The World Is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die

The band was formed in 2009 in Willimantic, Connecticut by Tyler Bussey, Nicole Shanholtzer, Thomas Diaz, and Josh Cyr, who remains the sole founding member. In the next two years, they released one demo, Demo 2010 (2010), two extended plays, Formlessness (2010), and Josh is Dead (2011), a split with Deer Leap, Are Here To Help You (2011), and one single, "Gig Life" (2012). Although going through several lineup changes within these years after their initial formation, in 2012 they settled upon a core revolving around Nicole Shanholtzer, Josh Cyr, Steven Buttery, Chris Teti, David Bello, and Katie Dvorak, some of whom would play on their debut album, Whenever, If Ever, and subsequent follow ups.

On June 18, 2013, through Topshelf Records, the band released their debut full-length LP, Whenever, If Ever, featuring Thomas Diaz's final contributions before departing the band due to medical issues.[12] Upon release, it received generally positive reviews, and was considered a landmark album in the then infant emo revival movement.[13] The album charted at No. 3 on the Billboard Vinyl charts, due to strong word-of-mouth as the band had virtually no press leading up to the release.[13][14] In 2014, the band released two more extended plays, Between Bodies, and The Distance, as well as their first live album, recorded with Audiotree, Audiotree Live January 3, 2014.

The band performing on August 22, 2015, at Greenwich Village

In August 2015, the band released January 10, 2014, a single from their upcoming record, as well as an accompanying music video. One month later, in September, the band would release their sophomore record, Harmlessness, to critical acclaim. It subsequently charted at number 11 on the Heatseekers Albums chart, and at number 46 on the Independent Albums chart.

In November 2016, the band released a single "Body Without Organs", with proceeds going to the ACLU.[10] Founding member Nicole Shanholtzer left the band in 2016.[15]

On August 1, 2017, the band announced their third album, Always Foreign, releasing a single "Dillon and Her Son" alongside it. David Bello said, concerning the writing and production of the record: "When we started writing we were fresh off Trump being elected, so there's an anger to the album that's different from what we've done in the past. There's a lot more resistance thinking throughout the songs – not in a way that's strictly anti-Trump, but also addressing things like white supremacy and controlling elements of the state."[16] The album was released September 29, 2017, to positive reviews. Dylan Balliett left the band in 2017.[17]

Founding member Tom Diaz (born Thomas M. Diaz on September 2, 1986) died unexpectedly on November 1, 2018, at the age of 32.[18][19] On November 3, 2018, the band confirmed his death on their social media accounts.[20]

On August 3, 2021, the band's next album, Illusory Walls, was announced for release on October 8, 2021.[21]