As Lions- Selfish Age
Artist: As Lions
Album: Selfish Age
Released: January 20, 2017
Record Co.: Better Noise Records
Members: Austin Dickinson – Vocals
Conor O'Keefe – Guitar
Will Homer – Guitar
Stefan Whiting – Bass
Dave Fee – Drums
Hey Mayhem! Lady Siren Song here with another review of a fantastic new band hailing from London, England (UK) called As Lions. This band was formed by Austin Dickinson, Conor O’Keefe and Will Homer, three of the original members of the now dissembled band, Rise to Remain. Add Stefan Whiting on bass and Dave Fee on drums and the band is complete. They released an EP last year entitled “Aftermath,” which consisted of four songs which served as a prelude to their debut album “Selfish Age.” They recently opened on tour for Sixx A.M., Shinedown and Five Finger Death Punch! I will also include a review of their live performance from November 25, 2016 at the DCU Center in Worcester, MA. But first thing’s first, let’s start with their music!
I was really impressed with the EP they released last year, so I was anxiously awaiting the full album release. Well worth the wait! I can’t find a bad song on the album at all! In fact, I had a difficult time picking my five ground shakers because all the songs are fantastic. But after some thought and re-listening to the album (quite a few times), here are the five ground shakers.
Ground Shakers
White Flags – My favorite song on the album. This song really rocks! The bass and drums are in perfect synch and very strong. Guitar riffs and leads by are amazing. Austin Dickinson’s vocals are incredible. He shows great range hitting high notes with relative ease. The piano at the beginning and end by Conor O’Keefe are a perfect touch.
The Suffering - Opens with fierce dueling guitars by Conor O’Keefe and Will Homer accompanied by bass and drums…and then Austin starts singing. The first time I heard this song, I thought it was James Hetfield singing! Had to double check the iPod. While overall, very fast paced with double-bass drums at points, the tempo for the chorus swings down and is beautifully melodic. Incredible job by Dave Fee on drums switching between the tempo changes and keeping up his powerful drumming.
The Fall- I had been hearing a lot of good things about this song, so I was REALLY looking forward to hearing the studio version (only live versions seemed available). Now I know what the buzz was about! THIS SONG IS INCREDIBLE!!!! Every instrument in perfect rhythm with each other. Vocals are perfectly executed and flow incredibly well. This is a total arena stomping song!!!
Deathless – This song is executed perfectly! Austin’s voice is tough and gritty which suits the song very well. The bass, drums and guitars will blow you through a wall! Stefan Whiting’s epic bass playing did stand out very strongly, which is what caught my attention. Extremely powerful playing by all four of these guys.
Aftermath - This song has gotten a lot of play, and has a video to go along with it. It’s an amazing song. It holds its rock sound but has a danceable beat to it. Austin’s voice is melodic when necessary but still very strong. I cannot say enough about how well he sings. He has a very unique voice and has a very broad vocal range. Could listen to him all day. <3
I attended a show at the DCU Center in Worcester on November 25, 2016 co-headlined by Shinedown and Five Finger Death Punch. Opening act was As Lions followed by Sixx A.M. My friend and I managed to get up REALLY close to the stage for the opening act. I’m always up for new music so I wanted to check them out. They were impressive! Not only did they sound fantastic, but their interaction with the crowd was incredible. Austin, at one point, looked like he had gotten into the crowd (to my right so I couldn’t get a good view), was singing and holding the hands of fans. I couldn’t tell if he was on someone’s shoulders or if there was a stage extension, but he was in the crowd and people were psyched! This was also the first show where I could obtain my first pick from stage. I was hoping to catch a few, and I got one tossed by Stefan Whiting from the stage. That's a keeper!
When at a show, I try to focus only on the band, but I do look around and take note of the audience. As Lions has a real knack for drawing in a crowd! If you hadn’t heard of them prior to seeing them, you won’t forget them. I’ve never seen a crowd react to an opening act like this, so I know this is a sign of good things to come for them.
In closing, I will say this: NEVER underestimate an opening act. I went to that show for Death Punch and Sixx A.M…and I came out a new fan for As Lions. As Lions is a group of incredibly talented guys with a passion for what they do. They have amazing sound, versatility, stage presence and they genuinely care for and appreciate their fans. I really feel they are on their way! I am hoping to get to see them on tour this year when they come back to the US. Congrats guys! If you haven’t seen them or heard them, CHECK THEM OUT!! Their links are provided below. You can find tour dates for this year on their social media pages also listed.
As Lions Links:
Website: http://aslionsband.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AsLionsBand/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/aslionsband
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/30Ns8wCbxSPz2L1tnSypTG
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