Formed in Orlando, Florida in 1999, the group's first recording lineup included vocalist and guitarist Matt Heafy, bassist Brent Young and drummer Travis Smith, who together released Ember to Inferno on Lifeforce Records in 2003.

[1] After the addition of guitarist Corey Beaulieu and new bassist Paolo Gregoletto in place of Young, the band signed with Roadrunner Records and released Ascendancy in 2005, which reached number 151 on the US Billboard 200.

[2] It also reached number 79 on the UK Albums Chart and was certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI).

[8] Vengeance Falls, released in 2013, peaked at number 15 in the US and number 23 in the UK,[2][3] spawning the Billboard Mainstream Rock and UK Rock & Metal Singles Chart top 40 single "Strife".

[2][3] The single "Until the World Goes Cold" was the band's first to reach the top ten of the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, peaking at number 10.