Ivoryline formed in 2003 under the name Dead End Driveway, releasing an EP and an album under this name before changing the name to Ivoryline in 2005. Soon after the name change, the band was selected to play at the 2006 Vans Warped Tour. While on the tour, they were scouted by Tooth & Nail Records, who signed them in 2007 and released their debut full-length, There Came a Lion, in February 2008. The album hit #25 on the Billboard Top Christian Albums chart and #15 on the Top Heatseekers Chart.