See You in Hell

As I write this, we are only a day removed from the untimely death of Grim Reaper's singer and an iconic voice in his own right, Steve Grimmett, at the age of 62. Despite never having achieved the strong acclaim of their contemporaries in Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, and Saxon, the quartet proved they could sit and slay with the big boys in 1983, with the release of their debut album See You in Hell.

And boy, did they slay.

Musically, this album is pretty standard when compared to many other bands of similar ilk, with comparisons that could easily be drawn to the aforementioned Saxon as well as some other underrated NWOBHM classics in Angel Witch or others. It lacks the grandiosity and vocal theatrics that could be expected of Iron Maiden's archetypal albums, but the music is still very much enjoyable. Axeman and primary songwriter Nick Bowcott slings riffs throughout the songs that fit them incredibly well, while the vocals are rich with high belted notes and two or three-part harmonies in some songs. In a way, this album is the quintessence of the NWOBHM movement, blending late 70's proto-metal with the energy and personality of punk.

Considering this was not an album released by any of the three main NWOBHM bands mentioned previously, the production is considerably raw, though not as unkempt as the production on Venom's seminal debut album Welcome to Hell. The guitar tone is super thick, just the way it should be, and the bass is very audible, which works great for this kind of music. The thick guitar tone allows for the riffs on songs like "Wrath of the Ripper" and "All Hell Let Loose" as well as the title track shine. The guitar solos are also very well performed, as evidenced on the title track - which is one of my favorites of the entire album - even if they are the stereotypical style of British metal solos (flashy and filled with pentatonic scales and tapping). As for the drums, there isn't a whole lot of variation in playing or mixing, but for the music it works just fine.

For as much praise as I've given Grimmett through this review, I will say that the chorus of the song "Dead on Arrival" is kind of annoying. Imagine if Geddy Lee from Rush sang in his regular style over some early Virtue or Blitzkrieg records, and that's exactly what the song sounds like. By no means is it bad, but it does get irritating after a while. Despite my minor gripes, it bears noting that Stevie boy could fucking sing his heart out in his prime.

See You in Hell is a timeless classic of fairly obscure NWOBHM. If you're a Saxon fan or you prefer the simpler side of 80's metal, you're sure to enjoy this record. It isn't anything incredibly extraordinary, but man is it a great record for being what it is. Like it or hate it, you cannot deny the talent of the band on this record, whose songs could easily sit with some of the biggest up-and-comers in the British metal world at the time. In any case, I'll be spending my next week blaring this record to honor Mr. Grim Reaper himself. Rest in peace, Steve Grimmett, and thank you.

Top picks: "Wrath of the Ripper", "All Hell Let Loose", "See You in Hell"

This is, by some distance, the most professional sounding NWOBHM debut I’ve heard; there’s a Queen-esque touch to the guitars, the rhythm tracks sound heavy and polished and Steve Grimmett soars on the top like an airborne pig. Honestly, it’s not a massive surprise that Grim Reaper were bigger in America than they were in their homeland; they’re clearly one of the most commercially-orientated of the NWOBHM bands sonically (aside from Def Leppard, who probably come out in hives when you call them a “NWOBHM band”). All this portly polish means they were ready to compete with the WASPs and Motley Crues of the world even at this early stage of their career (looks-wise, it wasn’t much of a contest as a diet of coke and Jack Daniels will certainly keep you skinnier than 10 pints of cider and a bag of pork scratchings… nonetheless, Grim Reaper’s hooks stand up).

Allow me to elaborate on that a little; whereas Saxon and Iron Maiden had to hone their chops a little before they were deemed ‘radio-ready’, Grim Reaper arrived with slick hooks and probably the most chorus-centric songwriting approach known to man. Anyone who’s ever heard this album will know that these choruses are a little cloying at times, but I tend to like them. Steve Grimmett sings like he could charm meat from a dog’s mouth and he really sells every single fucking line on this record. Of course, Americanism is not limited to radio-appeal and commercialism here, although I’d argue that this record has more in common with a Shout at the Devil than a Court in the Act in its writing style. The other American aspect is written all over Nick Bowcott’s guitar-playing DNA. While the average NWOBHM guitarist would look to Iommi, Page, Blackmore and even the likes of Clapton or Green for inspiration, Bowcott is clearly more Van Halen and Randy Rhoads than most of his contemporaries. Riff-wise and tonally, the record certainly owes something of a debt to Rhoads’s spikey style – even if it lacks his warped classical-via-Alice-Cooper genius – and the tapping sections and thick, heavy tone owe more than a resemblance to Eddie Van Halen. Of course, it’s clear that Randy and EVH were revolutionary, incredible guitarists whereas Bowcott is simply very good, but the influence is a clear one and a clear distinction.

