Crossfire

Originally forming in Belgium under the punk moniker the Onion Dolls, the heavy metal outfit Crossfire emerged amid the broader continental embrace of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal as punk’s moment waned. Vocalist and guitarist Nero Neerinckx, guitarist Marc van Caelenberge, bassist Patrick van Londerzele, and drummer Peter De Windt secured early exposure when Holland’s Aardschock Magazine placed two of their tracks on the 1982 Metal Clogs compilation. Neerinckx’s abrupt departure—followed years later by his imprisonment for the murder of a policeman—prompted De Windt to assume lead vocals, after which the arrival of new drummer Chris de Brauwer enabled the group to cut its debut, See You in Hell, for Mausoleum Records. Issued in 1983 and warmly received, the album’s melodic yet vigorous style edged toward nascent thrash and drew parallels with contemporaneous European acts such as Helloween, Angus, and Accept. Second Attack, the 1985 follow-up that introduced second guitarist Rudi Van de Sijpe, largely retraced the same approach yet failed to match the earlier acclaim. Its hastily assembled successor, 1986’s Sharpshooter—now featuring guitarist Jacky D’Hondt—proved even less inspired, costing the band its deal. A lone live album appeared the next year before Crossfire receded from view, though De Windt remained active for a time in the German metal band Ostrogoth.