[1] The band came together in 1997 and has featured members of Killswitch Engage, Diecast, Light the Torch, Red Tide, Terror, Walls of Jericho, Bury Your Dead, The Acacia Strain, On Bodies, and As Friends Rust.

Blood Has Been Shed has released three full-length albums—I Dwell on Thoughts of You (1998), Novella of Uriel (2001) and Spirals (2003)—and was signed to Ferret Music and Roadrunner Records.

The band played its first show as Blood Has Been Shed on February 28, 1998, at the Hanover House in Meridan, Connecticut opening for Candiria, Ground Zero, Torn Between and Tinstarwill.

[13][14] Its release was delayed considerably, during which time Thurston switched to guitar (the band recruiting bassist Joseph Krewko), then departed, and was replaced by guitarist Daniel Daponde.

Thurston immediately joined Diecast, and later played in such bands as One Nation Under, Terror, Walls of Jericho, On Bodies, and As Friends Rust.

The band toured heavily throughout 2001 and 2002, which included stretches of shows with Killswitch Engage, Twelve Tribes, Every Time I Die, Martyr A.D. and Eighteen Visions.

In September 2001, drummer John Lynch returned to playing bass when Blood Has Been Shed recruited Justin Foley, formerly of Red Tide, on drums.

[23][24] In June 2002, Blood Has Been Shed's vocalist Howard Jones joined Killswitch Engage, replacing their original singer Jesse Leach.

[25] Spirals was released through Ferret Music on June 27, 2003[26] and the band briefly toured in support of the album with Shadows Fall, God Forbid, Walls of Jericho and Full Blown Chaos, whenever holes in Killswitch Engage's schedule permitted.

[29] The music video was filmed only a few days before Justin Foley joined Killswitch Engage as their new drummer, shortly before the recording of their album The End of Heartache.