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REVIEWS:

CLOVEN HOOF... Reviewer: Mike Davies
Brum Beat, October 20, 2002



In the fetid air of Satanistic inspired heavy metal this comes as a real fresh breath. Cloven Hoof draw from similar text books to the rest of the horned brigade of metal merchants (albeit their message is more of a warning than a celebration) but their distinguishing characteristic is their ability to actually play hard metal rock like they mean it and and know what the story line is all about. When you get to look at the actual musicianship of the whole thing it's obvious that Cloven Hoof are leagues ahead of the competition.
ROCK FURY
Some jubilant metal guitar springs screaming from every track, striking hard and sharp to match the powerdrive of the rhythm section and form a battering ram of rock fury that bludgeons you into excitement with both its skill and sheer strength of attack.
NOUVEAU METALLICA
The single "Crack The Whip", goes straight for the jugular and certainly pulls the sheets over the recent Priest and Saxon offerings while "Return Of The Passover" and the self-named title cut tower like titans above their nouveau metallica peers. Check out the instrumental "March Of The Damned" with it's metal majestic stride that blisters the air in the vicnity. Cast your eyes and ears around other offerings and then listen to this and you'll not deny that for sheer metalstorm brilliance Cloven Hoof have definitely got the best foot forward. No forked tongue.

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CLOVEN HOOF... Reviewer: Nicole Joseph
Classic NWOBHM, October 20, 2002

CLOVEN HOOF...That's it!
For the longest time have I tried to remember the name of that band. I had that album on tape back in the mid 80's, and I remember liking it very much.
It is raw, classic NWOBHM with a touch of Slayer's SHOW NO MERCY. Don't take it too seriously, because of course that kind of album didn't age very well, it suffers from a lack of production and if when it first came out, it was a bomb, many bands have now done better.
It might even sound like a stupid cliche-album...but the fact is that they were there at the very beginning of speed-metal, and it didn't sound cliche in '84.This album is a must have along the line of RAVEN's Rock til you drop, SLAYER's Show no mercy or SATAN's caught in the act.

Originally released on NEAT RECORDS, a label of quality for those who like a good headbangin'

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CLOVEN HOOF... Reviewer: C.D. Ward

"The House of God has been violated!" Cloven Hoof, another mighty band to come forth from The NWOBHM scene. Even though the band's roots go back to the late 70's, under the name Nightstalker, and even known for awhile as Air, Earth, Fire, Water they finally opted for Cloven Hoof in 1982 (around the second phase of NWOBHM movement). This album is a fine display of heavy metal riffage, cryptic chants and fantasy inspired themes! I would not be surprised if this
band had some sort of obscure influence on later black metal. The band members even adopted stage names of each element such is the case why they were called Air, Earth, Fire, Water. The stand out tracks on this album are Cloven Hoof, Nightstalker, March Of The Damned, The Gates of Gehenna and Return to Passover which is pretty much most of the album save Crack of The Whip and Laying Down The Law which are great songs as well but go for a more rock vibe and not so much the dark fantasy thing. Return to The Passover is such an ominous epic containing killer galloping riffs. The vocals are piercing like a damn warlord in the midst of battle right before you are serenated with an armament of melodic dual guitar harmonies! This is real Heavy Metal!

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FIGHTING BACK (Live)... Reviewer: Mike Davies
Brum Beat, October 20, 1988



And of the end of the year's upon us faster that even Duran's Notorious. album shot in and out of the chart, so pin back the ears and get ready for a heavy metal start 87.
I'm not a die-hard HM freak, but I can still get the brain rattled by something of real class, unlike so much of the speed dross or the bon jovi disco metal gloss that's been churned out of late. It's been a long time since a world beater UK metal act really exploded on the scene but after lengthy delays and a few false starts 1987 is destined to see the coming of Cloven Hoof as the finest British metal band since Iron Maiden. Now with Rob Kendrick, of Trapeze and Budgie, on vocals, the Hoof have got themselves a wall cracking live album called "Fighting Back" on Moon dancer Records and it wipes the floor with the competition,

Side one cranks up with "Reach for the sky", a hot furnace of sci fi fantasy on metal wings, from that it's into "The Fugitive" which swaggers across the speakers and drives through the skull to be followed by a truly blisteringly wicked version of the old Tom Jones chestnut "Daughter Of Darkness", transformed into a metal anthem that could well make a huge hit single given a thundering studio treatment. "Heavy Metal Men Of Steel" which winds up side one is a Hoof epic, savage guitars, pounding drums, wallopping bass, telling of the creation of the concept that is the bakd-the four elements, forged by a demonic force to blast your mind and your soul with thermo nuclear rock n roll. Listen to this, you know they're not kidding. Side two or Beta- opens with another single, potential, stormer "Raised On Rock", wreck the radio indeed!

