New Orleans musician Jak Locke is a multi-genre singer-songwriter who has become known for his intelligent lyrics, explosive stage presence and an unapologetically original style that eludes easy classification. An astoundingly prolific songwriter, Locke performs four completely different sets with different lineups around the region: rock, metal, acoustic and solo.

Jak Locke kicks around the term "blood metal" in attempting to describe his latest musical direction. If that's any indication, the music the term attempts to encapsulate is indeed anything but benign. It's a direction born of latter tracks from his early 2007 concept release Rain Cabinet which detailed the slow descent into murderous madness and despair from an ill-fated triangle of romance.

Fitting then that the driving beats and raucous death growls underscore the melancholy and sometimes downright violent themes inherent in Locke's lyrics. Laden with disturbing imagery rivaling Bunuel, the songs exult in themes of anti-love, death and psychosis. Locke seamlessly alternates between moments of eerie melodic beauty and slow, almost crushing elegance with sections of hard-rocking screamfests containing all the raw emotion of a struggle to the death.

Locke began performing metal shows in early 2008, though many of the songs had creeped into his rock setlists during the previous three years. With a dedicated lineup of Scott Blanchard (guitar), Mike Guillot (guitar), Justin Parfait (bass) and Derek Gordon (drums), Locke brings this side of himself to stages regularly. Not recommended for the faint-of-heart.

With a live show full of surprises, a growing body of albums of creative intricacy and a consummate experience of the music scene, you can forget everything you've grown to expect from a solo act or a rock band for that matter; Jak Locke is completely different.

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