Elsewhere, it’s very much a meat and potatoes affair; there’s nothing too flash about these tracks, but they’re all fun; traversing a great range of topics from cheating women to Vikings to Jack the Ripper to, of course, the idea that the band will “see you in Hell” x 4000. I mean, sure, the ballad isn’t exactly stellar, but it’s hardly the worst I’ve heard from this era (weirdly, it reminds me more of Thin Lizzy’s sickly, syrupy ballad, ‘Sarah’, more than anything else). Notably, it’s the only track wherein the chorus isn’t the title of the song repeated for X amount of times (really, it’s like the band took The Exploited’s writing style and applied it to heavy metal). Otherwise, I can assure you, that if you liked any other track here – you’ll probably like them all. Of course, the title track reigns supreme, with its infectious riffs, cool lead guitar interjections and one of those hilarious music videos where the band rock (you to hell) so hard to an empty theatre and some cut-rate demon appears from behind the drum riser whilst the drummer himself plays silly tom fills. The spandex was flattering, honestly, Steve.

I do always enjoy this record; it’s a little flabby in terms of how the choruses hog the limelight, but it’s delivered with such gusto that you can’t really fault them. I mean, it’s surely a ridiculous, cartoonish version of heavy metal, but much like Nightime Flyer said, heavy metal rules.

Considering Judas Priest's "Exciter" from 1978's Stained Class wins the golden palm for classic, epochal and quintessential heavy metal opener, a tying vote for equally exciting NWOBHM "curtain raiser" goes out to Grim Reaper's "See You In Hell", a notoriously flipping and psychotic intro to the Hell questing quartet's 1983 full-length debut (grimoire), originally released on 12" vinyl under Ebony Records and later re-issued by Spitfire. While the Droitset/ Worcestershire natives with the wacky hairdos failed to save the best for last, the seven other belligerent tirades on offer do a fine job of supporting the rattled listener as they gleefully tag along for the ride.

To wit, "Dead On Arrival" readily knocks socks off and away with front man Steve Grimmett's "Noctilucent cloud"-high "Yeaaaaaah-aaaahhh-aaaah-aaaah-aaah- Oh Yeah!" scream alongside some of the slickest natural harmonics this side of Hades (axe man Nick Bowcott has a thing for superbly positioned embellishments). While not quite as amazing as "See You In Hell" - Grimmett's extended "dead on arrival!" is a bit much towards the end - D.O.A. is definitely a top Grim Reaper highlight. Bowcott's squelching (tear) gas of a solo showcases some of the Reaper's emotionally sizzling, heartier fare, and not once does he let said (uproarious) coif get in his way. "Liar", for its furious n' scurillous share, initially caught - no, make that "threw" - me off guard, what with Grimmett's intense, Mustaine-like snarling rap:

"Then one day I hear from my friends
You've been cheatin' behind my back
All the times you said your gonna make it
Just to keep me off the track
Then one day she finally broke the news
She decided to tell me straight
Could I take her back, could I forgive
But I told her it's too late"

The maniacal, albeit overly cloying and winsome, chorus ("Liar" times four) fails to win prizes, but this slight "slight" is amply forgiven by the Bowman's continuously cranking fretwork in the form of rocketing (crocheting?) leads. "Wrath of the Ripper" sounds a bit like "See You In Hell" at first but soon plows its own ungodly course through the wheat field (of souls) with yes, additional celeritous harmonics in tow, not to mention egregiously fulminating/pulsating bass and knockabout, ram-bashing drum worx, courtesy of Geoff Curtis and Mark Simon. In fact, the leads here exhibit a quaint, doom-like atmosphere sure to tickle you black.

"Now Or Never" kicks the door of its hinges with more of Grimmett's "grimly" high-pitched pontificate-ions aside Boycott's ever-gratifying harmonics; consider the latter, which even surpass Megadeth's classic "Tornado of Souls" from 1990, a time-worn and proven Grim Reaper hallmark (Hall of Valhalla mark that is!)

"Run For Your Life" is quite rad as well, playing a bit on Iron Maiden's famous "Run To The Hills" theme without outright flatly mimicking it. While it's one of the weaker tracks, it's nothing to shake a sickle or scythe at as Bowcott keeps forging the fyre lead wise. Near the finish, a distinctive Iron Maiden/ "Running Free" evoking battery tears loose before ceding the (wiped) floor to GR's ubiquitous pseudo-ballad, "The Show Must Go On"...so whip those Zippos out already!

By far, closer "All Hell Breaks Loose" revs up a by-now jubilantly rocking listener with imperial Grim Reaper moxie. An imposing chord slide and trill to the beat of jangling drum and bass "kerplunks" set the table for a further frock-defiling fable. The main guitar throughout represents pure, distilled head-bangery whilst a soon-to-arrive, chromatic-ally chrome dome thrashing bridge supplemented by super sardonic laughter, on top of yet another fracking solo, will leave you pining for more of the good stuff.

Oh, will you ever, whence Grim Reaper's finest hour, the titular chair launching prophecy, "See You In Hell" proper, rounds the bend. Now, there are more than a few reasons why this knicker-twisting winner should have both started and wrapped up this killer LP.

