DARK EMPIRE, initiated in early 2004, is the Progressive / Thrash Metal vision of Long Island, New York based guitarist Matt Moliti. A first band unit would be assembled comprising AUBERON, PERSUADER and SAVAGE CIRCUS singer Jens Carlsson, bassist Noah Martin, from ARSIS, BLOOD PROMISE, SUSPYRE and MITHRIL FORCE, and drummer Teemu Tahkanen for a demo billed 'Northern Sky' and a debut album recordings in 2005. 'Distant Tides', produced by Jeremy Krull, was released on 25th April 2006. Subsequently the album was picked up by Rock Machine Records in Brazil, and was remastered by renowned Finnish engineer Mikka Jussila. However, both Tahkanen and Martin exited in 2006, with Sam Paulicelli, of SUSPYRE and MUTINY, taking over on drums that November and Marc Ferreira standing in on bass throughout 2007. DARK EMPIRE was then boosted with the addition of rhythm guitarist Andrew Atwood. DARK EMPIRE debuted live that year at The Hook in Brooklyn, New York.

DARK EMPIRE recorded 'Humanity Dethroned', including a cover version of the GENESIS track 'The Knife', for Killzone Records early in 2008, issuing this opus, once again mastered by Mikka Jussla at Finnvox Studio, on 5th May. That June the band inducted a fresh rhythm section of bassist Randy Knecht and drummer Omar Davila. Throughout August DARK EMPIRE toured the East Coast in alliance with SUSPYRE and ODIN'S COURT.