How to defend Axe + Visage + Lich Trilane

Any ranged good damager, spell damager or decent stunner would do, even if solo. The only thing you need to do is to stay chill and not die (stay as far behind your tower as you can). If you can't hold the tower, ask for help or let it fall; don't try to do any fancy things unless you are sure you can escape after; just stun / hit from distance etc. Is true that getting a tower will be an advantage for them, but farming you would be worse. After they take the first tower they will need to change lane, or risk going into the second where they can be ganked like hell. Knowing human nature, this will also make them cocky, resulting into bad plays. If you are solo you could go lion (hex + stun at low level, decent damage, mana drain - so axe won't disturb you with battle hunger), rashta (same as lion), lina (good damage, good range, stun), sniper (you can stay far far away, decent damage with ministun), cent (good stun, good damage), shaker, etc. There are many options. Of course, you can't go riky, slark, jugger, pa, pl, etc. and expect to get creeps or even survive (unless the other team is retarded).

If you are 2 on lane, you can beat the **** out of them. Axe going between your towers at a low level is not necessarily a good move for them with a decent counter from your part (their support will probably not come between towers, or if they do come with creeps they will not be able to right click you without tower attacking them). Also if axe comes between towers it means they won't pull creeps since they have to support him, or if they do they will not do it every time, so you can actually get some creeps. Also if lich goes frost armor it means he either didn't level his nova (so he has lol damage since he lack his basic damage spell), or he didn't level his yummy creep ability (so he will lack mana the first few levels). The only decent play for him is 1 level in armor, the rest in the other 2. So, if you are 2 just pick something with a stun or slow: you can go dazzle + venom, bristle + venge, etc.

Of course, everything depends on the ppl. you are playing with and against. Dota is a pretty balanced game, there is no op hero and no lame hero. There are only good and bad plays. My head hurts when I enter a game and see a team picking 4 hard carries with no disable whatsoever and expecting to win. Remember that the game is about towers and team, not about "who shines the most" and everything will go fine.