Although I assured the single a rabidly enthused send-off, allow me to exclaim this once more: Grimmett and Co. are at the top of their game; in fact, it's worth buying the album alone for. The opening battle-some drum beat and monstrous guitar riff (capped by killer harmonics!) and trill combined with Grimmett's feral "Can I make you offer YOU CAN'T REFUSE?!?" will ceremoniously lodge themselves in your psyche for time immemorial. Decades later, they still retain instant appeal and gratification. The splendid solo is also to die for, and easily the best lead of Bowcott's career, up there with Tony Iommi's classic barn burner of a solo on "Paranoid".

It's worth noting See You In Hell was recorded in only (gasp!) four days, which explains its shirk-some flair and spontaneity. Looking at the big picture, it's very well the gripping-ly great title track which nudges this release into "A grade" territory, although "Dead On Arrival", "Now Or Never" and All Hell Let Loose" play a big part as well. In any case, it's definitely a (crypt) keeper. See you in Hell my friend!

After trumping over one hundred other bands in a battle of the bands contest, Grim Reaper were quickly signed to Ebony records. The debut album “See You in Hell” was released in nineteen eighty three. The album gained Grim Reaper a reputation in America, while it wasn’t so well received Europe. The album was praised for Nick Bowcott’s guitar riffs and Steve Grimmett’s vocals.

Having eight tracks, Grim Reaper seems to fire on all cylinders for some, and simply drop out early on others. An example of the ladder is, sadly, the title track. While having a catchy riff, the chorus is constantly repeated throughout the entire. The track practically embodies the garbage pop music of today, simply repeating “SEE YOU IN HELL!” at every opportunity. As if to add insult to injury, Grimmett’s screeching vocals mixed with the slightly unbalanced and sloppy production makes him practically unintelligible at times.

That’s not to say the entire album is bad, far from it. Many standout tracks are hidden among the rubbish. For instance, “Dead on Arrival” and “Run for Your Life” are both fast and energetic tracks, and has some of the best production on the album. They grip you and pull you in, D.O.A does so with a crunching intro, and Run for Your Life does so with a slow, melodic opening, that transitions into the flurry of a riff that continues for the rest of the song.

I hate to go back to another negative point, but this needs to be said. The production is awful. It’s awful because it is literally fluctuating in quality. The songs “See You in Hell”, “Wrath of the Ripper”, “All Hell Let Loose” and “The Show Must Go On” easily have the worst production. The drums are too low, Bowcott’s guitar isn’t low in the mix, but manages to be behind Grimmett’s low vocals. And bass? Good luck hearing it. The power is ripped right from half of the album, leaving the other half to clean up its mess.

Thankfully, it does. The previously mentioned “Dead on Arrival”, “Run for Your Life”, and other tracks “Liar” and “Now or Never” are great. Every single one of them; the guitars are brought up in the mix and the drums have a crashing impact, restoring the lost power. Each song delivers its own narrative, ranging from a relationship in “Liar” to someone literally being dead on arrival.

Overall, “See You in Hell” is worth a listen, at least once. While half of the albums production is so awful I wish for a remaster just to stabilize all the tracks, there is still some good to find in those songs. The riffs are still there, even if they won’t pull you in nearly as often as the other four. While Grim Reaper might have gotten over-shadowed by other giant of the eighty’s, Grim Reaper still has a few diamond-in-the-rough tracks that are worth listening to.

See You In Hell seems to have been written with mainstream success in mind. The songs utilize a standard verse-chorus-verse format and sound like they’re aimed at appealing, at least in part, to hard rock listeners. Not only are the song structures simple, but the music is also less dense and complex than that of other genre notables like Iron Maiden. The riffs tend to fall into the meat and potatoes category. They’re always satisfying and not too challenging, but I’m hard-pressed to think of any that truly stand out. Still, though, See You In Hell has plenty to offer to serious metalheads.

Despite the apparent focus on broad appeal, the album’s production isn’t good. The vocals are too high in the mix and the drums don’t have as much power as they should. Overall, the album has a rough feel that’s a bit reminiscent of early German speed metal records, which fits nicely with the simple, fast-paced songs on this disc, even if not everything is polished or clear.

This slightly murky production job is the perfect environment for vocalist Steve Grimmett. He has a more gravelly quality to his voice than a lot of other NWOBHM singers. Though this might be a problem on a cleaner album, his voice is an excellent counterpoint to See You In Hell’s coarser instrumentation.

Unfortunately, problems sometimes arise when his Halford impression comes into play. His high-pitched shriek is never brilliantly pulled off but it sounds fine for the most part. Sometimes though, it just sounds like he’s trying to go a lot higher than his vocal range will allow.

