LANDMINE MARATHON was founded in 2004 by bassist Matt Martinez, drummer Mike Pohlmeier and vocalist Grace Perry, the latter of whom periodically blogs for the website of Revolver magazine. Butler joined in 2006, soon after the release of the band's debut album Wounded. The following year, the group released a praised split CD/LP with Scarecrow; in its review, All Music Guide wrote that "LANDMINE MARATHON's three tracks have more good ideas than most bands' albums."

In 2008, the group welcomed guitarist Dylan Thomas and returned to the studio to record Rusted Eyes Awake. Revolver called the album "a gnarling and gnashing blood-caked throwback to 1990, when Napalm Death couldn't decide if they were going to be grindcore or death metal," while Lambgoat praises the band's "pure urgency and grit," calling the release a blend of "the ferociously thick riffs of Bolt Thrower's death metal (and) Napalm Death's blistering grind mentality."

LANDMINE MARATHON has toured extensively and played locally alongside numerous national acts; the group will support Vital Remains in Tempe next week and perform with Misery Index the following weekend. The band will continue to tour periodically throughout the year while writing their Prosthetic debut, which they plan to begin recording before year's end.