I Am Empire

Spiritually charged alternative rock outfit I Am Empire came together in 2008 in San Jose, CA, built around the core lineup of Austin Lyons on vocals, Andrew Stanton on lead guitar, Joshua Case handling bass and vocals, Dan Otis on rhythm guitar, and Eric Martin behind the drums. Drawing from a broad palette that stretches across My Chemical Romance and Jimmy Eat World on one end to Muse and Anberlin on the other, the five-piece quickly started supporting acts such as Flyleaf, Deftones, and Silversun Pickups in the twelve months after forming. Those early shows generated both regional and nationwide attention, which in turn secured a contract with the Washington-based independent imprint Tooth & Nail; the label issued the band’s first full-length effort, Kings, in 2011.