Originally issued in November 1983, Grim Reaper's debut, See You in Hell, was far more polished than their first single and initially seemed fated for historical oblivion, since European fans steeped in heavy metal history found little merit in the band's energetic but rather ordinary metal style. But by the time Grim Reaper finally landed a record deal with independent Ebony records a year later (on the strength of a three-song demo made with studio time won in a battle of the bands competition), Bowcott had scrapped the entire band once again and was now flanked by vocalist Steve Grimmett, bassist Dave Wanklin, and drummer Mark Simon. Despite its brooding power chords and rough-hewn sonics (or perhaps because of them), the song stood out from the album's other New Wave of British Heavy Metal hopefuls and landed the group increased touring commitments up and down the U.K. Guitarist Nick Bowcott founded Grim Reaper in Droitwich, England circa 1979, working with a number of different lineups before teaming up with singer Paul DeMercado, bassist Phil Matthew, and drummer Angel Jacques in time to record his song "The Reaper" for 1981's very influential Heavy Metal Heroes compilation. That iteration of the group, once again operating under the Grim Reaper name, eventually found its way into the studio and recorded 2016's Walking in the Shadows, which was the band's first new release in nearly three decades. In 2006 Grimmet resurrected the name and began performing as Steve Grimmett's Grim Reaper. The group issued three studio albums, including their well-received 1983 debut See You in Hell before calling it quits in 1988. That says it all and does it all for me.Led by the inspired guitar work of Nick Bowcott and the powerful lungs of Steve Grimmett, Grim Reaper's tough, raw, but melodically charged music embodied British heavy metal's most popular devices throughout the mid-'80s. I still love watching the smiling faces in front of me. I still love getting up there and playing.
I’ve never received a penny – not one penny – from Grim Reaper, so that says it all, doesn’t it? But still, no regrets. “I’m on welfare at the moment because of Covid, and a lot of people do think that I am a millionaire, but I can tell you now, I’m not. In a May 2022 interview, Grimmett said he had no regrets “whatsoever” despite being penniless. In January 2022, Grimmett said that the band were working on new material. He said he had been suffering with PTSD and depression. “It’s about me very nearly dying when I lost my leg in Ecuador,” Grimmett told Metal Temple. They released another album, At the Gates, in 2019. It drove me mad that I just didn’t have more time than that, but that was the driving force that kept me going.” “Half that time I spent … talking to my family, and the other 15 minutes a day looking at how the hell I could get back up on that stage to do what I do for the fans. “I laid in a hospital bed for seven weeks with no entertainment and just half an hour of internet per day,” Grimmett said. He began to walk again with a prosthetic leg, and the group continued to tour. In January 2017, Grimmett was hospitalised during a show in Ecuador for an infection in his right leg. “The legal stuff hit us while we were writing that album and we just lost faith,” Grimmett said.ĭuring this period, Grimmett would front the groups Onslaught and Lionsheart, and Grim Reaper would find their music being lovingly mocked on episodes of the MTV animation Beavis and Butt-Head. It led to the abandonment of a fourth album and the band’s first disbandment. The group thrived until legal battles with their record label delayed their third album for almost two years, by which time their melodic sound had been usurped commercially by thrash and speed metal. It reached No 73 in the US Billboard album chart. They released their debut album, See You in Hell, in 1983 via RCA. Grimmett would become the only constant member of the band during their two stints together, until 1988 and then again from 2006 to the present day. He also referenced David Coverdale, Dio and Judas Priest’s Rob Halford as influences. Grimmett cited Elton John as an unlikely inspiration and “the reason I sing”, he told the Cosmick View. Part of the new wave of British heavy metal, Grim Reaper formed in Worcestershire in 1979 and Grimmett joined in 1982, replacing Paul de Mercado on vocals.
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