 It is the first album recorded with keyboardist Timothy Lanham and drummer Yoann Intonti, both of whom had originally joined the band as touring musicians during the "English Graffiti" album cycle, with Lanham added from the campaign's inception, while Intonti—who was still a member of Spector at the time—replacing the departed Pete Robertson in the last phase of the campaign.Both were then promoted to full members during the making of "Combat Sports", with Lanham pictured wearing a T-shirt with the album title featured on the front cover, an idea inspired by the album's opening track, "Put It on a T-Shirt".The overall cover art concept is an homage to the band's debut album, albeit a "more of an abrasive version of that".