[2] The group was established in 2001 by the former members of Damad, with the addition of guitar player Laura Pleasants who is from North Carolina.

[3] The band has since undergone lineup changes; the remaining original members are Phillip Cope and Laura Pleasants.

Kylesa formed in Savannah in 2001,[4] taking their name from "kilesa mara", a Buddhist term denoting delusory mental states.

[5] Guitarist and singer Phillip Cope, bassist Brian Duke, and drummer Christian Depken were former members of the Savannah sludge metal act Damad, which had released two albums in the '90s.

Pat Mathis of the Passive Fist label said that Damad "established a sound that's stuck-- that whole heavy, doomy Southern kind of metal.

"[6] Damad changed their name to Kylesa in 2001 with the addition of Laura Pleasants, a native of North Carolina who attended the Savannah College of Art and Design.

Kylesa signed with the independent metal label Prosthetic Records and released their second proper album, To Walk a Middle Course, in 2005 with drummer Brandon Baltzley.

Following the release of that album, Baltzley left the group, replaced by a pair of drummers, Carl McGinley (of Unpersons) and Jeff Porter.

[11] The band embarked on a full North America headlining tour to promote the release with direct support from Blood Ceremony, White Hills and Lazer Wulf.

AllMusic stated that the band borrows "elements of hardcore punk, psychedelic stoner rock, technical speed metal, and good old-fashioned Black Sabbath sludge.