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.