Hold tight, metalheads: Arts Fest might not exactly be bringing the noise, but if you can keep it together 'til Wednesday, you'll be treated to a triple-header of metal at Crowbar, 420 E. College Ave.

Headlining the show is five-piece San Diego native As I Lay Dying. The band, whose latest album Shadows Are Security was released last month, is using a day off from traveling with Ozzfest to perform in State College.

As I Lay Dying vocalist Tim Lambesis said that although he's undoubtedly excited to be playing metal's most prestigious and popular festival, he's glad to take the time to play a smaller show.

"The thing I do like about club shows is the intimacy," Lambesis said. "Everybody's packed in there, and you know they're all there to see you, when maybe at a festival they're there to see a lot of other bands and just happen to catch your set."

This is the band's first year on Ozzfest. Lambesis said the flexible schedule of the two-month tour gives As I Lay Dying to play several such dates outside of the festival setting.

"We're pretty accustomed to playing every day, even on off dates," Lambesis said. "I mean, it definitely helps us financially, but mostly we just love to play."

Touring behind its latest release, Lambesis said As I Lay Dying is more popular than ever.

"The response [to the new record] has been amazing," Lambesis said. "We've sold half as many records in three weeks as we did in two years with our old stuff."

Central Pennsylvania metal act At Hopes End will open the show. The band was chosen as a replacement for Killswitch Engage, who was initially scheduled to perform Wednesday.

At Hopes End guitarist Ken Wagner said his band landed the gig after some good buzz the band garnered after opening for freak-metal legends GWAR at Crowbar last month.

"They called us up and offered us the chance to play," Wagner said. "We must've impressed them last time."

Wagner doesn't like pigeonholing his band's music into a classification.

"With all the categories in music now, it gets ridiculous," Wagner said of trying to classify At Hopes End sound. "But I guess some people would call it metalcore."

Wagner said his band is looking to expand its fan base with a tour in the coming months.

"I just had a baby a month ago, so we've been taking a little break because of that," Wagner said. "But we have talked about it. We've had offers to tour up and down the East Coast."

Wagner said that he's excited to be playing with the show's headliners.

"We consider As I Lay Dying as an influence," Wagner said. "It's really an honor to open up for them."

Swedish metal act Soilwork is also taking a day off of Ozzfest to play Crowbar. The band's sound merges the classic European death metal sound with early '80s metal. Soilwork is touring in support of its latest album Stabbing the Drama, which is described on the band's Web site (http://www.soilwork.org) as "an album full of blistering ear catchers."