25 ta Life

This article is about the band. For hip-hop group P$C's album, see 25 to Life (album).
25 ta Life
Origin New York City, United States
Genres Hardcore punk, metallic hardcore
Years active 1991 – present
Labels Striving for Togetherness, Back ta Basics, We Bite, Triple Crown, Good Life, The Age of Venus, Superhero
Associated acts Agnostic Front, Comin' Correct, Dmize, One 4 One, Faction Zero
Members Rick Healey
Justin the Jew
Chris Manning
Dobro Hristov

25 ta Life is a New York hardcore band that originally formed in mid-1991 and later relocated to Maryland.

History

The band was started by Frank Smarra (bass) and Harry Minas (drums) in Astoria, Queens, New York City. They were soon joined by Fred Mesk (guitar) and together wrote most of the material that would be on their early releases.

In early 1992, they recruited former Agnostic Front roadie Rick Healey who added the lyrics to all the songs. They adopted the name after it was suggested by Freddy from Madball that also helped by giving them guest appearances at the end of its sets. 25 ta Life played their first full show at Studio 1, New Jersey, on May 10, 1993, supporting Obituary. After a few failed attempts to add a second guitar player, Steve Pettit (formally of Dmize) joined the band in late 1993. In January 1994, bassist and co-founding member Frank left the band due to family commitments and was replaced by Warren Lee. Steve was later replaced by his partner in Dmize: Beto Rosario. The band continued to play a large number of shows in the tri-state area and up and down the East Coast. In early 1996, 25 ta Life travelled to Europe, playing in France, Italy, Germany, Austria, Belgium and Poland for the first time. By late 1997, co-founding member Harry left the band and was replaced by Seth Meyer from One 4 One.

25 ta Life opened for Agnostic Front's reunion show at the Wetlands in December 1996 and then played all of AF's East Coast dates along with Madball, Hatebreed and H2O in early 1997. They went to Japan in April 1997. Warren and Beto left in May 1997 after the West Coast tour. Mike Heinzer from One 4 One joined on bass in June 1997 and they went to Europe in July 1997. They recorded "Strength through unity..." in July 1997, writing half of it on the spot. "Loyal ta the grave", featuring Freddy (Madball) and Lord Ezec (Crown of Thornz, Skarhead), was written and recorded in less than an hour. Mike left in August 1997 and was replaced by Dave Urban from Faction Zero. Later that month, they went to Puerto Rico and recorded two songs for the second "New York's Hardest" compilation. In October–November 1997, Biohazard took 25 ta Life on a short eight-show tour of the East Coast from Washington, DC, to Boston. Seth left the band in February 1998 and was replaced by Rob Pallotta. The band recorded its first full-length album "Friendship, loyalty, commitment" in 1999. . .

Members

Former

Drums: Harry Minas, Seth Meyer, Rob Pallotta, J. Skamz, Petey Pablo.
Bass: Frank Smarra, Warren Lee, Mike Heinzer, Dave Urban, Loco Matt, Erick Hernández, Chumley.
Guitar: Fred Mesk, Steve Pettit, Beto Rosario, Mark da Fist, Shawn, Ezra van Buskirk.

Discography

Studio albums

Year Title Label
1999 Friendship, loyalty, commitment Triple Crown, Good Life
2005 Hellbound, misery, torment The Age of Venus
2009 Strength, integrity, brotherhood Back ta Basics

EPs

Year Title Label
1993 Demo Back ta Basics
1994 Twenty-five ta life Striving for Togetherness
1995 Keepin' it real We Bite
1997 Strength through unity. The spirit remains Triple Crown
2003 Best of friends/enemies The Age of Venus
2006 Fallen angel Superhero

Splits

Year Title or label With
1995 Separate ways... DWF
1996 Hardcore pride Falling Down, Comin' Correct
1997 Make it work Skarhead
1997 Where it begins Morning Again
1998 Let the past be the past... Spazz
1999 Never tear us apart Slang
2005 Hellbound Last Hope
2006 Rock Vegas Cut Throat
2007 Scorpion In Search of
2008 Hate Unit Russian Roulette
2009 Hardcore Trooper Tromatized Youth

Live album

Year Title Label
2004 Live at Few da Real Back ta Basics

Compilations

Year Title Label
2004 Haterz, be damned Back ta Basics
2006 Early dayz Back ta Basics
2008 Forever true, represent Back ta Basics

Notes

    External links

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