Grim Reaper Verdict?

Recommendations, discussions, questions & debates regarding the godly Metal of olde...
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Black Axe
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Post by Black Axe »

MEXDefenderOfSteel wrote:why is then so much noise about this band rather than other NWoBHM bands? because of their videoclips maybe?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eXdaSpYZcs
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Divine Victim
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Post by Divine Victim »

Their videos are pretty lame too in my opinion!
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Dark Stranger
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Post by Dark Stranger »

Gotta agree here - the great songs are utterly mindblowing, some of the very best NWOBHM songs there ever were, but the rest of the stuff is extremely average.
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nightsblood
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Post by nightsblood »

Agree w/ the general sentiment, and Dark Stranger put it best- some truly classic tunes, but the rest is forgettable. I traded/sold their albums years ago and have never regretted it
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Heavy
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Post by Heavy »

MEXDefenderOfSteel wrote:why is then so much noise about this band rather than other NWoBHM bands? because of their videoclips maybe?
I think it's because they actually reached some commercial success in the states... I've read somewhere that the second record was selling rather well there... + for someone just discovering them I think getting into this band is pretty easy on the account of their pop appeal = easy listenin'
DeathMetalWeenie
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Post by DeathMetalWeenie »

Grim Reaper....Whoa...pretty much like any-other band from 1983/1984/1985....either the bands were 2 or 3 years ahead of the times, or 2 or 3 years behind the times. Grim Reaper was pretty much RIGHT ON TIME for the NWOBHM wave, I still liked the NWOBHM alot even though I was really big on all those Jon Zazula Megaforce Records (Recordings..Metallica, Manowar, Raven, Mercyful Fate, Anthrax, Exciter), not to mention the hot catalogue by Metal Blade Records, back in 1983/1984.

Considering the lack of metal albums, and metal bands in my area, that worships alternative Metal, a Grim Reaper CD was for sure something to snag up at all cost in comparision of the below average stuffs that has been happening for a couple of decades now, with gimmick styles and gimmick guitar tones...!!!
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great_knuthulhu
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Post by great_knuthulhu »

Heavy wrote:
MEXDefenderOfSteel wrote:why is then so much noise about this band rather than other NWoBHM bands? because of their videoclips maybe?
I think it's because they actually reached some commercial success in the states... I've read somewhere that the second record was selling rather well there... + for someone just discovering them I think getting into this band is pretty easy on the account of their pop appeal = easy listenin'
I seem to remember, given my memory is not that great, talk of Grim Reaper selling to silver in the US or being close to that. That was a couple of hundred thousand albums in the mid 80s, right?

I guess they were pretty easy to comprehend, having very standard song structures, vocal melodies that were easy on the ear and in general being more accessible than a lot of other... let's call them "late NWOBHM bands" for lack of a more appropriate term.
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Cochino
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Post by Cochino »

I never understood what the big fuzz was about this band. Everybody I've met talked about them as if they're one of the greatest. This is the first time I see so many people agreeing that they're at least boring (I'd say they just suck).
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Heavy
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Post by Heavy »

great_knuthulhu wrote:I seem to remember, given my memory is not that great, talk of Grim Reaper selling to silver in the US or being close to that. That was a couple of hundred thousand albums in the mid 80s, right?
Yeah, I was actually reffering to this info in my post - but I can't seem to find the article or any other info regarding the sales.
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great_knuthulhu
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Post by great_knuthulhu »

Heavy wrote:
great_knuthulhu wrote:I seem to remember, given my memory is not that great, talk of Grim Reaper selling to silver in the US or being close to that. That was a couple of hundred thousand albums in the mid 80s, right?
Yeah, I was actually reffering to this info in my post - but I can't seem to find the article or any other info regarding the sales.
the RIAA has no record of them receiving a gold or platinum record, but they don't have sales stats available for the public. At least I couldn't find it. I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that their sales reached a few hundred thousand in the US though.
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omen of hate
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Post by omen of hate »

I didn't know that GR was so popular in the USA.
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Heavy
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Post by Heavy »

An excerpt from the Metal Forces 9 interview:

To find out what makes GRIM REAPER the surprise, but deserving success of 1984 I spoke to Nick Bowcott, G.R's guitarist and only original remaining member. "I think our success shocked us I suppose it took us all by surprise - especially as the record was released in 1983. RCA released "See You In Hell" back in July, on Friday 13th to be exact. We've been given some really slick promotion by them. In the US record sales can be affected not only by airplay but also by record store appearances. We had quite a few parties. The most memorable was possibly in St. Louis where they had a release wake and someone had laid on this coffin with a Michael Jackson dummy in it. It was pretty sick! So far the album has racked up sales of around 170,000."

This interview (also many others there) found at this link: http://www.angelfire.com/band/GrimReaper/interviews.htm
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daniel
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Post by daniel »

Grim Reaper; a band that has entered my shelves on occasion, though hardly ever got to see the world beyond that ;)
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nabel
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Post by nabel »

Once or twice a year I give their albums a spin, usually after 4-6 beers. Better than most of the easy to find/cheapo NWOBHM albums.

Best thing they ever did was "The Reaper" from Heavy Metal Heroes comp.
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MetalizeR
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Post by MetalizeR »

"See you in hell" is a HM classic to my eyes, with a bunch of hymns.
The clip of Fear No Evil is a bad ass Post-Apocalyptic video, the cliche of the 80s, hehe
Steve Grimmett is the fat guy with the most savage voice that i here...

But yes, Grim Reaper is like a "One Hit Wonder" band, nothing more, nothing less.
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