Gil Mantera's Party Dream took root on New Years Eve 1999 in Youngstown, OH. Brothers Gil Mantera and Ultimate Donny were attending a local rock show booked by one of their friends, but a holiday snowstorm had sidelined the lineup. The two brothers enlisted the help of a friend and took the stage as Party Dream, playing retro ‘80s-styled dance music to a surprisingly encouraging crowd. When the third member departed the group, Mantera and Donny changed the group's name to Gil Mantera's Party Dream and began honing their live shows (which have since become notorious for costume changes, furniture destruction, trampoline acrobatics, and "invading the audience").

The duo's two self-released EPs, Best Friends (2000) and Once Triangular (2004) helped solidify a deal with Audio Eagle Records in 2005. Bloodsongs, the group's first major release, hit stores in 2006 with distribution by Fat Possum Records.