Grim Reaper-"See You In Hell"-1984
AAAHHHH,OH GOD,IT`S GRIM REAPER!!! [Beavis] Now c`mon,who DIDN`T think these guys were a joke? Aside from a cool album cover,and one ½-way decent song [the title track],there wasn`t anything special about this band at all!Still,GR did give Mike Judge a wealth of material,and guitarist Nick Bowcott got a job working for Marshall Amps,so all`s well that ends` well!There are alot of bands who were only meant to make 1 album;Grim Reaper made 3! Some people never learn....
Stryper-"Soldiers Under Command"-1985
Proselytism or Rock `n` Roll? That was the big question when this group arrived on the then-thriving LA Metal scene in the early `80s.Decked out in Yellow & Black striped spandex outfits,the 4-piece known as Stryper called their music "Heavenly Metal".Born again Christians all,these guys played Jackson guitars thru VERY loud Marshall amps [THE definitive `80s Metal sound] and handed out bibles at their concerts! The first EP,"Yellow and Black Attack",kicked things off to a flying start,but it was "Soldiers Under Command" that made the most lasting impression,as well as being their HEAVIEST! The band comes out all guns blazing with the title track,with a guitar sound somewhere between vintage Priest and Motley Crue.The 4-part harmony vocals on "Makes Me Wanna Sing" are as perfect as any heard in Rock,before OR since!The raucous "The Rock That Makes Me Roll",and the sing-along anthem "Reach Out",really the whole album rocks like,er,Hell! The self-proclaimed "God Squad" hit the big time with the 1986 release "To Hell With The Devil",which was noticeably lighter than "Soldiers...".Things only got worse with the release of `88`s "In God We Trust"; God ,maybe.The Critics? NEVER! That album saw Stryper sounding like Air Supply,and that ain`t good,kids! Unlike the title of their greatest hits package,the Rock DEFINITELY stopped! Even the die-hard fans started to bail.1990`s "Against The Law" found them returning with an even heavier sound,as well as a "tougher" image [T-shirts,leather and stubble],but by then it was too late,and the group folded in 1992."The Lord Giveth,and The Lord Taketh Away....." [Thanks to Chris Derocha for suggesting this one!]