Curiously, the title track is this album’s worst song. The chorus is unreasonably simplistic and repetitive, with the phrase ‘See you in Hell,’ being wailed over and over again so many times it loses all meaning before the song is even half over. This is also where Grimmett’s shrieks are at their worst and most prevalent. And you know how some songs end with the singer repeating the chorus several times? Well, that’s what brings this song to its close, which only serves to overemphasize the song’s (and the album’s) most glaring weakness.

Thankfully, the album gets better from there. None of the seven other songs are bad, though a few of them, namely ‘Dead on Arrival’ and ‘Now or Never’ are a tad disappointing, with structures that are too predictable. The majority of these songs, though, are brilliantly coordinated tightrope walks, packed with headbanging fury, but not too much of it for your average listener. ‘Run For Your Lives’, with its fast pace, varied rhythms and lack of an obvious radio-friendly song structure, is especially worthy of praise. ‘The Show Must Go On’, this album’s ballad, is actually good. Though a little schmaltzy, it delivers a nice balance of softer passages and slow but satisfyingly metal sections with soaring, melodic guitar lines that have enough restraint and emotional heft to make this song genuinely moving.

While there’s nothing in See You In Hell that you can’t afford to miss, it is a good debut. Though unoriginal, this album is a dynamic, generally well-conceived slab of British heavy metal. Grim Reaper never reached the exalted pinnacle of greatness Iron Maiden and Judas Priest inhabit, but they’re certainly in the tier just below them.

I remember discovering Grim Reaper’s albums around 1998, in one of my frequent after-school trips to Mr. CD, formerly one of Mexico’s greatest record store franchises, currently descending into oblivion thanks to the Internet. I was browsing the metal section when I came upon these Grim Reaper CDs. First thing that stuck me about this band was the name, obviously. It made me wonder why they didn’t make it, why there weren’t as famous as Iron Maiden or Judas Priest; they seemed to have all the right elements for success within the metal realm. I mean, they had THE Grim Reaper as a mascot, how metal is that!? Their album covers weren’t as good as Derek Riggs’ depictions of the ever-living, ever-cool Eddie, but they weren’t that far in quality. Actually, they seemed to draw a lot of inspiration from Iron Maiden, right from the image and aesthetic to the song titles, almost to the point of plagiarism. I cranked this one up in the store and they seemed legit to me, but never really ensnared me with their sound.

Forward sixteen years into the present, and I just cranked this one up again. I didn’t know they had reunited until quite recently. Well, more than a reunion is a reactivation of the moniker, since original vocalist Steve Grimmett has remained active in the metal world and remains the sole original member of the band, more of a live act nowadays. Anyway, again, I haven’t been impressed by what I’ve listened to here. In fact, I might like them even less. Their sound was definitely NWOBHM, though quite simpler and hard-rockish than, well, Maiden for instance, who at this stage were flying high with the arrival of Bruce Dickinson and displayed way more interesting compositions. Grim Reaper’s debut actually reminds me a lot of Quiet Riot’s breakthrough Metal Health which came out on the same year. Consider See You in Hell like the British version of that album… minus the great hooks.

Actually, the title-track opener is rather amazing, extremely catchy (SEE YOU IN HELL MY FRIEND!!!), worthy of any NWOBHM compilation and full of promise, including that short and sweet guitar solo, the best of the album by far. In fact, that’s the only outstanding tune here. It’s downhill from there to sucky department, as the rest of the songs sound like second or even third-rate versions of “See You in Hell”. The rhythmic section is pretty mediocre, and sometimes I feel the drummer loses timing, slightly accelerating or slowing down when he shouldn’t, while the bass guitar is audible but never does anything noteworthy. The guitars are slightly more interesting, but aside from the title-track they lack catchiness and remain simply functional. Stale riffs and generic power-chords with little staying power in them, and little else. Nick Bowcott tries a heartfelt, epic solo during “The Show Must Go On”, and manages ok. That’s the second best solo of the album. The (sort of) saving grace of this record is Grimmett’s singing, exaggerated at times (“Dead on Arrival”), but mildly compelling. Besides, you gotta love that fake laughter in closer “All Hell is Loose”; priceless 80’s cheese!

In a year as plagued with monumental metal albums as 1983 was, ranging from outstanding debuts such as Kill ‘Em All, Show No Mercy, Melissa or Court in the Act, to genre defining masterpieces such as Piece of Mind or Into Glory Ride, there’s simple not much room left to take See You in Hell like something more than a mild amusement. I’m glad Grimmett’s back to sing their… er, “classics”, and might just see them live for the fun of it, but I don’t picture myself picking this one up again, like, ever. I might check out the rest of their discography out of curiosity, but based on See You in Hell my expectations don’t surpass even the first circle of said infernal realm.

