Lions (band)

Lions
Company type	Rock band
Industry	Music
Founded	2005
Headquarters	Austin, Texas, United States
Products	Music albums, EPs

Adapted from the English Wikipedia article Lions (band), available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 30 November 2025

Lions (presented as LIONS) was a rock group originating from Austin, Texas, established in 2005. The ensemble consisted of vocalist Matt Drenik, guitarist Austin Kalman, and drummer Jake Perlman. Initially, Trevor Sutcliffe handled bass duties until 2009, when Mike Sellman took over. The band formed following the dissolution of The Good Looks, which included both Drenik and Perlman.

According to MySpace, their discography comprises one full-length album, No Generation (2007), alongside two EPs: Volume One (2006) and Let No One Fall (2009). Beginning in 2007, their tracks were licensed for television programs such as Sons of Anarchy and Californication, as well as video games like Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock and WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2010. Notably, their song "Metal Heavy Lady" was featured in Guitar Hero III, achieving over 3,000 downloads according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Origins and the Volume One EP (2005–2007)

Members Matt Drenik and Jake Perlman previously played in the Austin-based rock outfit The Good Looks. After that band unexpectedly disbanded mid-tour, Drenik received an opportunity to open for Fu Manchu on the condition he assembled a new group. Securing a rehearsal space above a bar, Drenik and Perlman recruited guitarist Austin Kalman and bassist Trevor Sutcliffe—both of whom had recently seen their own bands dissolve. The newly formed Lions took their name from a prominent lion head mural adorning their practice location. They fulfilled The Good Looks' remaining support dates and quickly built a reputation for energetic live shows.

Coinciding with their performance at SXSW 2006, Lions unveiled their debut EP titled Volume One. Eduardo Rivadavia from Allmusic observed that the release "confidently bridges several eras of hard rock," drawing parallels to acts like ZZ Top, Queens of the Stone Age, Nebula, and Fu Manchu. He concluded that while there was room for growth, it represented "a very promising initial effort."

No Generation era (2007–2009)

The band garnered interest from labels such as Rock Ridge Music and Roadrunner Records. Although Roadrunner financed the recording sessions for their first album, they ultimately chose not to sign Lions. Their appearance at SXSW '07 facilitated licensing of the track "Metal Heavy Lady" from the Volume One EP for the Activision title Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock in 2007, leading to over 3,000 downloads tracked by Nielsen SoundScan. Additionally, FX approached Lions to compose the theme for the series Sons of Anarchy, which they recorded with producer Matt Hyde. While "This Life" was selected as the official theme song, Lions' music featured prominently throughout the show, including a rendition of Bob Dylan's "Girl from the North Country" on the 2009 release Sons of Anarchy: North Country - EP. Their work was also licensed for Showtime's series Californication.

On November 14, 2007, Lions independently issued their debut album No Generation, with "Start Movin'" serving as its lead single. Critical reception was favorable; Eduardo Rivadavia of Allmusic highlighted its strengths but noted it lacked some of the urgency present in earlier material. Austin Powell from The Austin Chronicle commended its refined production and robust hooks but felt the album's conclusion was somewhat exhausting. Jordan Richardson of Blogcritics likened Lions to bands such as Soundgarden and Fu Manchu, describing the record as heavy, blues-infused, and rewarding. In 2008, Lions toured across the United States supporting acts like the Toadies and Local H, reissuing "Start Movin'" to capitalize on its exposure through Guitar Hero III. The band also attracted attention from Columbia Records, though no formal agreement was reached.

Let No One Fall EP and Recent Developments (2009–Present)

In 2009, WWE utilized the track "Start Movin'" in promotional content for SummerSlam 2009 and included it on the soundtrack of WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2010. Around this time, the band commenced work on new songs, entering pre-production in May and recording sessions in June with producer Chris "Frenchie" Smith. During these sessions, original bassist Trevor Sutcliffe departed and was succeeded by Mike Sellman for the recordings. Lions collaborated with Scott Lucas from Local H on the track "Screaming Out" and adapted a demo provided by Vaden Todd Lewis of the Toadies into the song "Poster Child."

The EP titled Let No One Fall was officially released on November 23, 2009, in the United Kingdom through Maybe Records. It garnered favorable critiques; Rock Sound applauded its unrefined rock energy, while Metal Hammer emphasized its revitalized grunge vibe, drawing comparisons to Velvet Revolver and Queens of the Stone Age. In December, Lions supported Monster Magnet and Karma to Burn on their UK tour, during which they made the EP available as a complimentary download.

Lead vocalist Matt Drenik initiated his side endeavor Battleme, contributing the song "Burn This Town" to the season two finale of Sons of Anarchy as well as its accompanying soundtrack Sons of Anarchy: Shelter - EP. In 2010, he recorded a cover of Neil Young's "Hey Hey, My My" for the third season finale and its soundtrack Sons of Anarchy: The King is Gone. That year also saw Lions perform at SXSW 2010 and a separate show in Austin, Texas. Drenik indicated intentions to divide his efforts between Lions and Battleme moving forward. Subsequently, Lions entered a period of inactivity as Drenik concentrated on his side project.

Musical Style and Influences

Matt Drenik described the band's musical direction in an interview with Spinner as "heavy riff-driven rock," leaning more towards hard rock than metal. Guitarist Austin Kalman explained to Total Guitar that their sound represents a midpoint between straightforward rock ’n’ roll, punk, and metal genres. Jason Bennett from Nashville Scene characterized their music as "an intense fusion of fuzzed-out riffs, raw energy, and a smooth Southern groove." Katie Hasty of Billboard observed that Lions blend elements of ’70s hard rock and psychedelic influences with gritty stoner guitar tones complemented by Drenik’s commanding vocals. Christopher Henderson from Houston Press likened them to what Eagles of Death Metal might sound like after spending time with Black Flag’s album In My Head, or a version of Wolfmother tailored for casual beer enthusiasts. Eric Allen of Real Detroit Weekly described their style as "a potent mix combining metal, psychedelic rock, and hard rock."

The band cites inspirations including Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath through Drenik’s perspective, while Kalman draws from Sonic Youth, Elliott Smith, The Beatles, and avant-garde jazz. Critics have also compared their sound to Queens of the Stone Age, ZZ Top, Soundgarden, AC/DC, Nebula, and Fu Manchu.

Band Members

Final Lineup

Matt Drenik – lead vocals, guitar (2005–2010)
Austin Kalman – lead guitar, backing vocals (2005–2010)
Mike Sellman – bass guitar, backing vocals (2009–2010)
Jake Perlman – drums (2005–2010)

Former Members

Trevor Sutcliffe – bass guitar (2005–2009)

Discography

Studio Albums

No Generation (2007)

Tracklist (duration in minutes):

1 Start Movin' (3:41)
2 No Generation (3:12)
3 Can You Hear Me (3:30)
4 White Angel (3:51)
5 Evil Eye (3:48)
6 Machine (3:06)
7 All Hail (3:33)
8 She Gets Around (3:40)
9 Witch and the Star (4:11)
10 Get Out Alive (6:49)

EPs

Volume One (2006)
1 Metal Heavy Lady (2:43)
2 Guns (4:45)
3 Underground (4:04)
4 Movement (5:25)
5 Systems Down (4:16)
6 Come Around (3:21)
7 City Beats (5:41)

Let No One Fall (2009)
1 Gimmie Riot (3:31)
2 Blow Away (3:49)
3 Poster Child (3:48)
4 In Your Head (3:08)
5 Screaming Out (4:08)
6 Big Bad (2:52)