Crossfire

**Crossfire** are a Canadian-American Industrial deathcore band from La Crosse, Wisconsin formed in 2007. The band currently consists of lead vocalist Dillon Hare, bassist "Echo" Tesla Black (sister of current Twisted Zyklon bassist Travis Black), rhythm guitarist Apex (real name Logan Cutler), lead guitarist Clive Hamilton, Keyboardist Hilda London & drummer Nathan Steele. Chris Ryker is a former member of the band.

## Members

### Current members

Dillon Hare, "Echo" Tesla Black, Apex, Clive Hamilton, Nathan Steele

## History

Ever since The Murder of Scott Ryker in 1994, Chris Ryker wanted to start a band to honor him called Crossfire (named after the Parker Bros game of the same name), he went to University of Wisconsin-La Crosse where he met Tesla Black, Logan Cutler, Clive Hamilton & Nathan Steele where they became best friends. They dropped out in 2007 & recorded a demo called "Battlecross" in April of that year where they sent it to Jetix Records where they were very impressed by their sound, so they signed the band to a 10 year deal with the label. The band recorded their self-titled debut album for 2008. The band later had a Fourth of July party at Nathan's house where acts such as Blxde, Stitched Up Mouth, Necro Theory, The Nothing, Damnation & themselves as the acts, in 2010 the band released their second effort, "Black Sky" which had a more Industrial punk metal sounding. They would go on to headline Adult Swim Festival in early 2011. In mid-2011 the band composed a song called "XP3R73D" for this commercial. Afterwards they started recording their third album, 2013's "Giraffe Tongue" had a more stronger Emo metal sounding. In 2014, Chris announced his departure from the band to focus on another project called "Necronation", former Second to Fall vocalist Dillon Hare was his replacement. Also in 2014 the band was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rock Album in 2015 but lost to Beck's Morning Phase but won a American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Band/Duo/Group in 2016, also in 2016 saw the release of Blue Crackle Hand which got back to their Industrial Deathcore sounding, the band went on tour which included a performance at the infamous Adrenalin Festival 2016. In 2017 Blue Crackle Hand won a Grammy Award for Best Rock Album. In 2019 the band released their fifth album; Razor Wired Shut Jaw which was the first album with Williams Street Records after the band were signed in 2018. the band went on their first tour which concluded before the global lockdown in January, In 2021 the band released their sixth album called "Crash Bash". In 2022 the band announced a 15th Anniversary tour with Novo as the opening act and announced their seventh album *Blackpool Combat Club* scheduled for release in March 2023.

## Members

### Current

Dillon Hare-lead vocals (2014-present) \*has 8 different Sennheiser microphones\*

"Echo" Tesla Black-bass (2007-present) \*currently plays a Jackson Tesla Black Signature King V Slime Green bass guitar with EHX Deluxe Bass Big Muff Pi pedal\*

Apex-rhythm guitar (2007-present) \*currently plays a B.C. Rich Apex Signature Blood Red Ironbird guitar with Hotone Djent pedal\*

Clive Hamilton-lead guitar (2007-present) \*currently plays a Ibanez Clive Hamilton Signature Xiphos Cobalt Blue guitar with Ex-Inferno pedal\*

Hilda London-synths & drum machines (2007-present) \*currently plays a Yamaha Hilda London Signature Black MODX8 88-Key Synthesizer with Boss DS-1 pedal & a Native Instruments Hilda London Signature Maschine Mk3 Drum Controller set to the tone of Dubstep drums\*

Nathan Steele-drums (2007-present) \*currently plays a triple bass 20 piece drum set with 24 cymbals made by Ludwig & Meinl\*

### Former

Chris Ryker-lead vocals (2007-2014; died 2023) \*had 8 different Rode microphones\*

## Discography

*Battlecross (2007, Demo)*

*Crossfire (2008)*

*Black Sky (2010)*

*Giraffe Tongue (2013)*

*Blue Crackle Hand (2016)*

*Razor Wired Shut Jaw (2019)*

*Crash Bash (2021)*

*Blackpool Combat Club (2023)*

## Musical style & influences

Crossfire are considered as Industrial deathcore & Industrial punk metal (a term which Crossfire had accepted), the band is influenced by bands such as Suicide Silence, Bring Me The Horizon, All That Remains, Walls of Jericho, Damnation, Killchain, Spatial Wrath & Terminal Velocity.

Other influences include Nine Inch Nails, Kittie, Burnward & Nexus (Chris Ryker's father's band).