 Drawing influence from bands such as Black Sabbath, Mercyful Fate, Megadeth, Judas Priest, Kreator, Celtic Frost, and early Metallica, their traditional approach quickly gained the attention of the independent music scene and they released their first EP in early 2005 on Monitor Records.Matador Records quickly signed them and released their debut LP, "Closing In", in the fall of the same year.Lead guitarist Pete Macy was added to the band's lineup in 2005.