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Crossfire > See You in Hell > Reviews
Crossfire - See You in Hell

Ascend the speed metal pyramid! - 88%

hells_unicorn, March 26th, 2021
Written based on this version: 2012, CD, Mausoleum Records (Digipak, Remastered)

Periods of innovation will tend to be periods of missing links, and there is little doubt that circa 1983 that heavy metal was enjoying a massive expansion in possible modes of expression. Many had already been bitten by the speed metal bug thanks to the early exploits of Motorhead, Judas Priest and Riot as the looming dragon of thrash metal was beginning to spread its wings, leaving a crop of bands at a crossroads between seeking greater extremes or sticking to what already works. With Germany, England, and the Continental U.S. already booming with the metal spirit, it seems all too fitting that Belgium would be among the next group of nations to take the plunge, and the upstart label Mausoleum Records was already poised to be the focal point of this upcoming Flemish wave. Interestingly enough, the East Flanders-based upstarts Crossfire originally cut their teeth in the European music scene as a punk rock outfit going under the moniker of The Onion Dolls, a disposition that would normally suggest a subsequent plunge into the newly birthed thrash metal style, but where they would ultimately land was a bit closer to the early power metal sound that would take root in mid-80s Germany.

Featuring the blank stare of a giant, glowing skull atop what looks like an Aztec pyramid on the cover, this quintet's 1983 debut offering See You In Hell fully captures that occult-like mystique that was all too common in heavy metal at the time. It's a fitting visual given that the musical template is largely rooted in the traditional, rocking character of the NWOBHM with some obvious German trappings via Accept, which explains the slightly more anthem-like melodic quality going on, combined with the faster tempo and the gravely shrieks with a strong Udo Dirkschneider affectation delivered by helmsman Peter De Wint. Hindsight will naturally also point many to this album's title being identical to the iconic Grim Reaper debut that also hit the shelves in '83, and while the two band's are quite different from an overall stylistic demeanor, the shred happy guitar soloing on display here bears a heavy similarity to what Nick Bowcott was dishing out, with some occasional nods to Brian Tatler's signature style also closely in tow. It's an interesting mixture of early 80s iconic British steel with some slightly forward looking elements from the German camp that, while not as innovative as what Metallica and Slayer were doing at the time, was fairly unique.

The mixture of traditional rocking metal with swifter fair yields a number of curiously involved songs that go well beyond typical radio-friendly territory, both on account of their velocity as well as their scope. Things start on a decidedly familiar note with "Demon Of Evil", which pays a fairly blatant homage to Iron Maiden's "Number Of The Beast" during the intro before kicking into a fast paced roar, and while the song doesn't quite hit the 4 minute mark, it definitely sets a precedent of powerful contrast that is further developed as the album unfolds. Sure enough, the blazing speeder "Magnificent Night" goes on for well over 6 minutes and sports a drastic shift into slower territory halfway through, while more mid-paced crushers like "Fly High" and "Starchild" get the job done in the riff department after the mold of Judas Priest's Screaming For Vengeance and suddenly kick into overdrive for a climax point before concluding, often coinciding with a brilliant guitar solo display. Even the slower paced "Danger On Earth" has sort of a quasi-thrashing character to its riff set, and contains a more shuffling uptick in tempo towards the end that may remind some of Metallica's "Four Horsemen".

It's not quite a full on metallic romp that commands banging one's head until their ears bleed, but it's about as solid of an example of speed metal with a traditional bent that one would encounter circa 1983. Barring a few throwbacks to hard rock territory such as the late 70s inspired anthem "Killing A Cop" and the almost glam-tinged "Lover's Game" which blurs the lines between where its Accept influences end and the Motley Crue ones begin, this is made to order for old school metal fanatics, and even the songs in question have a fun factor going on that makes them forgivable outliers in an otherwise consistently heavy-hitting album. The songwriting on display here is engaging and fairly intricate at times, though ultimately the charm of this album is its kinetic factor, as shorter and unabashed speed metal romps such as the aforementioned opener "Demon Of Evil" and the title song and closer "See You In Hell" showcase the band at their best with riffs and solos a flying and De Wint's shriek-happy pipes shattering the air. It holds up well despite its old age, and will probably prove a powerful draw for the younger crowd that has been driving the current retro heavy metal craze.

