SURVIVORS ZERO is a pedigree Finnish Death Metal band featured current and former members of MACHINE MEN, IMPALED NAZARENE, FINNTROLL and DEATHCHAIN in vocalist Tommi "Rotten" Virranta, guitarist J.V. Hintikka, bassist Tapio Wilska and drummer Reima Kellokoski along with guitarist Sami Jämsén of Studio Perkele. A debut demo, a two-song affair entitled 'Extinction', was distributed in 2008. That October Hintikka exited to prioritise MACHINE MEN was and was replaced by THE SCOURGER's Jani Luttinen.

The group entered Seawolf Studios in Helsinki during February 2009 with producer Jonas Kjellgren to begin recording its debut album, 'CMXCIX', for a September 2009 release via the new Finnish imprint Cobra Records. The album was mixed at Black Lounge Studio in in Avesta, Sweden while the mastering was handled by Pelle Henricsson at Tonteknik Recording in Umeå, Sweden.