Jake Francis is a freshman Commercial Art major at Ashland University and also a solo music artist.

In the past, Francis has participated in a small high school electronic/industrial band named Cult of Silence.

This band did not last long and Francis pursued his solo career in the form of False Paradox.

This solo industrial metal project lasted his final years of high school and survived into his freshman year at Ashland.

“A lot of stuff can be qualified as industrial but not enough that I had to make it that way,” says Francis.

He soon switched genres from industrial metal to a mix of punk and heavy metal in the form of Defectoplasm.

Francis created the project in January of this year and has been writing songs at a very fast pace.

His first finished song, “Backflip,” was streamed on the voice chat website Voxli.com. Defectoplasm received moderate success in the local arena via Facebook when the band moved to 21st place out of 52 in one day after the release of “Backflip.”

Defectoplasm has a page on Facebook that features news of upcoming songs to be released or worked on and other updates.

Defectoplasm’s band profile features six songs that can be streamed, including “Drain You Out,” “I Don’t Know,” and “Backflip.”

The band also released an independently-made music video for the song “I Don’t Know,” which is viewable on the Facebook site and on YouTube.

Francis cites influences for his songs from artists such as Godsmack, Alice in Chains and Marilyn Manson.

This month, Defectoplasm completed a self-titled album of eleven songs.

The album includes a previously unreleased eight minute track entitled “Inner-Space.”

Francis says that Defectoplasm will probably release the CD digitally either through Reverbnation.com and iTunes or some other digital media site.

Francis hopes to create a more official website for Defectoplasm, instead of relying on the limitations bands must face on Facebook.

Defectoplasm’s music is based on ‘90s punk but borrows heavily from heavy metal.

Francis’s voice is similar to that of Sully Erna of Godsmack but younger and more resonant.

Not being a professional drummer, Francis’s drum work is very simple but provides a steady beat in the background for many of the songs.

Best of all is the guitar work, which varies from intense and fast paced (“Execution”) to a mellow and rhythmic tone (“I Don’t Know”).

According to Francis, the lyrics in his songs are based on work he did before he started with False Paradox.

His inspiration for the lyrics comes from “random events” and so the songs explore a wide range of topics.

Francis and Defectoplasm are not touring or doing anything currently, except for constantly writing new material.

Francis confirms that he would be willing to perform live in Ashland, as he knows a rhythm guitarist and a bassist who could play for him.

However, Defectoplasm needs a drummer who would volunteer to play the part if Francis is to perform live.