Grim Reaper is very often associated today with a few of the more negative stereotypes of metal in the mid-80s, especially when the prospective hecklers feast their eyes upon their few videos. Bad hair, inconsistent vocals that were often too jubilant for their own good, a lot of repetitive song hooks (across all three studio albums), generic lyrics and bringing absolutely squat to the table. Dubbing the band 'party metal' would not be far from the truth, since in general their songwriting was configured in a standard verse-chorus-etc. rock format (like many bands of their ilk), and while they weren't glam by any means, their interpretation of cliche subjects like hell, murder and other important topics always felt 'fluffier' or lighter than other bands of the same era (like, say Metallica) who were transforming the landscape of the genre into something more barbed, desolate and extreme.

But let's be honest: this genre wasn't build exclusively on the shoulders of brooding juggernauts like Black Sabbath. Bands like Deep Purple and Judas Priest had their fun fare, and I feel in listening through the Grim Reaper backlog that both, alongside early Dio-era Sabbath (Heaven and Hell, Mob Rules) were instrumental in shaping the sound here. Some will have read the story that these guys were 'discovered' after their victory in a 'Battle of the Bands', in which they bested over 100 competitors to take some prize, but considering that such contests are rarely more than ticket-selling races (for instant, shitty Evanescence knockoffs often win these things in my region, or bands who draw upon the support of their entire high school), I'd say that their emergence was more in line with the fact that British heavy metal was kicking all sorts of ass, a seemingly endless pool of talent that brought us Demon, Saxon, Wichfynde, Praying Mantis, Def Leppard and so forth, all peers to this band in terms of their ability to decisions to straddle the border between the heavier 'metal' and pure hard rock accessibility.

See You in Hell was a reasonable debut for its time, with a fairly simplistic formula that mixed predictable 3-4 chord riffing patterns with spikes of Nick Bowcott's melodies and the charismatic Steve Grimmett, who has through the years become the defining element of the band. He's got a timbre which occasionally reminds me of Ronny James Dio, with perhaps a more muscular edge to the sustained screams (like the end of "See You In Hell" itself), but lacking the late demigod's silken bite and overall intensity. Unfortunately, the mix of this debut was the worst of the band's three albums, and he's cast a bit too loudly throughout, with his tone really shaking apart songs like "Dead or Arrival" (the chorus) or the bluesy lounge rock piece "The Show Must Go On" that I've always found a little 'fish out of water' among its neighbors here. In addition, the guitars are a bit too raw and unpolished for such streamlined compositions as these, the drums a bit distant, and See You in Hell feels more or less like a demo quality recording in dire need of an upgrade.

That said, there are quite a few enjoyable tracks here which would have gone off well in the live setting and remain among the band's catchiest. "See You In Hell" was the standard by which the band would write the majority of their future chorus parts for the successor albums, and it has a few nice screaming twists to the verse lines. "Run for Your Life" and "Wrath of the Ripper" incite pure headbanging fury even despite a few of the campier vocal passages, and Nick Bowcott truly tries to let his leads scream out with some level of emotion, eschewing the rather tame confines of the songs' architecture. Even "The Show Must Go On" has that catchy line in the intro over the clean rhythm guitars, though I still find it out of place. But others here are not so special, like the crunchy closer "All Hell Let Loose" or the shorter, forgettable cuts like "Liar" or "Now Or Never".

Compared to, for example, three of the big Ps of this same year: Power & the Glory, Piece of Mind, or Pyromania, this album feels really roughshod and unrefined. I suppose that's a boon for certain gluttons for might hunger for rawer tones in their 80s diet, but I just don't feel that it always works with the music (the band obviously agreed, since both the later albums are cleaned up considerable). This isn't Venom here, the band was striving for some degree of accessibility. But it's not just the production that falls behind; the actual songwriting was nowhere near as memorable as a lot of Grim Reaper's British peers. A gem yet to be cut, its surface implying an obvious material value within that has yet to be 'reaped'. Still, if you're looking for something dimwitted, entertaining and loud to slake your nostalgia, or you've a fondness for other Ebony Records cult classics like Savage's Loose 'n' Lethal or Chateaux's Chained and Desperate, See You In Hell isn't a bad record. It's got clear problems, a few dud songs, but still seems functional almost 30 years later.

-autothrall
http://www.fromthedustreturned.com

The story of Grim Reaper is quite a bit interesting; it depicts 4 British musicians who come out of the massive blob of bands being pumped out in the NWOBHM and procuring a recording contract by winning a whopping 99 other bands in order to get studio time to get a demo recorded, which in turn led to them recording this debut LP. Although this Cinderella story would be told many times in the metal scene of the 80s, here we see a band that essentially worked their asses off for 6 years and still struggled just to make ends meet (Nick Bowcott had to give a lot of guitar lessons to keep his financial head above water in the mid 80s), only to be the subject of ridicule in the 90s by the caricatures of Groove Metal stupidity Beavis and Butthead. Granted, this show also made fun of Accept, Judas Priest (the Breaking the Law video) and Death so obviously this means little to real metal fans.

