RSS Feed


CLOVEN HOOF
Heathen Cross

High Roller (2024)
Rating: 8/10

My introduction to underrated New Wave Of British Heavy Metal act Cloven Hoof is somewhat hazy, but it was via the 1984 self-titled debut with its satanic cover art which, like a lot of UK bands from the time (Witchfinder General, Witchfynde, Holocaust, Satan, Demon etc.), boasted that aura of British folk horror. Within the fiery folds of the album there existed the brilliant track ‘Crack The Whip’, and from there I was hooked. Strangely, succeeding albums Dominator (1988) and A Sultan’s Ransom (1989), which were still strong, never quite matched the Gothic horror of said debut and sadly, in 1990, the band split.

Like a lot of these bands, the reincarnation of Cloven Hoof contained only one original member, bassist Lee Payne, who led the band into the millennium like a proud and defiant warrior. Since then the recorded output of Cloven Hoof has been productive and Heathen Cross is their seventh full-length outing since the reformation. Yes, line-up changes have occurred, in fact I’ve lost count as to how many musicians have passed through the golden gates of Cloven Hoof, but as I write this review the current band members are vocalist Harry Conklin (Jag Panzer / Satan’s Host / Titan Force / The Three Tremors), guitarists Luke Hatton and Chris Coss, drummer Ash Baker and keyboardist Chris Dando, alongside Payne.

As with previous Cloven Hoof releases, Heathen Cross is another solid experience, blessed with a striking slice of cover art courtesy of Alexander von Wieding to grab your attention. The album opens with a short intro entitled ‘Benediction’ before the mob launches into ‘Redeemer’. The track delivers a tasty gallop thanks to the spine of hard drums, but the most noticeable change here from the last outing, Time Assassin (2022), is the vocals. Harry Conklin brings a Rob Halford style of gritty yet higher pitch, taking the sound into raucous power metal territory via the cold steel of Judas Priest’s Painkiller (1990).

Conklin certainly brings vim to what is already a robust sound. ‘Do What Thou Wilt’ runs like a reinvigorated version of Black Sabbath’s classic ‘Hole In The Sky’, especially with the vocal melody, although the riff relies on a doomy gallop too. Even though decades apart, Heathen Cross bristles with the same magic as that debut, but let’s give credit here where it’s due because Cloven Hoof has always stayed loyal to its roots with earthy dynamics and quintessentially British production.

‘Last Man Standing’ hits with a juggernaut riff and tasty lead which fizzes through the dense walls of smoke. The style of riff is almost contemporary in its groove and lyrically it’s a surprise also as Conklin comes across like Sebastian Bach confronting former band “mates” as he scowls “You’re playing with hell fire if you wanna take a piece of me, Say you’re a live wire well I’ll put you down easily. Ready to rumble?”. It’s not the bands best moment lyrically, but they more than make up for it with the bewitching ‘Sabbat Stones’ (“Hearken closely, now the bell is chiming, Feel a chill for it rolls for thee”) and the emotive ‘Curse Of The Gypsy’ (“Fell in love with a handsome maiden, a country lass with flaxen hair, Our paths were crossed one golden summer at the Fayre”).

Cloven Hoof has become underrated masters of marrying melody and weight, just listen to the bass heavy closer ‘The Summoning’ or the Iron Maiden-esque slip of ‘Darkest Before The Dawn’, and let’s not forget the spring of ‘Frost And Fire’ too. The band has also maintained a devilish coating, even though the vapours of that debut opus exist only as some sort of supernatural residue.

Heathen Cross may have been issued at the height of Spring, but with each riff, each percussive thud, every bass line and vocal command I’m still prompted to light a woodland fire and see in an autumnal dawn, such is the crackling esoteric nature of this compelling release.

Neil Arnold

<< Back to Album & EP Reviews



Related Posts via Categories
Share