Good attitude, weak album - 30%

DetlefVanBerg, October 31st, 2005

I'd love to love Crossfire. From the first to the last note on See you in Hell, you can hear that these guys lived and breathed heavy metal 24/7. Crossfire were full of passion for their music and youthful energy. I doubt that anyone who's ever heard this album would deny this.

In Peter de Wint, Crossfire also had a singer who wanted to be Udo Dirkschneider but ended up sounding like a horse. Admittedly, poor vocalists were the bane of many a Mausoleum band (try out Warhead for comparison), but the vocals on See you in Hell are exceptionally risible. De Wint's voice is nowhere near as strong as needed to carry off the Udo impersonation. The air raid siren vibrato attempts come across as mooselike warbling. When De Wint is not trying for the Dirkschneider, he sticks to weak, monotonous barking.

As musicians, Crossfire were average as best, and they're seldom at their best on See you in Hell. Which wouldn't necessarily mean anything in itself. After all, most of the classic underground metal albums from the 80's were not exactly technical. It's the attitude and the tunes that make the difference, right? Sadly, Crossfire didn't have the tunes. See you in Hell is filled with plodding, overlong, unmemorable Euro-metal songs influenced by Accept (strongly) and Motörhead (lightly), with occasional ventures into proto-thrash. It sounds "raw" and "chaotic" alright but that's mainly due to general lack of ability than any kind of artistic vision or balls-to-the-wall attitude. When something sticks out from the mediocrity, it's usually a negative detail. Like the annoying mixed-to-the-front hi-hat on Demon of Evil. Which is incidentally also the opening track and the weakest song on the album.

I wouldn't recommend See you in Hell to anyone except diehard 80's metal completists. Something for Dark Wizard fans to salivate over and the rest of the world to pass on by. The brief good bits were all done better by other bands. The bad moments are just dull bad instead of good cheesy fun. The bulk of the album is slightly below average. Once the current wave of 80's nostalgia dies down and the metal scene fins something else to rave about, Crossfire will probably fall back into total obscurity with other forgettable underground bands of the era like Vectom or Lions Pride.

Euro metal shaving with a heavy rock razor - 82%

Gutterscream, August 31st, 2005
Written based on this version: 1983, 12" vinyl, Mausoleum Records

I’ve never had much luck with stuff on Mausoleum Records. I think my first sheep in wolf’s clothing lp of the label was Witchfynde’s Lords of Sin, then the debut of Living Death (which has grown a bit more on me), then I think this lp, then something by Ostrogoth, or vice-versa, whatever, then a few that just weren’t cartwheel material. After awhile I just sidestepped most of the releases on the label. Then again, it was a time when metal had just bore the thrash child, and I wanted to hear that kid cry with all its might. This type of stuff had already been whimpering for a few years.

Actually, this Belgian band isn’t bad at all, kind of like early Accept and Headhunter-era Krokus eclipsing one another with vocalist Peter De Windt morphed out of Udo and Marc Storace with only half the appeal. Originally the band was called The Onion Dolls back in 1980, a punk outfit that would ford the river into metal with two tracks on the early Metal Clogs compilation from Rave-On Records on behalf of Dutch zine Aardschock. Mentioning the sound is the usual euro-flavored traditional is hardly a covert description, but to allude to the album’s clandestine bias toward heavy rock could sway a potential listener or three from seeking this out…don’t’ fret, it’s not Foghat. Like many releases gracing this time period, the title, cover art, and a few song titles lend a bleary impression of devil-horned innuendo that is only vague at best, especially when the needle/laser hits the thing, practically a trademark of early Mausoleum signings.