The production on here is obviously dated due to limited technological capabilities in studios at the time, the drums are a bit thin sounding and the vocal tracks are a little bit too high in the mix. However, other than a little bit too much repetition during the choruses, the songs on here are quite solid and easy to get into. Nick Bowcott’s guitar style is reminiscent heavily of Tony Iommi’s love for multiple guitar tracks like the kind found on the early 70s material, although his solos are a lot more technical and flirt with being a fairly intense marriage of Eddie Van Halen’s speed playing and the Sabbath axe man.

The standout tracks are pretty obvious as they all tend to sound a bit similar in style and tempo. The famous hit that first got them on the Beavis and Butthead hate list “See you in hell” has an infectiously catchy main riff, not to mention some gut wrenching banshee screams that will make all male listeners check their own manhood. “Wrath of the Ripper”, “Run for your life” and “Now or Never” are cut from a similar vain, emphasizing the guitar and occasionally providing some fast rock beats. “Liar” is a bit short and lyrically a bit corny, but still rocks hard. The only weak link on here in the songwriting department is “The Show Must Go On”, which is an exceptional melodic guitar display, but is a little bit too long for its own good and underdeveloped.

For fans of the NWOBHM, this is a good album to have, although its production holds it back a bit. Fans of this band that already possess this album are encouraged to pick up the other two, as the second one resolves most of the production problems, while the 3rd takes care of the repetition issues. If you like your metal with plenty of hooks and riffs, you’ll like this band.

It’s 1984, NWOHM has become all but a phase, glam is nearing the corner and thrash/speed metal is spawn thanks to the likes of Metallica and Anthrax. Also something else happened that year, a British band called Grim Reaper released an almighty debut by the name of “See you in Hell”.

Before their debut Grim Reaper was well known for out staging 100 competitors in a local "battle of the bands". (And winning hands down might I add)
The first song of the album is by far the most memorable, the opening riff will keep you humming for weeks. Instantly we hear Steve Grimmett scream his lungs out, and it still to this day sounds like he’s not even trying. In other words this guy can sound like this all day long and not miss a note, yes his voice is really that good.
‘Dead on arrival’ had me for a while as my favourite track but ‘Liar’ is indeed the best-written track being both in your face and memorable. It still sends shivers on the back of my neck when I hear it to this day.
Wrath of the Ripper is probably better known for its chorus rather than its verse, which is nothing special.
Now or never has a great basic heavy riff that works well with the overall structure of the song.
Run for your life has a cool intro and verse that has a melodic feel to it, its downside is probably that it was too underdone.
The show must go on is easily the worst track on the album and yes I do skip it every time. Not because it’s bad, actually it has a fairly reasonable melody to it. In fact Duran Duran may well of written this song..Haha only joking. Basically the reason this song doesn’t work on this album is because it doesn’t fit the overall theme of the album. So in other words 7 tracks would of still have been just as nice.
Finally we have “All hell let loose” arguable their finest track. It has a top-notch speed metal riff together with vocals to make your ears bleed. When combined it forms a no thrills metal masterpiece.
If you haven’t heard this album and you believe you are a metal veteran like myself then clearly you are not! Not until you own a copy of “See you in hell”. Whether it’s one of those Cd’s that collects dust or one that’s sitting in your car unplayed in years, every household should have a copy of “see you in hell”.
You will not hear an album like this ever again, especially one that was recorded in only 4 days!

Grim Reaper – See You In Hell!

Okay, I’ve had this album for a while, but I finally listened to it on a long car ride and was completely blown away. I can’t say it’s perfect, but there isn’t a song on here I’d skip while listening to it. In fact, during my entire listen, I wasn’t bored once and I found myself banging my head along nearly to every single song! The riffs are mostly rather simple, typical NWOBHM style heavy metal, with nice little lead riffs tossed in to keep it interesting. The rhythms are great and galloping, like old school heavy metal should be. The solos aren’t all technical masterpieces (there are some real gems in there, though), but they fit right in with the music. The real shine, however, are the vocals! This guy’s wail is among some of the best I’ve heard, and his delivery of each line is amazing! I am completely in love with this band’s sound, and I wish there were more than three albums to listen to!

The title track starts off the album with classic metal riffing and rhythms and the vocals really shine. They lyrics are a cheesy sort of evil, but they’re delivered with a seriousness that belies the cheese and keeps your attention. This track really sticks out as a great intro to a great album!

Dead on Arrival is next, with more over-the-top vocals and heavy metal riffage. The whole album is pretty much “more of the same,” but that’s far from a bad thing. The chorus is a tad repetitive, but it doesn’t keep the song from rocking and never interrupts the flow of the song.

Liar is a bit of a different song, with lyrics about a cheating lover. However, the basics of the song are the same style as the rest of the album. The intro to the song is cool, with great wailing vocals. The solo is also a real stand-out, as well.

Wrath of the Ripper is next, and is another cheesy-evil song, in the vein of Priest’s classic, but this one is just as rocking. It’s a little darker than some other songs, but it’s not over-done.

