In 2020, the band left Holy Roar after the label's founder was accused of sexual misconduct and signed to Hassle Records the following year.

Ithaca were formed in London in late 2012[2][3] by guitarists Sam Chetan-Welsh and Will Sweet and drummer James Lewis, whom had known each other since school.

In 2014, Ithaca released its debut extended play (EP) Narrow the Way,[10] and contributed to the Church of Fuck compilation abum False Metal Eternal.

[2][9] In a 2023 interview with Kerrang!, Azzouz stated that she felt the need to be "hyper-aggressive" at their shows in order to prove herself to audiences during this period: "A lot of that anger was directed at [them].

[22] Following the album's release, the band performed a mixture of headlining and supporting shows across the United Kingdom in March and April 2019,[23] followed by a co-headlining tour with Leeched between 28 May and 2 June.

[41][42][43] In addition, the album and its title track received respective nominations for "Best Production" and "Best Single" at the Heavy Music Awards 2023.

[46] In August 2022, Ithaca embarked on a short headlining tour of the United Kingdom; they were supported by Pupil Slicer on all but two dates.

[54][55] There's been no falling out or creative differences, in fact we're closer than ever, we're just no longer able to balance our life responsibilities with giving you the standard of art that you deserve, and feel like we've fulfilled more than our wildest dreams could have imagined in terms of where this band would take us.

On 30 October 2024, Ithaca announced they would be disbanding in 2025, after performing a final show, "The Cremation Party", at the O2 Academy Islington on 8 February.

[56] In a 2025 interview with Metal Hammer, Azzouz said that Ithaca could not afford to invest more time into making a new record and "reach the next step up".

[57] In an interview with Stereoboard, she also stated that that there "was a huge risk [Ithaca] would create something not up to par" if they forced themselves to make another album, and said that their disbandment wasn't "about taking something away from people, it’s about stopping something shitty happening".

[10] On 13 February, five days after "The Cremation Party", the band announced they would be playing one more final show in August at the ArcTanGent Festival.

[39] On They Fear Us, Ithaca expanded beyond their previous album's hardcore style into a sound one critic described as "far beyond a genre designation",[65] with influences from blackgaze,[66] industrial metal,[66] mathcore,[59] power pop, new wave,[66][67] shoegaze,[39][68] djent,[69] disco,[69] gospel,[69] jazz,[34] 70's prog music[34] and 90's R&B.

[70] Ithaca's influences included The Dillinger Escape Plan,[8] Meshuggah,[8] The Chariot, Rolo Tomassi,[5] Rivers of Nihil, Every Time I Die,[34] and The Ghost of a Thousand.

[71] Chetan-Welsh, who served as the band's main songwriter,[34][72] cited Lamb of God, Killswitch Engage, Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd as additional influences; he also credited his father with introducing him to Lauryn Hill, Django Reinhardt, and classical music.

[75] In a 2023 interview with Metal Hammer, Azzouz stated that Ithaca had faced "a lot of pushback" for their views, and she had been the target of doxxing and online harrassment.