Before the likes of Defeater, Touché Amoré, the Ghost Inside, Counterparts, Being As An Ocean and many more became the new faces of melodic, emotional hardcore, there were upperclassmen who were setting the stage. It happened roughly between the years of 2005-2009. Myspace (RIP) was the main informant. Gas, merch and shows were cheaper. You'd leave with free CD-R demos, stickers and paper flyers. Black band T-shirts meant you fit in (as did camo cargo shorts and mosh caps full of pins). Pile-ons peaked because the words were that important. Moshing was an artform. Shows would migrate to the nearest Denny's afterward. Bands dropped off bills, hopped on them, beefed with each other, flipped their vans, filled them with fill-ins and pushed on until the wheels fell off.