Blood Has Been Shed recorded their debut album, I Dwell on Thoughts of You, in 1998. It was self-released on compact disc in the summer of 1998 and was eventually picked up for distribution through Very Distribution, and later in 1999, by Ferret Music. After several line-up changes, the band recruited bassist Richard Thurston (formerly of Florida metalcore band Culture), with whom they wrote and recorded their sophomore album Novella of Uriel. Its release was delayed considerably, during which time Thurston switched to guitar (the band recruiting bassist Joseph Krewko), then departed, and was replaced by guitarist Daniel Daponde. Ferret Music ultimately released Novella of Uriel on February 7, 2001. The band toured heavily throughout 2001 and 2002, which included stretches of shows with Killswitch Engage, Twelve Tribes, Every Time I Die, Martyr A.D. and Eighteen Visions. Blood Has Been Shed also made their first of three appearances at Hellfest, performing on Sunday, July 8, 2001, on the Second Stage of Hellfest 2001. In September 2001, drummer John Lynch returned to playing bass when Blood Has Been Shed recruited Justin Foley, formerly of Red Tide, on drums. The band then began writing and recording new material for a planned EP to be released in early 2002; this EP was however shelved. In April 2002, Blood Has Been Shed toured with Poison the Well, American Nightmare and From Autumn to Ashes. In June 2002, Blood Has Been Shed's vocalist Howard Jones joined Killswitch Engage, replacing their original signer Jesse Leach. Blood Has Been Shed and Killswitch Engage both performed at Hellfest 2002 (Jones' first show with Killswitch Engage). Killswitch Engage performed on Friday, July 12, 2002, on the B Stage while Blood Has Been Shed performed on Sunday, July 14, 2002, on the C Stage. Killswitch Engage's heavy touring schedule and obligations to major record label Roadrunner Records forced Blood Has Been Shed to slow down considerably. Unger wrote most of the band's third release Spirals while Jones was touring with Killswitch Engage. Spirals was released through Ferret Music on June 27, 2003 and the band briefly toured in support of the album with Shadows Fall, God Forbid, Walls of Jericho and Full Blown Chaos, whenever holes in Killswitch Engage's schedule permitted. Blood Has Been Shed also made their third and final appearance at Hellfest 2K3, performing on Friday, July 4, 2003, on Stage A. In mid-October 2003, the band filmed