Flee the Seen emerged as the inaugural signing to Facedown Records, an alternative CCM imprint, even though the quartet’s output lacked overt Christian themes. This post-hardcore outfit from Kansas City, Missouri, nevertheless upheld an optimistic lyrical outlook amid its intense screamo delivery. The group traces its origins to St. Joseph, a modest college community in western Missouri, where bassist and frontwoman Kim Anderson first crossed paths with guitarist R.L. Brooks at Missouri Western State University. Following several aborted projects—one of which was the short-lived Fighting Chance, responsible for a self-titled EP issued in 2003—Brooks and Anderson relocated to Kansas City and established Flee the Seen near the end of 2003, completing the roster with rhythm guitarist Manuel Sanchez and drummer Aaron Crawford. Their initial offering arrived as the independently released 2004 demo EP The Sound of Sirens; combined with relentless touring throughout the Midwest, the recording drew the interest of Facedown Records, which inked the band in late 2005. Rather than recording at the label’s expense, Flee the Seen presented an already finished full-length they had funded on their own. That debut album, Doubt Becomes the New Addiction, reached stores in spring 2006 and was quickly followed by a coast-to-coast tour. In early 2007 the lineup expanded with the addition of bassist Lucas Dills, freeing Anderson to focus exclusively on vocals.
