[1] Skinless was formed by Ryan Wade and Noah Carpenter[4] in the town of South Glens Falls, New York.

These lyrical themes are demonstrated in songs such as "The Optimist", about a crumbling human society, and "Tug of War Intestines", which depicts children playing schoolyard games with a surgery patient's internal organs.

[citation needed] Skinless's 1998 debut album, Progression Towards Evil, was an independent release which garnered the band high praise by fans and critics.

[5] Guitarist Noah Carpenter wanted Skinless to continue in this formation but the band's "fire" was not there anymore.

[7] Skinless released a new album entitled Only the Ruthless Remain on June 2, 2015, their first since Trample the Weak, Hurdle the Dead in 2006.