The Cliks look as fierce as they sound. This Toronto-based rock quartet makes music that is equally raw, bold and still very melodic. The group is currently touring North America to promote their upcoming album "Snakehouse" that will be out on April 24. The disc will be released on Tommy Boys' Silver Label that focuses exclusively on developing and marketing gay and lesbian projects.

The group is the brainchild of singer Lucas Silveira, a transgendered male, who started to write songs in 2005. After multiple personal crises, Silveira climbed back up and started to come to terms with his individuality. "They say when it rains, it pours, and that essentially happened to me before the creation of this album,” Silveira says in a press statement. "I went through a complete lineup change after having made a name for the band in Toronto. While this was happening, a relationship that I’d been in for nearly seven years fell apart, my father suffered a stroke and I had a nervous breakdown�"all this crazy shit at once." Much of the lyrical intensity and powerful sound on "Snakehouse" was inspired by this time in Silveira's life.

Things started to look up for Silveira when he met drummer Morgan Doctor and bass player Jen Benton at a local watering hole in Toronto. They immediately struck a musical connection that led to  the formation of The Cliks. The group went into the studio with producer Moe Berg to begin work on "Snakehouse." The trio also added guitarist Nina Martinez to their line up.

"This is music that seems to emanate from a parallel universe, one where fundamental distinctions are blurred," boasts a press release about "Snakehouse." It poignantly sums up the group's genre-crossing sound and androgynous appearance that makes them stand out from the pack.

One of highlights on "Snakehouse" is The Cliks' cover of the Justin Timberlake smash "Cry Me A River." The group has turned the pop singer's original into a hooky pop rock anthem with a throbbing reggae beat that will surely be a crowd favorite. (A big hug for Rosie for allowing me to stream this track on Arjanwrites.com. Click here to pre-order "Snakehouse" at Amazon.com)

Stream "Cry Me A River" by The Cliks: