As Lions’ debut is the incredible ‘Selfish Age’.  There is a lot of buzz around this band and not only because Bruce Dickinson’s son, Austin Dickinson, is the lead singer, but also because these kids are super talented and understand how hard rock should sound.  The new face of rock is upon and us and I am given hope that we are in good hands.

First off, It is pretty brave for the kid of a famous singer or musician to go the same route as their famous parent, but there is no comparison needed. They are two very different singers and two very different bands.  The only other thing to say about the subject is that Bruce must be one proud father because this kid and this band are incredible.

The Band:

• Austin Dickinson – Vocals
• Conor O’Keefe – Guitar
• Will Homer- Guitar
• Stefan Whiting – Bass
• Dave Fee- Drums

The opening track, “Aftermath”, immediately sets the tone for the rest of the album.  From this song, you hear great production, great song structure, a melodic sound and intelligent lyrics.  You will get this from every song on the album; however, every song is different.

You get metal songs and song titles, like “The Suffering”, “Bury My Dead”, “Deathless”, but not the doom and gloom that you would expect.  The songs tend to have positive messages.  “Bury My Dead” is about having no regrets and leaving your past behind you where it belongs. “Deathless” is about dealing the internet’s obsession with image.  All the songs seem like they are very introspective and the lyrics are intelligent as I mentioned earlier.

Musically, the band kills it on every song.  The guitar riffs, the bass and the speed and pounding of the drums brings every song to life.  There are peaks and valleys in each song that seem to take you on a musical journey.  Austin’s vocals are something to hear.  He is able to change his tone and style in each song so the songs all don’t sound the same.

A perfect example is “World On Fire” that starts off with a haunting piano and a softer vocal performance that turns into a heavier rock sound and then back and forth throughout.  One of my favorite songs on the album and sure to be a favorite by many and hopefully a huge hit for the band.  Nothing better than hearing an album and realizing the best song is not the first single.

The title track, “Selfish Age” is another song that struck me as sensational.  The song is a great commentary on life today.  I love how they deliver such a modern sound and yet a timeless rock sound that could be loved by all ages of rock fans.  They do no wrong on this entire album.

I won’t go through all the songs as it would just be repeating what I have already stated. They make no missteps on the album and bring you 11 tracks that you want to crank up and listen to over and over.

Track Listing:

1. “Aftermath” – Keeper
2. “The Suffering” – Keeper
3. “Bury My Dead” – Keeper
4. “Deathless” – Keeper
5. “Selfish Age” – Keeper
6. “White Flags” – Keeper
7. “Pieces” – Keeper
8. “Worlds On Fire” – Keeper
9. “One by One” – Keeper
10. “The Fall” – Keeper
11. “The Great Escape” – Keeper

11 keepers out 11 songs – 100% (5 out 5 stars).  I  don’t know what is left to say about this amazing debut from As Lions.  It was one of the most exciting debuts I have heard in a long, long time.  If this is the beginning of their journey, I can’t wait to see where they take us.  A modern rock record with all the elements you could possibly want…smart lyrics, memorable guitar riffs, a bass that compliments a song, drums that carry the song through all its changes and vocals that have feeling and draw you in to tell great stories. The album will leave you feeling great knowing that if this is the new face of rock, all is right with the world.