As musical genres become increasingly more specific — especially in metal, which can range from thrash and speed to grindcore and even rap metal — it can be difficult for a band to find its own niche.

Des Moines-based metal outfit Dark Mirror only cares that its music is simply considered metal.

“We’re pretty happy as long as it’s something in the realm of heavy metal,” Mark Andersen, Dark Mirror’s bassist, said about how people try to classify the band.

For its part, the band eschews genre, describing itself on its website only as “fast, melodic, powerful, and loud.”

Dark Mirror will bring its brand of heavy metal to the Picador, 330 E. Washington St., at 9 p.m. Saturday. It will be joined by other Iowa acts, including fellow Des Moines band Crusher of Souls, Cedar Rapids’ Cur, and Iowa City melodic-metal act Identity Crisis. Tickets are $5.

Dark Mirror is celebrating the release of its latest album, Portrait of Evil, which will come out Friday. The album contains some fresh material, Andersen said, as well as songs that the band has been working on for some time.

“It’s an evolution of the sound we had on the first album,” the bassist said, referring to Visions of Pain. “We got better and know what we’re doing in the studio.”

Dark Mirror is no stranger to playing in Iowa City. It has played at the Industry in the past, but this will be its first show at the Picador.

“Something always happens” whenever Dark Mirror tries to play the Picador, Andersen said, noting that scheduling conflicts often got in the way.

Andersen, who attended the University of Northern Iowa and has friends in Iowa City, said the local scene has “a pretty neat vibe” and that he has always wanted to play a show at the Picador.

“I’ve seen a lot of great shows at the Picador,” he said. “It’s cool to finally be on stage there.”

— by Tommy Morgan Jr.