Now or Never follows, again more of the same. All of the choruses are memorable and catchy, so once you hear it, you find yourself singing along with it the rest of the song. The ending to the song is also classic early heavy metal, which is cool. After listening to newer heavy metal, it’s a refreshing classic element that’s been lost in time.

Run for Your Life is the fifth track, with a cool intro and another catchy chorus. The song breaks open at about 2:10 with a fast-riffed verse that leads into a disappointingly short solo. The fast riff returns at the end of the song with more excellent wailing vocals to close it out.

The Show Must Go On is the slow tune of the album, as well as the longest, clocking in at over 7 minutes. It’s a great break from the formula, with clean guitars leading into a slow, heavier chorus. The lyrics tell the tale of another lost love in a more subdued and ballad-like tone. The solo is melodic and slow, with a cool harmony that punctuates the emotion of the tune. The rest of the tune is more clean-into-heavy guitars with stirring vocals. The song fades out softly, setting up for the next track…

The final track, All Hell Let Loose, picks right back up after the nice break. This song rocks as hard as any other on the album and stands out as another classic. The cool lead guitar intro leads into the pure heavy metal verse and a cool, catchy chorus. The early 80’s style guitar tone perfectly suits the music, and the guitarist throws in some nice pick slides which transition from the verse to the chorus. There’s a bit of a breakdown with some cheesy lyrics (“I’m coming to get you! Ahh ha ha ha!”) which leads into the ending solo. The solo takes some time to pick up steam, but ends the album a strong note.

If you’re growing tired of modern metal and want to reminisce about the glory days of early metal, this album is about as perfect as can be. I wish the band were still together, as this would be killer materiel for a live show!

“…can I make you an offer you can’t refuse…”

Grim Reaper is a band honored with a name that is effortlessly synonymous with the early-mid ’80s affection toward shocking occult intimations without really actually delivering the goods…Demon, Pandemonium, Satan, Cloven Hoof, Crucifixion...an album with the forthright dark-sided appeal of, say, Witchfinder General’s Friends of Hell that should’ve sounded downright dastardly instead resembled Prophet was like a SCUD missile in the hot air balloon of any fan scanning the land for something heavier. Been there, done that. And because of this many of us were leery of releases screaming darkness and brimstone.

For all the British quartet’s talent and marketing/distribution (through RCA), I have to shamefully admit that if MTV didn’t take the odd chance of playing the band’s chief canticle, “See You In Hell”, to its then-rabid audience, GR wouldn’t be as marginally renown as they are. Even then while metal fans were initially soaking this great piece in, some were peeking at each other from the corner of their eyes, wondering why this chest-thumping, infectious song still smelled somewhat like the interior of a calzone. It’s a paradox that kept many from traveling beyond the band’s ‘hit’ single, but simultaneously didn’t sidetrack others from seeing if the rest of the album was as promising. Then there’s the obligatory menacing cover with the reaper on a horse (and a regular horse at that - no flaming hooves, no eyes glowing like hot coals, not even an attempt at yer quintessential nightmare – how disappointing. If you’re going to be predictable, then go for the gusto) with a total DIY back cover as it gets.

Dissecting the band’s essence takes about four seconds, and at second five you cut into the lethal, crooning lungs of Steve Grimmett, the aspect of the quartet that steams most when air hits it. Throughout the endeavor, he and his semi-chapped, well-trained articulation is the wide-eyed character, the burning marrow whose intimidating and sometimes overpowering vox is the mellifluous spine of the band and is as recognizable as picking the moon out of the sky amongst the other stars. The rhythm section of guitarist Nick Bowcott, bassist Dave Wanklin, and drummer Lee Harris is bedrock holding it all together. Unfortunately, while I’m sure they’re all quite adept to their instruments, the rhythmic passages fail to showcase anything above basic lines, albeit catchy and enduring ones, and the only one with even an opportunity to shine behind Grimmett is Bowcott and his well-above par soloing.

Somewhere out there in a parallel universe in some alternate reality, some other unattractive guy has the mike for Grim Reaper’s debut…it’s probably just some regular guy like your barber or garbage man, but it could be Bruce Dickinson, or Messiah Marcolin, or Geoff Tate…and unbelievably “See You in Hell” still would not have parted the clouds with a ray of light like it had. Not to sound like a tool, but the song is undeniably contagious, Ebola-like in its success at having you run the main riff a thousand times through your head hours after hearing it, calling a friend to sing “come with me and I’ll take you down to the very depths of your soul…” into the answering service, and then attempting to match pitch and length of the final bowel-bursting wail that some people actually think is gay (!?).

One thing’s for sure, you’re seldom unsure what song is playing on the debut. Not only are half the songs’ titles sung within the initial moments of the tracks, choruses are like the former Great Wall of China - long, repetitive, unhidden, and nearly unending, and a great specimen is the staunch “Dead on Arrival”. As with the chorus, Grimmett practically clobbers you with his zealous delivery; a note or two a bit OTT for its own good, but for Steve we persevere, and pound for pound the song easily drives a heroic stake through the heart of the passé. “Liar” seems more conversation than song, the rhythm section meandering until Bowcott’s distortedly lively solo bursts onto the scene. Solid, strong, and with another memorable chorus, “Wrath of the Ripper” finishes the side.

