METAL JUKEBOX

Cloven Hoof - Resist Or Serve (2014)













Year : 2014
Style : Heavy Metal , Power Metal
Country : United Kingdom
Audio : 320 kbps + all scans
Size : 136 mb

Bio:

Cloven Hoof are a heavy metal band from Wolverhampton, United Kingdom, that was active from 1979 to 1990, and again from around 2000 onwards. The band was associated with the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement, alongside bands such as Iron Maiden, Saxon and Diamond Head. Enduring many line-up changes, only founding bassist Lee Payne has remained present throughout the band's career.Cloven Hoof went through a number of early line-up changes before settling on a steady line-up that would last for their first few recordings. Theatrical from the beginning, the four band members took up pseudonyms based on the four elements: David "Water" Potter, Steve "Fire" Rounds, Lee "Air" Payne and Kevin "Earth" Poutney.[1] This line-up recorded a successful demo tape in 1982, along with The Opening Ritual EP, and the debut Cloven Hoof album.Following the release of their self-titled debut, David Potter left the band to be replaced by Rob Kendrick, who took up the "Water" pseudonym. This line-up only managed to record the live album Fighting Back before splitting up, leaving Lee Payne as the sole remaining band member.Lee Payne reactivated the band in 1988, hiring vocalist Russ North and guitarist Andy Wood from Tredegar along with drummer Jon Brown.With a whole new set of musicians in place, the band dropped the stage names and went on to record two more albums: 1988's Dominator and 1989's A Sultan's Ransom. Former member of Tredegar Lee Jones was brought into the band as a second guitarist soon after the release of these two albums, but contractual difficulties caused the band to split up again in 1990.In the summer of 2001, Lee Payne began putting together a new line-up for the next incarnation of Cloven Hoof (following a telephone conversation with Andy Wood regarding the contractual difficulties which had caused the band's decade-long split.)The band completed a live appearance at the Keep It True II Festival at the Tauberfrankenhalle in Lauda-Königshofen, Germany on 10 April 2004.Eye of the Sun was recorded and released in 2006, with the help of musicians Matt Moreton on vocals, Andy Shortland on guitars, and Lynch Radinsky on drums. Tom Galley produced the album. Due to the work commitments of various band members it was impossible for the unit to play live, so Lee Payne was once again obliged to enlist new personnel.Vocalist Russ North returned to England and rejoined the band, after a period of time spent living in Spain. Eventually the band's line-up was completed by Mick Powell and Ben Read on guitars, with Jon Brown on drums.2011 saw Lee Payne rebuilding the band, bringing in guitarist Joe Whelan from the band Dementia and guitarist Chris Coss from UK/DC, along with drummer Mark Gould and Ash Cooper on vocals. This line-up released a music video called I'm Your Nemesis.Russ North parted company with Cloven Hoof for a final time in July 2012, following a controversial performance in Cyprus. Mark Gould left the band in August 2012, with Jake Oseland replacing him on drums in time for a series of live dates in 2013.The 2013 line-up of Cloven Hoof scheduled a debut UK concert appearance with Jameson Raid and Hollow Ground at Wolverhampton Civic Hall on 30 March 2013.On 27 April 2013, Cloven Hoof played a concert at the Parkhotel Hall in Tirol, Austria. The show was recorded by producer Patrick Engel for a future live album release. A studio album, provisionally entitled Resist or Serve, was planned for release on High Roller Records.On 23 June 2013, Cloven Hoof played at the R-Mine Festival in Belgium, on a bill which included Hell, Tygers of Pan Tang and Tank. This was followed by an appearance at the Heavy Metal Night 6 Festival in Italy on 21 September 2013.In 2014, Cloven Hoof were added to the bill for the Sweden Rock Festival, with Black Sabbath and Alice Cooper. An appearance at the Power and Glory Festival in Hatfield was scheduled for 23 August 2014, with further European tour dates due to take place throughout the year.

