Sharpshooter / Live Attack
(Mausoleum Records)
32:11min / 49:19min
After the "Second Attack" record it was now obvious crossfire was going for more ‘speed’ and less ‘laid back’ moments in the band. ‘Break Out’ opens the events here and it’s heads-down Speed Metal with some great gruff vocals and a great ‘driving’ riff to put your Heavy Metal pedal to the metal! The record slows it back down though and it treads back to "See You In Hell" forgettable sounding material. Yes, overall it’s not as ‘catchy’ or as totally ‘vicious’ as the "Second Attack" material, but it’s still years better then the rather boring "See You In Hell" fiasco of early ‘fire! Hell, they even throw in a few ‘live’ songs in ‘Motorcycles’ and their theme song… ‘Crossfire’! Being that this was 1985 crossfire was ‘ahead of the game’ on most accounts, having already released a few records! They were leaders in the Belgium Metal scene and were trying to branch out to other parts of Europe and even getting their records into American shops was encouraging! Sadly it didn’t realy ‘take off’ for the band and we are left forever to just add them to the never-ending list of bands in Metal that never quite ‘made it’! With the screaming Peter De Wint yelling to us all "Watch your ass, save your neck, we’re on to our second attackkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk!!!" ‘off’ we go! This live record is just fucking great! The power and speed of the ‘better’ crossfire material is all here for the bangers of the world to bleed for! Ferocious integrity and power pour from the stage and the songs are just really really ‘moving’ on this one. Heavily dominated is the set list from "Second Attack" (yep, their best material to me) including every song from the record minus only ‘Running For Love’ (the only ‘mellow’ moment of "Second Attack" anyway)! The "Sharpshooter" material (which is basically recordings left over from earlier sessions anyway) is completely ignored! I must add also after reviewing these two re-released CDs that the ‘story’ of crossfire is well told in liner notes and the pics are very good to ‘remember’ the band in their visual ‘heyday’! Sadly without lyrics, this could have made the ‘finishing touches’ on the crossfire CD re-issue legend! But all in all these two double discs are the ‘crossfire goods’ and for the Metal community to eat up and enjoy! Cheers Belgium bangers for the Metal!!!
King Fowley