Around 2002, rock veterans Tracii Guns and Nikki Sixx assembled the initial lineup of what later became Brides of Destruction by recruiting Adema drummer Kris Kohls, keyboardist Adam Hamilton, and unknown Los Angeles vocalist London LeGrand for a project they first called Cockstar. Hamilton departed almost immediately, after which utility rhythm guitarist John Corabi—who had briefly fronted Mötley Crüe during a '90s tour—stepped in. The group then adopted the name Brides of Destruction and laid down early demos. Yet by the start of 2003 both Corabi and Kohls had exited, leaving a revised configuration of LeGrand on vocals, Guns as the lone guitarist, Sixx on bass, and session drummer Scott Coogan. That revised unit spent much of the first half of 2003 sidelined by outside commitments and the project's unsettled status, only to resume studio work that summer while fielding interest from record labels. Sanctuary eventually became their home and released the album Here Come the Brides, a straightforward blend of hard rock and post-grunge, in Japan during December of that year. The label targeted an early March 2004 street date for the United States, prompting the band to schedule summer touring. Their next effort, Runaway Brides, appeared in 2005 via the Shrapnel imprint.
