Grim Reaper's third and last album Rock You to Hell is a melodic metal feast of hard rockin' and heavy tunes, with hooks aplenty and non-stop catchy guitar riffs. The band brought in producer Max Norman this time around, and the results were much better than their previous two offerings. In 1987, commerical metal, or "hair metal" as it was often called, was all the rage, and this had an effect on Grim Reaper, who injected catchier hooks into their brand of NWOBHM music. Songs like "Night of the Vampire", "Waysted Love", the rousing title track (See You in Hell...Rock You to Hell...these guys liked to vacation there quite often) and the fist pumping, sing along anthem "Lust For Freedom", all raised the bar to more commerical sounding waters, although the overall feel was still pretty heavy. Steve Grimmett's vocals were less over the top this time around, as he learned by this time to use his powerful lungs and reign his vocals in instead of just proving how high he could scream. As always, Nick Bowcott provides plenty of tasty solos and meaty classic metal riffs.
The band broke up not long after the release of this album and ensuing tour. Bowcott is the only member that has somewhat stayed in the public eye, becoming a columnist for a few metal and guitar magazines, and currently also is a Product Manager for Marshall Amplifiers. The reissue from Spitfire Records once again finds the audio levels really low, much like on See You in Hell, and the long essay from Bowcott in the booklet is in such small print that you need a magnifying glass to read it. Otherwise it's a nice looking package of a solid 80's metal gem.
Track Listing
1. Rock You To Hell
2. Night Of The Vampire
3. Lust For Freedom
4. When Heaven Comes Down
5. Suck It And See
6. Rock Me 'Till I Die
7. You'll Wish That You Were Never Born
8. Waysted Love
9. I Want More
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