According to a recent press release: "Ahead of their upcoming US spring tour, UK five-piece AS LIONS have unveiled the video for "One By One," off their debut album, SELFISH AGE, out now on Better Noise Records. Watch the video HERE. Filmed underground in Manchester, and with the metal 5-piece’s rip-roaring performance at its heart, the video’s narrative conveys the themes of metamorphous, shedding your skin and ultimately embracing who you really are. " We get frontman Austin Dickinson to answer our 10 Quick Ones about the bands most recent new material and more...

1. Tell us a little about your latest release.  What might a fan or listener not grab the first or second time they listen through?  Are there any hidden nuggets the band put in the material or that only diehard fans might find?

In all honesty, we tried to layer things up in a tasteful way, but not enough to over complicate it or detract from the main melodies/ideas. I suppose this is more a question for the fans, because everyone listens to music differently. Some hear melody first, others lyrics, others drums, etc etc. As far as information about it, it's a big, epic rock record! We had a ton of fun making it and there's a ton of cool stuff in there. Well, at least WE think it's cool, haha.

2. What got you into music, and can you tell us about the moment you realized you wanted to be a musician?

I was 9 years old, I found a pair of drum sticks and I started hitting a trash can behind a bunch of offices while my folks were inside working. As lackluster and avant-garde as that sounds, that was probably the moment I knew I wanted to make shit tons of noise for the rest of my life.

3. Who would be your main five musical influences?

Probably Killswitch Engage, David Bowie, Deftones, Trivium and The Beatles. I'll throw Cardiacs in there for good measure.

4. If you could call in any one collaborator to do a song with, who would it be?

Probably David Bowie, but that's obviously not possible, sadly. Maybe Tim Smith from Cardiacs.

5. How would you describe your music to someone who’d never listened to you before?

It's big, its rock, it's epic and it loves you. Check it out and you may love it back.

6. What’s the best thing about being a musician?

Getting to meet so many new people and being able to channel your energy and creativity into something good. If I didn't have a creative outlet, I'd go fucking nuts.

7. When the band are all hanging out together, who cooks; who gets the drinks in; and who is first to crack out the acoustic guitars for a singalong?

Conor probably gets out the guitar, it's most likely that either Dave or me would get the drinks in. I'd probably cook too, because I fucking love cooking. In fact, reading this back, drinking, cooking and playing music is probably a day well spent!

8. If you weren’t a musician, what would be your dream job?

A screenwriter or an actor. I love words, I love performing, I love the weird idiosyncrasies and nuances that people have that make them such large characters. I also love stories. So I'd probably do something like that.

9. Looking back over your career, is there a single moment or situation you feel was a misstep or you would like to have a “do over”?

Aside from investing all my money in Apple stock in 2005, not really! These things make us who we are, failures and triumphs included. Why waste time trying to change something you can't when there are so many opportunities in the future?

10. If you could magically go back in time and be a part of the recording sessions for any one record in history, which would you choose – and what does that record mean to you?

I would love to be there for some of the original Beatles' recordings at Abbey Road. Orchestra, band and vocals on an 8-track? Hell yes.

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