For more than three decades, Eric Aittala has resisted attempts to neatly categorize the music of AITTALA (pronounced EYE-tah-la).

The band, which will perform in Lewisburg Aug. 1 at The 3rd Floor at 860 N Court St, has built a reputation for blending elements of traditional heavy metal, doom, progressive metal, power metal, hard rock, and other subgenres.

“Music is just organic,” Aittala said. “When I’m writing songs, whatever comes out comes out.”

That approach has helped define AITTALA since its formation in the Netherlands in 1991. At the time, Aittala was serving in the military overseas and had spent years writing original material while stationed in Japan and Europe.

Originally formed with an American vocalist and Dutch musicians, the group began by learning songs Aittala had already written. When the band needed a name, Aittala suggested using his surname because the group was performing his material.

The band’s early momentum was interrupted when Aittala’s military service ended, and he returned to the United States. The project remained dormant for years before being revived in 2009.

Since then, AITTALA has released multiple albums and EPs while continuing to evolve musically.

The band’s unwillingness to stay within a single genre has drawn both praise and criticism over the years.

“Some people will go, ‘Cool, there’s different things to listen to,’ and some people will say the band doesn’t know what it wants to be,” he said. “I don’t care. Whatever genre it comes out to be, that’s what it is.”

The current lineup includes Aittala on guitar and vocals, drummer Gary “Zeus” Smith, and new bassist Dane Taylor.

Smith, who has ties to Greenbrier County and began his musical journey in local school band programs, joined the group in 2012. Aittala said Smith’s drumming style influenced the way he approached songwriting, particularly the rhythm sections of newer material.

“It changed the way I thought about drumming when I was writing songs,” Aittala said.

For Smith, returning to perform in the area is especially meaningful.

“First off, going back to my hometown, in general, I always run into somebody that I remember from way back,” he said.

Smith’s connection to music began at an early age. His father bought him a snare drum at a flea market when he was 6 years old, and a year later his parents purchased a drum set. He spent countless hours teaching himself to play and participated in marching and stage bands throughout his school years.

“I really believe it was born in me,” Smith said.

Today, Smith hopes his own musical journey can serve as an example to aspiring musicians in the region. Through music, Smith has traveled extensively, including two European tours and a performance on the KISS Cruise.

“I’ve been all over the world just because of music,” he said.

The band’s two most recent releases, “Machines” and “Ill-Gotten Gains,” showcase different eras of AITTALA’s musical development.

According to Aittala, “Machines” consists of songs originally written between 1990 and 1996 that were later re-recorded, offering listeners a glimpse into the band’s early influences and progressive-metal roots.

By contrast, “Ill-Gotten Gains” features material written between 2022 and 2025 and reflects Aittala’s current songwriting approach.

“If you listen to them back-to-back, besides me singing, somebody would go, ‘Wow, those are completely different,’” he said.

While songs from “Machines” are unlikely to appear in the Lewisburg set because of their complexity and layered arrangements, attendees can expect selections spanning much of the band’s catalog, including material from “Ill-Gotten Gains.”

Lyrically, AITTALA’s music often explores darker themes.

Aittala said earlier songs frequently centered on fictional characters and story-driven narratives, while newer material tends to be more conceptual and inspired by observations of modern life.

“I don’t write happy songs,” he said. “I write about things on the darker side of life.”

Smith said joining AITTALA also pushed him outside his comfort zone as a musician. Although the band’s style was not initially his preferred genre, he said the experience expanded his skills and perspective.

“It grows on you,” Smith said. “It taught me a lot of different things that I never learned playing the general music that I used to play.”

As the band prepares for its Lewisburg performance, Aittala said his primary goal is simple: for audience members to enjoy the experience and connect with the music.

The show also carries added significance as the first public performance at The 3rd Floor – an intimate, boutique rock room with pit-energy (minus the safety risks of moshing and crowd surfing), owned and envisioned by Tammy Showell. The 3rd Floor was designed to fill what Showell sees as a hard rock void in the local area, offering an intense, high energy live-music experience built for connection, movement, and raw sound.

Beyond hosting national and regional acts, her long-term vision for The 3rd Floor includes supporting and spotlighting young local rock musicians. As part of that mission, the opening act for Aittala will be UH, a local rock group led by Xian Montgomery and featuring young musicians from the area.

“It’s an honor that Tammy asked us to be the band christening the official opening of the venue,” Aittala said.

Smith also expressed support for Showell’s efforts to bring live rock music to the region.

“I’m hoping what Tammy’s doing with The 3rd Floor there, it’s going to open that up to people getting to have more experiences, with national acts coming through and everything,” he said.

Smith said he is excited to share the stage with young local musicians and hopes to encourage them as they pursue their own musical goals. “It’s very exciting,” he said. “To see the energy and everything from the younger generations and their passion with the same thing.”

He added that he enjoys talking with younger performers about their aspirations and reminding them that success is possible regardless of where they start.

“Keep pushing and keep driving if it’s your dream, because you can still reach them no matter what,” Smith said.

Beyond promoting the upcoming performance, Aittala hopes music fans will continue supporting independent artists and local venues.

“Every famous band was once a local band playing local shows,” he said. “If you’re a fan of music, support local bands. Discover new music, support your local scene and help those bands grow.”

This all-ages show is Saturday, August 1 and doors open at 7 PM with music starting at 7:30 PM. Cost to attend is $25 plus taxes/fees. Note the venue requires ability to climb 42 steps to reach the third floor.

An extremely limited number of tickets will be available for this exclusive show. Do not hit snooze and miss out when they sell out early! Online ticket sales will be via Eventbrite and advertised on social media via Facebook and Instagram. You can also request tickets via email at email@tammyshowell.com