked women in the woods and extremely psychedelic, we just wanted to have it reminiscent of late 60s counter culture.” The stylistic diversity does much to dispel the common misconception of metal’s stagnant sameness. In comparison to the band’s earlier work, Pleasants said that the two latest albums are “more refined in ideas and output, less stripped down, more dense and more raw.”

The rhythmic intricacy of the songs is underscored by the use of two drummers. They’re able to use this chemistry effectively, Pleasants says, “with just rehearsal and jamming over the years, because we’ve been doing it since 2006, initially to be heavier and more pummeling. But as time went on and we were jamming with two drummers we started writing songs with specific parts in mind for the two drums.” With this format, they’re able to push the compositional envelope and explore new corners and possibilities within the genre. Also, the aggressive rhythms lend a poignancy missing from today’s hippie jam bands and prog-rockers.

The most immediately accessible track from the new album is “Don’t Look Back,” featuring tastefully intertwining percussion, a wash of hook-laden guitar melodies reminiscent of Kevin Shields gazing at his shoes and a cathartically catchy vocal part. This song proves that Kylesa is able to communicate visceral hard rock that is straight to the point with simple and tight songwriting.

The fact that many music media sources outside of exclusively metal circles have embraced and lauded bands like Mastodon (with whom Kylesa have toured), Sunn 0))), Boris, High on Fire, and many others, has led to a bit of a backlash. Blogs and message boards have been aflame with accusations of “hipster metal” and complaints that indie kids have assimilated all that is good in heavy music.

Pleasants put this all into perspective when she explains that Kylesa have “always been a band that’s cross-pollinated a lot, we have indie influences … our fan base has always been pretty diverse, a combination of punks, metal heads, indie rockers, stoner rockers. It’s always been a nice mix in my opinion.”

It’s time to erase the stereotype of metal being stuck in past decades; the genre has so much new and eclectic music to offer.

Kylesa play with Rosetta, Fight Amp and Ponderous Chain at Time to Laugh on Sunday at 7 p.m.