Angelcorpse was a blackened death metal band born on the ashes of Pete Helmkamp's previous band, Order from Chaos, originally from Kansas City, Missouri, and relocated to Tampa, Florida. They formed in 1995, with a line-up of Helmkamp, guitarist Gene Palubicki, and drummer John Longstreth, and recorded a demo, Goats to Azazael, which led to a contract with Osmose Productions. The band's debut album, Hammer of Gods, was released in 1996, after which rhythm guitarist Bill Taylor joined, playing on second album Exterminate (1998). Drummer Tony Laureano joined shortly after its release but Taylor left. The band's third album, The Inexorable, was released in the fall of 1999, after which Taylor rejoined. While on tour with Immortal, Satyricon, and Krisiun, in support of The Inexorable, the band had an accident in their tour van, in which Helmkamp was injured. On the same tour, Helmkamp's girlfriend was stabbed, and he decided to leave the band. The rest of the band continued for a while but decided to split up.

In 2006, the band reformed and recorded a new album. Helmkamp said of the reunion: "It just seems like the planets realigned. It's not like we didn't get along or that there were any bridges to mend."