Formed in New York’s Hudson Valley, Thieves and Villains began crafting emo-influenced rock music in 2007. Co-founders Sergio Otaegui and Christopher Pennings first crossed paths two years earlier, when both musicians were playing with different groups. Within two years, the two had left their former outfits and launched a new band, calling upon a rotating lineup of drummers and bassists to round out the band. Thieves and Villains signed with Victory Records in early 2008