"Break it up" is a muscualr sky puncher while "Could This Be Love" is another sure fire commercial burner that shows the US FM boys just how to do a metal melody with slickness and still keep an edge to the knife. This will eat into your brain. The album wraps with "Eye Of The Sun", a metal tour de force with blazing guitars screaming out to the heavens and a Hoof song that reaches into the tales of Aztec sacrifice. Exhausting, exhilirating, explosive. Exactly.
The old gods of Purple, Sabbath and Priest have passed, now is the time of the new gods and first among the ranks is Cloven Hoof, heavy metal men of steel, the greatest rock n roll band in this world...or the next! No bullshit. The album was recorded in Europe and is due to release early 87 with the possibility that Eagle Comics could well use the concept and launch the band in comic book form.
Watch the Judge Dredd, the day of the Hoof is upon us

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FIGHTING BACK (Live)... Reviewer: Dave Ling
Metal Hammer, October 20, 1988

Cloven Hoof first appeared on the scene some years back, releasing one album and E.P. on the Neat Records label. Their "colourful" image caused a few eyebrows to be raised, as did the fact that they did not use their real names. Instead the group memebers were christened after the four elements, Air, Fire, Water and Earth.
They have a new singer, Trapeze and Budgie warbler Rob Hendrick who takes to his role as Air like a fish to Water (no relation)
The album benefits substantially from his presence. Though not a truly world class singer, he's strong and forceful throughout. There's plenty of impressive material too.
Cloven Hoof's tongues are firmly in their cheeks, and they've done extremely well to put tongether a package of this quality on such an obviously limited budget. I've a feeling that these songs are gonna creep up from behind. Welcome back!

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DOMINATOR... Reviewer: Dave Ling
Metal Hammer, October 20, 1988




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A SULTANS RANSOM.. Reviewer: Jon McClain
October 20, 1989



Where does one begin in reviewing the greatest album of all time in my humble opinion! Should I start with the amazing vocals, the crushing guitar work, or the perfect mixture of melody and heaviness!! Sadly, "A Sultan's Ransom" was to be the swan song for this band after never receiving as much acclaim as they certainly deserved. Cloven Hoof simply called it quits, leaving behind a great legacy of music that many of us will enjoy forever. Featuring personnel from the brilliant Tredegar (although rumor has it the vocals on the Tredegar album were performed by Carl of Persian Risk), Cloven Hoof had compiled a group of members that blended as well as anyone musically. Mixing wild guitar solos only comparable to any of King Diamond's releases of the same era, massive riffs and the most soaring vocals one could ever hope to hear, "A Sultan's Ransom" has something for everyone. The album begins with a perfect intro, short and simple and not giving any indication of what follows, and then all hell breaks loose! The first song "Astral Rider" clearly displays the fullness of Russ North's vocals, and you'll be singing along the very first time you hear this record as well as the millionth time and then some! The following song is possibly my personal favorite on the album, "Forgotten Heroes." How can a song be so heavy and catchy at the same time? But this can be said of every song herein. Pummeling riff after riff and solo after solo, this album delivers in every category, all the way to the final track "Mistress Of The Forest," which is a strong second choice for favorite track. This epic monster begins with a great classical intro, changing quickly into a surprisingly atmospheric bit before once again the listener is thrust into a masterpiece of heavy metal. Blending a little of the hard rock sensibilities of the late 70's with the heaviness of 80's metal, and somehow capturing the essence of melody which so many others have failed to do, "A Sultan's Ransom" will please even the most discriminating pair of heavy metal ears. This album is what heavy metal is all about!!!

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A SULTANS RANSOM.. Reviewer: John Panagiotopoulos
October 20, 1989

Is the best power metal album coming from Great Britain? Maybe that's true because of the almighty CLOVEN HOOF. "A Sultan's Ransom" is a real masterpiece of unbeatable power. Passion, grace, agony. Three basic elements that made this album come true. Great melodic yet so powerful guitars with a monumental perfomance at vocals. Just listen to "Forgotten Heroes","Highlander","Jekyll And Hyde","Astral Raiders" and "Mistress Of The Forest" with the unforgettable chorus. The sound is pure U.S. power metal with references to NWOBHM. The production could be better but this fact doesn't reduce the music value of this album. The CD edition is too rare but the vinyl can be found more easily. An album made from real metalheads and destined to be heard only from real metalheads. Play this album 'till your ears bleed! A MUST!

