The band was originally called Smugface and played an aggressive, somewhat progressive style of alternative rock in line with the nu metal sound of the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Smugface consisted of core members Adriel Garcia (guitar), John Whitney (drums), and Elliott Sharp (vocals); early demos—produced by Rick Beato from Universal recording act Billionaire—got the band considerable attention in underground rock circles, as well as on the popular music site MP3.com.
Members of alternative metal outfit Cold became aware of the group and were impressed, eventually bringing them to the attention of Limp Bizkit's Fred Durst, who almost signed Smugface to his Interscope imprint, Flawless Records.
City Sleeps were soon signed to Maverick/Warner Bros. Records, and by the following year, they had completed their debut studio album, entitled Walker's Ridge, which was scheduled to be released in early 2006.
City Sleeps then toured with Drowning Pool & Saliva; they also filmed a new video for the song "Not an Angel" with director Darren Doane (Deftones).