Founded in November 2000 on the campus of Western Kentucky University, the group was heavily influenced by other Kentucky-linked bands such as Slint and June of 44.

Foxhole has released three albums on Philadelphia's Burnt Toast Vinyl label and in December 2018 their latest LP, Well Kept Thing, was Grammy-nominated for "Best Recording Package.

A staple of early performances was a fully improvised song (designated "X") randomly inserted into the set list, and which often featured several homemade instruments, including the "juggophone", "shatterophone", "topophone", and "pyrophone", which utilized the sounds of beating water jugs, breaking bottles, clinking pot tops, and micing fireworks, respectively.

In January 2005 the band found a permanent replacement in Jason Torrence, drummer for Nashville Americana act God's Lonely Man.

In early 2010, Foxhole announced plans to return from their 4-year long hiatus and record a new album; drummer Chris Vicari (formerly of Nashville post-rock group Maps) replaced Torrence around this time.

The band set to work recording at Nashville's Brown Owl Studio in October 2010, with former drummer Torrence serving as lead engineer; however, due to a variety of life events that saw the members disperse to locales including Austin, TX, Louisville, KY and New York City, the sessions were left to simmer for the next few years.