Formed in 1981 by two Rockford, Illinois and two Brookfield, Wisconsin natives in the midpoint of Milwaukee, Die Kreuzen (pronounced dee kroytzen) chose their name specifically to avoid stereotyping because "no one knows what it means." The band combined early hardcore with heavy metal leanings. Die Kreuzen roughly translates out of German meaning "to intersect" or "to hybridize," which is exactly what they did on their five LP's for Touch and Go. Remember that flannel shirt movement in the 90's? This is what those guys were listening to. 1986's October File is Die Kreuzen's second LP which saw the band get darker and a little more metal-influenced than on their first full-length but retaining their hardcore urgency, further defining the band's signature sound.