Formed in Droitwich Spa, England in 1979, Grim Reaper was one of the original bands closely associated with the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) movement in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Founded by guitarist Nick Bowcott, the original line-up included vocalist Paul DeMercado, who was replaced by singer Steve Grimmett in 1982. Grim Reaper released their highly anticipated debut album, See You in Hell, in 1983, which was then followed by Fear No Evil (1985) and Rock You to Hell (1987). While Grim Reaper started to see commercial success in the mid-1980s, the group’s line-up was never completely stable and by 1988, the band split up. Vocalist Steve Grimmett spent several years fronting bands like Onslaught and Lionsheart while guitarist Nick Bowcott became a music journalist. In 2006, Steve Grimmett managed to reunite some members of Grim Reaper – without guitarist Bowcott – and began performing live again. Because of legal issues, he was not able to use the band name and was forced to perform as Steve Grimmett’s Grim Reaper. Nick Bowcott briefly returned in 2014 when the band toured the US for the first time in nearly 30 years. However, he left the group by the time they issued their next studio album, Walking in the Shadows, in 2016. Three years later, Steve Grimmett’s Grim Reaper returned with the album At the Gates (2019). Steve Grimmett, who had been suffering health issues – including a portion of his leg being amputated in 2017 – died on August 15, 2022, at the age of 62.
