When we started The Promise, JD and I were doing a full-time band called Santa Sangre. This was early 2000 when the now enormous "metalcore" phenomenon was just budding and traditional hardcore bands were few and far between and rather obscure to the hardcore community at large. Intolerant to the fact that hardcore was becoming the next glam metal, we decided to do a project that was going to be a traditional hardcore sounding, full on Straight Edge band with purpose and passion (something all these new bands lacked -- and still do). We acquired the remaining members either through being in old bands with them (Anderson was in the original Another Victim with JD and me, Derrick was in the older incarnation of Another Victim as well as One King Down whom Another Victim toured with, and Jim was in Conviction whose music I admire to this day, as well as Turmoil, another band that Another Victim toured with) or through solid friendships. Though we were all living in completely different areas on the east coast, it was irrelevant because this was only meant to be a part-time recording project to show everybody that hardcore is still alive even though posers and puppets have stolen the name.

We got together one weekend in JD's basement of his apartment building in Syracuse and banged out 2 songs; "My True Love" and "Crush All Fakes" (thank you Scott Vogel for the song title). From the minute we finished writing those tunes, I knew that this band couldn't be just be a part-time, casual thing. Hardcore was in dire need of songs like these and even more so, in dire need of words like Anderson's. We eventually headed into the studio to put those 2 songs on tape because Hellfest was coming up and we wanted to just give the songs to some friends that we only get to see on occasions such as Hellfest that we knew would appreciate what we were doing. The demo was given to our friend Jake Bannon from Converge amongst others. Within a week after Hellfest, we were talking to each other about him releasing those 2 songs as a 7" on his newly formed Deathwish Inc. label. The songs were released and the reception to the songs was amazing. Santa Sangre ended up losing our singer (for the 3rd time in 1 year) and after doing 2 very bad tours, the band was literally bankrupt and at our wit's end with singers. We decided to let it rest and hoped it work things out on its own and to play a few shows with The Promise since people were eager to see/hear us.

Our first show was in January of 2001 when Hatebreed invited us to play with them in Syracuse. We had about 7 songs, enough for a set, only 3 of them ended up being keepers. We played the show and it was off the hook. Shortly after, our bros (and sis) in Most Precious Blood asked us to go out with them and Throwdown for a week. Seeing no harm in that -- since we had just release a CDEP, it was only fair to Deathwish to support it -- we decided to tag along. From there, things snowballed and word got out about the band. Santa Sangre was pretty much out of the picture at this point and JD was writing Promise tunes like crazy. We had been playing more shows throughout the year and the reactions were getting better and better. The idea to write a full length record was next on deck and since JD pretty much had the whole thing written already, we got together and banged it out.

To make a long, long story short, we hit Atomic Studios in Brooklyn in June and July of 2002 to record the full length, "Believer" for Indecision Records. The reviews of the record took us by shock. Some praised the record as "one of the most important hardcore records of all-time", others used it as coasters for their Corona's and Budweiser's. Regardless, we achieved what we wanted to. With all the support flooding in, Terror asked us to hit the road with them and Death Threat. We agreed and asked A Death For Every Sin (now Final Word) to support the tour. It was the first full US tour for The Promise and it was one of the best times of my life.

Over the years, we headed through the States/Canada another couple of times with some awesome bands/friends such as Bane, The Suicide File, Comeback Kid, Reach The Sky, Born From Pain, Internal Affairs, With Honor, and Sworn Enemy. We played countless amounts of amazing shows with bands that we admire, respect, and appreciate -- Agnostic Front, Subzero, Merauder, Ringworm, Path Of Resistance, Verse, Charge, 100 Demons, Blacklisted, First Blood, Some Kind Of Hate, The Hope Conspiracy, American Nightmare, Over My Dead Body, Integrity, Paint It Black, Stand Accused, Piece By Piece, Murder Weapon, Black Cross, Will To Live, Modern Life Is War to name only a few. We've rocked Europe with Madball, Sick Of It All, Champion, Under Siege, Solid Ground, Rise And Fall, No Turning Back, Zero Mentality, Sidekick, Black Friday '29, Teamkiller, Justice, and Paint The Town Red. We killed it in Japan with The True Path, Loyal To The Grave, Crystal Lake, Birthplace, and Extinguish The Fire. We've made friendships with people we'll hold close to us for the rest of our lives.

Through all of this, the band has been growing and gaining recognition along the way. From a 2 song demo to be handed out to our friends to touring in Japan, we never expected any of this to happen. The part-time project band that we all assumed we were starting has turned into a full-time band. The 1 week tour with our friends on the east coast has turned into a 3 month tour across the world.

Life's priorities have been placed on hold or back-burnered so that we could spread what the band had to offer to as many people and places that cared. It's gotten to a point where we need to get a second record written, recorded, and released. With that, touring must be done immediately afterwards and we've all come to a crossroad. Do we do this record and sacrifice all that we need in our lives, or do we end the band because we can no longer afford to make those sacrifices?

Unfortunately, we don't live at home with our parents paying our rent while we are on tour. Unfortunately, the gas and electric bill doesn't stop coming because we left for tour for 6 weeks. Unfortunately, the businesses that we own/operate can't self-exist so that we can go play to a bunch of punks in Japan, Europe, Canada, or the States. Life can't shut down and wait for The Promise to come home from tour and it's all gotten to be too much for some of us. Therefore, we have decided to stop doing the band.

A "last show" may or may not happen. However, we are playing April 15th in Philadelphia at The First Unitarian Church with Turmoil, so in case we decide to not do an official last show, this will be the unofficial one, I suppose. So, for those who can make it, we'd love for you to be there.

Thanks to everybody who cares across the globe. You've all affected us the same as we've hopefully affected you.