Formed in 1997, Travail was hip-hop hardcore explosion from Fort Worth, Texas. Influenced by the sounds of Soulfly, P.O.D., Korn and Limp Bizkit, Travail sought to add their own mark on the rapcore/nu-metal underground scene.

Travail gained a huge local following quickly and self-released their debut album Anchor Of My Soul in 1998. The initial pressing sold out within a few months and the band teamed up with Pluto Records to release it with a bonus track and all new packaging. The new release of Anchor Of My Soul was an immediate hit and the band hit the tour circuit and supporting national acts at home such as Zao, Living Sacrifice, Embodyment, Training For Utopia, Mindrage, Rod Laver, Focal Point and more.

Along the way, Travail met a band from Douglasville, GA called Luti-Kriss with whom they suggested to Pluto Records for a split album. Just a few months after the release of Anchor Of My Soul, Luti-Kriss and Travail entered the studio to record Luti-Kriss + Travail, a split album that would sell out almost immediately and send both bands onto much greater success.

Metro One Records scooped up Travail and acquired the Pluto recordings in the deal, repackaging the material as Beautiful Loneliness in 2000. The band continued touring while receiving national radio and video play, culminating into a 2001 Dove Award nomination for Hard Music Recorded Song of the Year.

The band called it quits shortly thereafter amid inner band tensions.