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One is an anthropology student, another studies art and history, the third is a “Mr. Fix-it” of anything mechanical, and the fourth is still in high school.

Their common thread is that they’re exponents of “Death Metal” music, the frenetic, balls-to-the-wall kind of stuff that’ll shake rats out of the roof.

But for band members T.J. Vollmar, Hazel Vazquez, Franco Castillo and Steven Laloggia, the somewhat irreverent style of music is purely part of their act.

Between them, they’re actually big fans of an enormous variety of musical genres, from John Coltrane to Lynrd Skynrd, and from 1950s rockabilly to modern-day rap.

“We just stick to what our band sound is,” says T.J. Vollmar, the drummer of the unnamed quartet.

The foursome meet once a week, in classic garage band tradition, to practice at the Marco Island home of Vollmar.

His mom Julie and step-dad Bo are completely supportive, and are unfazed by the muted drum riffs and guitar runs that emanate from the closed room for a couple of hours each practice session.

Initially, these sessions were more jam oriented, but in the year or so the guys have been together, they’ve penned about seven original songs.

Some, they’ve performed live to appreciative young audiences in the more hip town of Fort Myers, and this taste of exposure has kindled the equally classic desire to produce a CD, maybe even go touring.

But they’re certainly not being naive about the miniscule percentage of bands like themselves that actually make it to the big time.

“I think I speak for most of us,” Vollmar says. “A group of kids all dream about getting in a band and touring the state. We talk about it, but it’s just talk, but we may end up driving up and down Florida this summer if we can get shows.”

Getting songs down at this stage doesn’t involve paper and pencil.

“We practice a couple of times, and then remember what we’re supposed to do in a particular part,” says lead singer and guitarist Castillo.

Hazel Vazquez, the schoolboy, nods in agreement, his fingers flying over his guitar frets in unplugged mode while the interview is in progress.

As for the drumming, Vollmar says the routines are basically the same, but that the challenging part is to use fills and rolls.

“You try to do as many things as you can when things change from one riff to another,” he says.

Guitarist Steven Laloggia, like Castillo a student at FGCU, was originally a cello player, but likes the transition to this kind of rock. Now the bass player, he says he started to take the instrument seriously when he linked up with the rest of the guys in the band.

As for the slightly controversial connotations that Death Metal sometimes elicits, Vollmar reiterates that it’s basically all part of a planned act.

Besides, he says, this kind of music is much more interesting that the “pop crap you hear on the radio stations.”