Initial track “Demon of Evil” is more credible and lively than its title, kicking off the debut with a righteous, Maiden-y current that flows briskly to the song’s finish, but as if to dispel accusations of sound-cloning, “Killing a Cop” (which may or may not be about original vocalist Ner Neerinckx, who did just that and is probably still having a grand time in prison) turns out more mid-paced and moderate with a chorus prudent enough to stand out from the rest of the track. Smirking with portions of lite speed intensity is the lengthy “Magnificent Night”, though isn’t entirely corrupt by this unlikely fervor as islands of a slower, more melancholy demeanor keep fans guessing. “Danger On Earth” throws more guesswork into the fray with ‘70s Judas Priest finesse, a chorus mildly reminiscent of the Brits’ track “Sinner”, then a matchbook is lit under the tempo’s rump with another accelerator stomp.

Side two’s opening is more lethargic, a first half slow churner in “Fly High” that animates with a speedy tow underscored by a fairly dramatic vocal verse. There had to be one of them on here, and the aptly titled “Lover’s Game” is the wing flapping, if-there’s-gonna-be-a-skip-on-my-record-let-it-be-here cherub of the lp. Fully knowing they need a dazzler after that, they pencil in the longer “Starchild”, a galloping number that at first comes off as passable, then with a dimple of an emotive interlude and from then on a resplendent sprinting tempo, ends like a follow up to the previous tune should have. The title cut is another string of firecrackers in the vein of a more compact “Magnificent Night”, a start-to-finish aggressive reinforcement of what the band basically does best (and most).

Like I said, not a bad band or album for the period. Had this found light of day about two years earlier, it would’ve been a hotter commodity in metal circles, but as destiny says it must linger with the glut of second stringers that were a victim of time.

Regular Speed Metal - 79%

MAJIN, March 19th, 2005

"See you in Hell" is a nice debut, with common failures, as studio record quality, but pretty understandable, if you stick in mind that it was done in the 80's. The musicians here don't show much technique, but pure agression, in a raw state of metal. So, if you are a dream-theater-kind-of-metalhead, you better skip it, 'cause there's no complex stuff to check here.

It opens with "Demon or Evil", a speedy song, which starts in tradicional 80's metal and then turns to be a great fast song.

Then we get "Killing a Cop", that ruins the entire work of the band. It's so full of clichés, in an annoying way, that it makes you want to stop the record and go for something else. But don't! Just pass by it.

Right after it, you have the chance to experience "Magnificent Night", another speed metal right to your head! A great song, with a cool formula. You get some speed, a wonderful break, another wave of fast guitars, and then the last break and end. Not much speed from here on. The rest of the songs show that the band was still in a developtment process, much to say, finding its own identity, to make a difference sound alike the others.

Next: Danger on Earth, a tradicional Heavy Metal song, with nothing particular to add, except for nice solos performed by Caelenberge and Van de Sype.

The 5th song, "Fly High", follows the above one, with a regular chorus, and changes completely (in a positive, speedy way) in the middle of it. Nice surprise for listeners.

"Lover's Game" is another cliché song, nothing so nice about it.

But then we get what we were looking for: "Starchild", which I believe paid all the album. What a nice song. A good choice for bands that like to cover one song, from lost bands, on each album. Peter de Wint is amazing there, and this great song can be divided into three distinguished, yet great parts: It starts with a nice tradicional Heavy Metal part, astonishing solos, and then a break, just like the 3rd one...but then it gets a speedy final mixed with great solos...brilliant song, that makes it morth listening!

The album then ends with "See you in Hell", with a good, but ordinary rhythm.
Resuming: The album won't change your life, but it is a good aquisition. I managed to get it, together with "Second Attack", all in one cd, due to a Mausoleum 20th Anniversary promotion release. And pretty cheap, I may say. If you see yourself in this position, don't think twice!