Plenty of musicians move to New York City, but few find their calling by moving out. For singer and songwriter Justin Calaycay, finding a break from the commotion of the city and isolating himself in the Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts was a perfect escape. After a few months alone, he knew he needed music again; with a little help from New Jersey friends Joshua Caps (vocals / bass), James Bauman (vocals / guitar), and Pat Moran (drums), the four headed monster became known as American Lions. The Jersey members drove six hours each way for rehearsals, practicing and cutting their teeth on DIY shows and attracting the attention of local music fans (and the police). With their chemistry clear, the next step was obvious: move to New Jersey and pursue American Lions full time. Their debut EP, ‘Peru’, named after the small New England town they first rehearsed in, was recorded by Producer Sam Pura (The Story So Far, Basement, State Champs) at The Panda Studios in Northern California. The release packs four refreshingly organic songs written democratically by the group. Lead single “Bed Bugs” is an aggressive take on their fast and furious sound, “Drifter” is a primal groove with the full band shining, and “Rose” is a brooding yet catchy rock song. The EP concludes with “Novril”, a sure to be fan favorite, bringing together the bands explosive raw emotion and melodic hooks while fittingly named after the fictional drug from Stephen King’s ‘Misery’. ‘Peru’ is out in 2014, less than a year after the band’s formation, but American Lions has plans bigger than that. A follow-up EP and a summer tour are in the works as the band continues brew up new material in preparation for their first full-length album in 2015. “We’re focused on the music and building a better thing,” Calaycay says. “We want to show the world what we’re made of.”