Ash released their third studio album, "Free All Angels", in April 2001. The album was a commercial success, saving the band from the brink of bankruptcy. It reached number one in the UK, and spawned five UK top 40 singles. When on tour in the US, Ash were consuming a lot of rock radio. Frontman Tim Wheeler wanted to go into a heavier direction for the band's next album, in vein of Guns N' Roses' "Appetite for Destruction" (1987) and Nirvana's "Nevermind" (1991). In September 2002, the band released their first compilation album, Intergalactic Sonic 7″s. They promoted with a three-month supporting US slot for Saves the Day through to the end of the year. Wheeler wrote 14 new songs after attending the February 2003 peace march. The following month, Wheeler told the "NME" that he wanted to in an experimental electronic direction for their next album, after utilizing computers to score a short film.