Dead Swans announced their split in 2012 after six years together, having put out three EPs, one full-length and a split LP with metalcore outfit Architects. Their last studio effort was the Anxiety And Everything Else EP, which was released in February 2012 via Bridge 9 Records.

Explaining the split in a 2012 interview with Rocksound, vocalist Nick Worthington said: "Compared to what we were doing a few years ago, the band had slowed down a lot before we even came to the decision.