Grim Reaper (not to be confused with the British heavy metal band) was one of the many obscure German bands that recorded just one album before vanishing into total obscurity. Its members have not been involved in any other musical projects either before or since. The quartet was formed in the late 1970s in Nuremberg (Bavaria) by drummer and singer Edgar E. Hacker, keyboardist and lead singer Mario Gansen, bassist and singer Manny G. Schobert, and guitarist Harry Schmid. Thanks to good connections within the Nuremberg music scene, they were given the opportunity to record an LP for the local Brutkasten label. Recording for their debut album took place in March and April 1979 at the Tonstudio Brutkasten, with the support of label owner Peter Klimek as co-producer and Alan Smith as sound engineer.

Their sole studio album We Were All Fools..., released later that same year, surprises with its professionally recorded heavy rock, featuring occasional experiments with the synthesizer. Stylistically, it sits at the crossroads between the melodic hard rock of the late 1970s and progressive rock. Particularly remarkable are the distinctive synthesizer and organ passages, which lend an experimental touch to the otherwise hard, guitar-driven sound featuring occasional wild guitar solos. Five of the six tracks are sung in English, with one track in German. However, due to a lack of success, the group disbanded by the end of the year. Due to the small print run on the legendary Brutkasten label and the fact that it has never been reissued, the extremely rare original edition is now considered a highly sought-after rarity.