Post-hardcore/emo-pop quintet Hawthorne Heights came to life in the summer of 2001. Hawthorne Heights built their fan base on a solid demo and a series of self-booked national tours that saw them sharing the stage with the likes of From Autumn to Ashes and the Descendents. In 2003, they signed with Chicago label Victory Records, resulting in the 2004 release of their powerful full-length debut, The Silence in Black and White. As the guys relentlessly toured behind it, the album became Victory's highest-selling debut, while their lead single, "Ohio Is for Lovers," slowly invaded rock radio, MTV, and teenage hearts across the country.