Crossfire

Heavy metal act Crossfire hailed from Belgium, where they originally formed as a punk rock band named "the Onion Dolls." Finding themselves, like many European compatriots, swept up by the excitement of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (and perhaps keenly aware that punk was already on its way out), vocalist/guitarist Nero Neerinckx, guitarist Marc van Caelenberge, bassist Patrick van Londerzele, and drummer Peter De Windt got their first break from Holland's Aardschock Magazine, which featured two of their songs in their 1982 Metal Clogs compilation. When Neerinckx suddenly quit the band (later to be jailed for murdering a policeman), he simply opened the door for de Windt to take his place as frontman, and, after the recruitment of new drummer Chris de Brauwer, this lineup recorded Crossfire's debut album, See You in Hell, for Mausoleum Records. Released in 1983 to very favorable reviews, its melodic and energetic heavy metal bordered on as-yet-undeveloped thrash, and drew comparisons to other contemporary European bands like Helloween, Angus, and even the mighty Accept. 1985's sophomore Second Attack (where they added second guitarist Rudi Van de Sijpe) pretty much replicated this formula, though not the widespread acceptance, and its excessively rushed and uninspired successor, 1986's Sharpshooter (featuring yet another new guitar player in Jacky D'Hondt), wound up losing them their recording contract, to boot. Crossfire managed a final live album the following year before quietly fading into obscurity, although de Windt hung on for a couple more years with German metal band Ostrogoth.