 Throughout 2017 and into early 2018, Reber shared a series of Instagram posts which included promotional shots and compilations of recording progress teasers under the name Dead American.On August 31, 2018, Dead American officially released two short teasers featuring Reber via their Instagram promoting the songs "Gravity" and "Grown So Cold" from their upcoming EP "The Shape of Punk Is Dumb".On September 1, 2018, "Ants and Pawns" was released as a single which followed an announcement from Reber, he revealed that the EP would be released in October 2018.