Bullet Train to Vegas took their moniker from a Drive Like Jehu number and forged a jittery brand of post-hardcore in southern California under the guidance of vocalist and guitarist Dan Sena, an alum of Adamantium and Give Until Gone. Once those earlier groups dissolved, Sena set out to assemble a fresh project capable of upending what he viewed as inert punk and indie-rock environments. An early configuration yielded the limited-edition Profile This EP, issued in 2003, yet the chemistry remained elusive and prompted a wholesale roster change. Sena later stated that the band only truly coalesced once he connected with Greg Horton on bass and vocals, guitarist Erik Bailey, and drummer Marty Cornish. The revised lineup sharpened a sound drawing from Gang of Four, Fugazi, and Clikatat Ikatowi, then logged extensive road time alongside Bloc Party, Sparta, Pretty Girls Make Graves, JR Ewing, and additional acts. In spring 2004 the quartet commenced work on its first full-length; after producer Alex Newport, known for his work with At the Drive-In and the Locust, encountered early recordings, he persuaded the musicians to track the album at his studio. An unmastered cut of We Put Scissors Where Our Mouths Are reached Nitro Records, which signed the group and issued the record in June 2005.
