Gary Kane, a freelance illustrator and graphic designer, joined Forged In Flame around five years ago.

“Forged In Flame was a band without a singer, when I found them on MySpace in 2005 — or maybe it was 2006,” Kane said. “There were really rough demos but no vocals ever tracked. I tried out, and then was asked to join the band. The band grew legs in 2007 and started playing and rehearsing a ton. Our first two shows were at the Jigsaw in Parma.”

 The stoner metal/rock band’s next show is Saturday at the Grog Shop.

Kane and his bandmates, Jay Bonnell on guitar, Jon Vinson on drums and newcomer Cyril Blandino on bass, are slated to be the opening act. Metal band Eternal Legacy will follow, and Venomin James, a stoner rock group, will headline.

“It will be Cyril’s first live show with us,” Kane said. “No pressure.”

Blandino, who formerly played with Purse Snatcher, replaces Jason Clark, who was with FIF for two years.

“Cyril’s playing really gels with us, and he shares the same desire to be out touring as much as possible,” Kane said. “He is actually from France and came to the states on tour and just never left! Cyril also has the nickname ‘Cougar.’ Not sure how he got it though.”

Kane, a Garfield Heights native, took art classes from Cleveland Institute of Art as a child. In high school, he took vocational design classes for two years. His own design business called Yeti Bite is in early development.

Vinson, who grew up in Cleveland and later moved to Fairview Park, roomed with Bonnell while both attended the Musicians Institute of Los Angeles.

Vinson earned a performance degree, filled in as a touring drummer for metal band Abigail Williams and gives drum lessons at Ron Zehel’s Guitar Center in Avon.

Bonnell teaches at Cleveland Music Center in Parma, where he grew up.

FIF’s sound has evolved since Kane first heard the band online.

“We’ve had people say we sound like early COC, The Cult, Danzig, Life of Agony, early Soundgarden, Dozer, Kyuss, you name it,” Kane said. “The tunes we’ve been working on are a challenge in the vocal department. I’m pushing myself into new territory. It’s exciting.”

FIF has started a video blog called Serpent Sounds on YouTube that follows the band through the creative process of writing songs and recording a full-length CD.

“The songs just keep piling,” Kane said. “We’re at almost 35, I think, now! Some of it is Prog Doom, and some of it is stoner metal or stoner rock.”

Kane is no stranger to the Grog Shop.

“The Grog has great sound, good beer and also a great location,” he said. “You can find cool places to eat and rest, if you’re touring, and everyone who works there is really good to the bands. When I’m not playing, I go there to see shows. They book amazing acts, and the shows are still pretty intimate.”

Forged In Flame, Eternal Legacy and Venomin James are the acts on the bill for Saturday Grog Shop, 2785 Euclid Heights Blvd. Showtime is 8 p.m. Admission is $5.