“Now or Never” is another chorus-heavy keeper, simplistically addictive and eventful. Its neighbor, “Run For Your Life”, is a bit more threatening in its course of low-to-high rhythms, less catchy but not at all forgettable. It was only a matter of time with a predictable fast-to-slow ratio that a long, heartfelt agonizer would appear, and “The Show Must Go On” becomes the hill of side two. Relatively delicate and honest, the quartet’s protracted power ballad never really finds its high note, but is practically the only time on the slab the rest of the band can showcase their diversity and aptitude, especially Bowcott who lacquers up classy, dreamlike solos that slowly voyage from speakers in floating silk ribbons. Grimmett’s a bit too boisterous for this kind of thing; his semi-impassioned tones work only as a short walk, and the craving to burst into a full-on haul slowly creeps into the mix toward the end.

A prospect report isn’t necessary to say “All Hell Let Loose” should end this with a shot of glory, and while a brawny song in its own right, the track falls short a bit, but the high point is Bowcott really letting his hair down for a blistering dual, but not quite superimposed solo that doubles as a finale (I more than half expected Grimmett to throw the final rose on the lp’s end, but refreshingly he bows to his guitarist, yet there’s something about the wrath of a universe-warping scream to end an album…).

For a UK band in the fading trickle of the first wave of NWOBHM, I don’t hear nearly as much Maiden influence as others proclaim. Theirs is a formula much simpler than Maiden’s: straightforward and consuming rhythms, uncomplicated structures, back seat dynamics (except the vocals), and lyrics in no danger of over-thought, and when a DJ comes along savvy enough to play “See You In Hell” in a metal-edged bar, see how many people perk up and attempt to become Steve Grimmett.

“… you can come with me to a place you'll know so well…”

Grim Reaper, an amazing 80's metal band that kind of got lost in time. They released 3 metal master-pieces then faded into obscurity. Forming in the early 80's they were one of the later bands to come out of the big NWOBHM explosion and sound like a cross between Iron Maiden and US power metal bands like Queensryche. In this release they sounded more like Maiden than anything else. Vocalist Steve Grimmet is one of the best in the business, sounding like a cross between Dio and Don Dokken, he has a gruff melodic voice with a huge range. The production on this album is pretty bad, but not much worse than most other 1984 releases, and it gives it that classic sound.

The album kicks off with the title track which is pure classic heavy metal. Simple and repetitive, but VERY effective and it never gets old. Steve unleashes some insane shrieks in probably his best vocal performance ever. Good old fashioned head banging fun. "Dead on Arrival" is more of the same, fist pumping anathemic metal, this would be one of the best songs on the album if the chorus wasn't repeated so many times. "Liar" is a bit slower, and has some nice "stalking" verses and a nice chorus.

"Wrath of the Ripper" absolutely kicks ass, easily the second best song on the album. Holy shit this song is so awesome, it sounds like it could fit on the first 2 Maiden albums. And one can't help but be reminded of the Judas Priest song when hearing this one, some great lyrics and an amazing delivery by Steve. "Now or Never" is a fast rocker, with a nice gallop rythym, and an infectious chorus. "Run For Your Life" is more of the same, some nice fast early speed metal, especially when the song really picks up at about 2:10.

"The Show Must Go On" is really out of place, and thankfully Grim Reaper never really made a song like this again. "All Hell Let Loose" makes up for that mistake, and brings the album to an end in a blazing fashion. The Iron Maiden gallop is put to full effect here.

I would have to say this is maybe the weakest of the 3 Grim Reaper albums. But that's not really saying anything bad, it still kicks lots of ass. But the repetitive song-writing and bad production hurt the album.

This is the first Reaper album, and they would get much better. This one isn't quite as overtly 80s-sounding as the other two, not with the excessive Crue or Twisted Sister influence. This one has a more straightforward NWOBHM sound, which is decent, but sometimes the songwriting just isn't up to par.

The title track is pretty good, but the chorus is just a bit repetitive, and that is what kind of plagues the entire album. "Dead on Arrival" and "Liar" has more of the same, though the verses of Liar are pretty cool. "Wrath of the Ripper" is a very nice song, probably because they pick up the pace a bit, and "Now or Never" is also good, but just a bit repetitive. "Run for Your Life" is okay but forgettable, and "The Show Must go On" is very overlong.

"All Hell Let Loose", the closer, is probably the best song on here, due to its nice headbanging riff that has a bit of a Maiden gallop to it. So if you like NWOBHM, you'll like this, though it's not as good as stuff by Diamond Head, Iron Maiden, etc etc... it's not bad, but just kinda boring.