Grim Reaper

Although Grim Reaper were forever tagged as a joke after one of their videos was lambasted by Beavis and Butthead on MTV, their reputation has been somewhat salvaged by the more discriminating Metal fans of today. On closer inspection, the three records they put out between 1984 and 1987 prove the band to be a competent and solid power/fantasy metal act, covering similar Iron Maiden-seeded ground as Helloween during a time when the hair metal band was king and the genre was unfashionable to say the least. Even better, if you listen back to that Warrant/Cinderella/Bon Jovi dreck today, you get a dated crapload of MTV product, whereas Grim Reaper's at times admittedly goofy gore/devil metal is a genre that is still thriving on the scene. And they were good at it.