The August Empire's Before the Hereafter

The August Empire
“Before the Hereafter”
(self-released)
2013

In the summer of 2013, Dante Marchi and Liz Constantine debuted their first album as The August Empire, titled “Before the Hereafter.” Their journey began years earlier during a TV commercial recording session, where they spent hours sharing a microphone. Their friendship blossomed into a relationship, paving the way for them to collaborate on songwriting.

Marchi grew up in Texas, immersed in country music, while Constantine enjoyed the Beatles and classical music in upstate New York, learning to play classical flute. Their excellent and diverse styles combine to create something beautiful and unique. The album gained attention when the song "There's a Rumor" was featured on the NBC TV series The Night Shift.

The duo wrote all the tracks on “Before the Hereafter,” except for a cover of Pink Floyd’s “Comfortably Numb.” Crafted with acoustic guitar and piano, their compositions are beautifully complemented by light strings and mandolin, courtesy of Rich Hyland. The overall sound is genuinely organic, capturing the essence of Americana without lapsing into clichéd modern country music themes. Instead, we are treated to melodic pieces that reflect their understanding of love's peaks and valleys, self-doubt, and our deep longing for connection and acceptance.

Highlights from the album include “There's a Rumor,” “Letting Go,” and “October.”