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A SULTANS RANSOM.. Reviewer: Chris Welch
Metal Hammer October 20, 1989 - (4/5)

This is the fourth album by a band celebrating its tenth anniversary, so they should know what they are doing. And they storm into attack at full tilt on the opening number "Astral Rider". This features singer Russ North, he of the mysterious magical eyes who probably conjures a few spirits and demons when he's not rocking out with Andrew Wood's swirling lead guitar lines. The band are completed by the mighty J.B. on drums and Lee Payne (bass guitar), and between them they brew a foaming flagon of astro-physical metal that flies on wings of steel. And if that mixes metaphors then there seems to be quite a mix of influences at work on Hoof music. There is an almost Seventies feel to the arrangement of "Forgotten Heroes" and there is no slackening the pace on the helter skelter madness of "D.V.R" with some of Andrew's most frantic and inventive guitar slashing. It may be my record player (a steam powered Edison-O-Graph with a zinc stylus and real leather speakers) but the drums sound a bit lost in the mix on many of the tracks. I could have done with a bit more bottom (as Noel Coward once said) on "Jekyll And Hyde" and more cutting edge to the snare drum and Lee Payne's bass guitar doesn't really have much presence. You only have to compare the drum and guitar sound with Jeff Beck's latest LP to see what I mean. Even so the essential ingredients of the vocals and guitars are well projected and the Russ sure can hit those high notes. At times he reminds me of the great Arthur Brown of "Fire" fame.
Some of the most advances guitar work comes on "1001Nights" where Andrew sounds like a full orchestra of axemen at work. The tune on this one goes on a bit, but I like "Silver Surfer" with more stratospheric stuff from the singer. He's more restrained on the chiming "Notre Dame". The material and style is a bit dated but Cloven Hoof are sticking to their trotters sorry guns and good luck to 'em.

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A SULTANS RANSOM.. Reviewer: Ralph
Metal Observer April 2006- (10/10)

One of the pearls in my collection is certainly the 1989 album of the British CLOVEN HOOF. An album like a dream, perfect, passionate, full of variety and absolutely timeless. Everything fits here, well except the stupid cover maybe...

Founded 1979, the band published their first record in 1982. Without a deal they published the 4-Song-EP "The Opening Ritual" on their own Elemental-Label, which is one of the (unaffordable) metallic mega-rarities today. The company NEAT gets the attention of the four little devils and they get signed. The self-titled album is released 1984 and convinces with lengthy, epic pieces ("The Gates Of Gehenna", "Return Of The Passover") as well as with speedy, catchy numbers ("Crack The Whip", "Laying Down The Law"). It takes two years until the band makes an uncommon step with "Fighting Back": It is a live record, but containing new songs only.

After that, the excellent "Dominator" album was released, where the new singer Russel North (BUDGIE, TREDEGEAR) was presented. A lucky choice, because he brings CLOVEN HOOF into new vocal spheres. The guy is definitively blessed with one of the most charismatic voices in the metal world (He was by the way in the final round for the new IRON MAIDEN singer position...).
But even that album is nothing against a monument like "A Sultan's Ransom". Where should I start? The songs are the best of what has come out of England since IRON MAIDEN's "Piece Of Mind" or JUDAS PRIEST's "Painkiller". Excellent pieces like "Astral Rider" or "1001 Nights" are just amazing and are even outclassed by "Highlander" and the incredible "Mistress Of The Forest". But all the other songs are excellent too. These were the more epic songs, "Forgotten Heroes" and "Mad, Mad World" are more commercially oriented songs with hypnotic refrains.

"Jekyll & Hyde" has excellent, straight ACCEPT riffs. Want speed? Then listen to "Death Valley Racer", what a refrain! I could rave about every song on the album, the bandwidth of CLOVEN HOOF is colossal - this album is a sanctuary for me. Too bad that there still isn't a re-release out. I got a bootleg here, but it's ok regarding the quality and has 4 bonus tracks and contains all the lyrics...maybe I watered the mouth of someone who reads this till now... You can get this for example at Hellion Records.