While resting his arm, the guitarist stated he began to compose and experiment with sound design and electronics for the upcoming album. During the time he was apart, Chris Pennie received a call from Coheed and Cambria guitarist Travis Stever who offered him to join the band when their former drummer, Josh Eppard, left them. Pennie left The Dillinger Escape Plan amidst writing "Ire Works" in 2007. In a 2017 interview, the drummer pointed out two defining incidents for his departure: before releasing "Miss Machine", a member of the band turned down a tour slot with a "really big" band without clearing it with the other members, straining his relationship with Weinman, and legal issues of the guitarist in 2006 which put the band on hold. Other reasons were his priorities in composing and studying music over touring and contractual commitments. According to The Dillinger Escape Plan members and Relapse Records's Matt Jacobson, Pennie did not inform them until late, despite contractual obligations for the new Dillinger album.