[8][9] The bands that accompanied Poison the Well on these tours include Unearth, Sworn Enemy, Hatebreed, God Forbid, Shadows Fall, American Nightmare, Converge, Most Precious Blood, No Warning, Throwdown, Bane, Hemlock, Eighteen Visions, Codeseven, From Autumn to Ashes, Blood Has Been Shed, Glassjaw, Recover, Vex Red, Strung Out, Rise Against, Rufio, Kittie, Killswitch Engage, The Promise Ring, The International Noise Conspiracy, Thursday, Cursive, The Lawrence Arms, and Common Rider.

The album was recorded with vocalist Jeffrey Moreira, bassist Iano Dovi, drummer Christopher Hornbrook, and guitarists Ryan Primack and Derek Miller.

During the ensuing tours, Dovi was replaced, first by Nicolas Schuhmann, then by Geoffrey Bergman, the latter of which remained with the band to record their follow-up release You Come Before You.

Poison the Well had originally planned to record their second album in April 2001, after returning from a booked Asian tour, with a scheduled release date of August 1, 2001.

The band returned to Studio 13 in Deerfield Beach, Florida on October 15, 2001 to begin the recording of nine original songs with producer Jeremy Staska.

[19][20] While in studio, the band added an interlude titled "Karsey Street", which sampled a speech uttered by Marlon Brando toward the end of the film Apocalypse Now.

The title referenced 213 Karsey Street in Highland Park, New Jersey, a house where NORA drummer Chris Ross lived, along with Poison the Well's roadie Rick, where the band had previously watched the movie and were planning to stay during their upcoming tour.

[26] In addition to pressing compact discs (catalog number TK37), Trustkill Records offered a limited edition Tear from the Red 7" vinyl containing the songs "Turn Down Elliot" and "Pieces of You in Me".

The two jewel cases were packaged together in a slipcase which contained the barcode for retail stores and the catalog number TK24103, and the double-disc release was sold as a single unit starting on February 16, 2008.

On March 25, 2008, Trustkill Records re-released The Opposite of December... A Season of Separation and Tear from the Red in a special double-LP gatefold packaging under catalog number TK110.

[40] Trustkill Records simultaneously re-released two other double-LP packages from its past roster: Throwdown's Haymaker / Vendetta and Walls of Jericho's With Devils Amongst Us All / All Hail the Dead.

After some delays, Rise Records reissued the 19-song, double-release compilation The Opposite of December... A Season of Separation / Tear from the Red on November 20, 2012 as catalog number RR176.

[45][46] The set was offered as a single compact disc edition packaged in a digipak, a gatefold double LP and digitally through streaming and download.

[21] From November 28 to December 19, 2001, the band toured with Unearth, Sworn Enemy and Spark Lights the Friction across the South, West and Midwest United States.

[49][10] Poison the Well then spent five days celebrating Christmas at Trustkill Records owner Josh Grabelle's house in Tinton Falls, New Jersey.

[50] Poison the Well were scheduled to hop on another tour, from January 22 to February 1, 2002, with The Suicide Machines and Catch 22, taking them through Florida, Louisiana and Texas.

[66][67] Nevertheless, Poison the Well ended up signing with Velvet Hammer Music and Management Group, which was operating as an independent imprint with secured financing through Atlantic Records.

[14] Poison the Well then toured with Glassjaw, Recover and Vex Red from May 9–23, 2002 hitting cities in the Southern and West Coast of the United States.

[76][77] From July 9 to August 9, 2002, Poison the Well toured across the entire United States supporting Kittie, Shadows Fall and Killswitch Engage.

[25][79] On August 27, 2002, Poison the Well played a surprise show at Kaffe Krystal in Miami, Florida, disguised under the name Tear from the Red on the bill.

[82] The DVD was edited by Christopher Sims through his film production company TimeCode Entertainment, and was marketed through Trustkill Records and Velvet Hammer's promotional division Streetwise Concepts & Culture.

[84] The band played across the entire United States alongside The Promise Ring, The International Noise Conspiracy, Thursday, Cursive, The Lawrence Arms and Common Rider.

Poison the Well also provided the song "Botchla" for the benefit Various Artists compilation Plea for Peace/Take Action, Volume 2, released through Sub City Records.