Album:

Now there is the brand new studio album "Resist Or Serve". The cast includes Lee Payne (bass), Joe Whelan (vocals, guitar), Chris Cross (guitar) and Jake Oseland (Drums). With songs like "Call Of The Dark Ones", "Brimstone And Fire" or "Anti Matter Man" comes "Resist Or Serve" damn close approach to the early work of the band. Founder Lee Payne confirmed: "The new album is in fact 100% Cloven Hoof. The fans expect from us and we want it too. Our sound is now outlined very closely and to say goodbye to them, that would be a big mistake. I know very well what the fans love to Cloven Hoof. You have informed me that in the past thousands of e-mails. "

Line-Up:

Joe Whelan - Guitars (lead) (2011-present), Vocals (lead) (2012-present) - See also: ex-Dementia, Joseph Whelan
Lee Payne - Bass, Vocals (1979-1990, 2001-present) - See also: Joseph Whelan
Luke Hatton - Guitars (lead) (2014-present) - See also: Luke Hatton, Resonance
Chris Coss - Guitars (rhythm), Vocals (backing) (2011-present) - See also: Joseph Whelan
Jake Oseland - Drums (2012-present) - See also: Joseph Whelan

Tracklist:

01. Call of the Dark Ones 04:12
02. Hell Diver 04:21
03. Deliverance 04:03
04. Brimstone and Fire 06:07
05. Northwind to Valhalla 05:31
06. Mutilator 04:31
07. Anti Matter Man 05:03
08. Cycle of Hate 04:58
09. Premature Burial 05:48
10. Austrian Assault 03:49




Download links for all albums only on our blog here: http://goodmetalandhar.do.am/

Cloven Hoof - Who Mourns For The Morning Star (2017)













Year : 2017
Style : Heavy Metal , Power Metal
Country : United Kingdom
Audio : 320 kbps + all scans
Size : 108 mb

Bio:

Cloven Hoof are a heavy metal band from Wolverhampton, United Kingdom, that was active from 1979 to 1990, and again from around 2000 onwards. The band was associated with the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement, alongside bands such as Iron Maiden, Saxon and Diamond Head. Enduring many line-up changes, only founding bassist Lee Payne has remained present throughout the band's career.Cloven Hoof went through a number of early line-up changes before settling on a steady line-up that would last for their first few recordings. Theatrical from the beginning, the four band members took up pseudonyms based on the four elements: David "Water" Potter, Steve "Fire" Rounds, Lee "Air" Payne and Kevin "Earth" Poutney.[1] This line-up recorded a successful demo tape in 1982, along with The Opening Ritual EP, and the debut Cloven Hoof album.Following the release of their self-titled debut, David Potter left the band to be replaced by Rob Kendrick, who took up the "Water" pseudonym. This line-up only managed to record the live album Fighting Back before splitting up, leaving Lee Payne as the sole remaining band member.Lee Payne reactivated the band in 1988, hiring vocalist Russ North and guitarist Andy Wood from Tredegar along with drummer Jon Brown.With a whole new set of musicians in place, the band dropped the stage names and went on to record two more albums: 1988's Dominator and 1989's A Sultan's Ransom. Former member of Tredegar Lee Jones was brought into the band as a second guitarist soon after the release of these two albums, but contractual difficulties caused the band to split up again in 1990.In the summer of 2001, Lee Payne began putting together a new line-up for the next incarnation of Cloven Hoof (following a telephone conversation with Andy Wood regarding the contractual difficulties which had caused the band's decade-long split.)The band completed a live appearance at the Keep It True II Festival at the Tauberfrankenhalle in Lauda-Königshofen, Germany on 10 April 2004.Eye of the Sun was recorded and released in 2006, with the help of musicians Matt Moreton on vocals, Andy Shortland on guitars, and Lynch Radinsky on drums. Tom Galley produced the album. Due to the work commitments of various band members it was impossible for the unit to play live, so Lee Payne was once again obliged to enlist new personnel.Vocalist Russ North returned to England and rejoined the band, after a period of time spent living in Spain. Eventually the band's line-up was completed by Mick Powell and Ben Read on guitars, with Jon Brown on drums.2011 saw Lee Payne rebuilding the band, bringing in guitarist Joe Whelan from the band Dementia and guitarist Chris Coss from UK/DC, along with drummer Mark Gould and Ash Cooper on vocals. This line-up released a music video called I'm Your Nemesis.Russ North parted company with Cloven Hoof for a final time in July 2012, following a controversial performance in Cyprus. Mark Gould left the band in August 2012, with Jake Oseland replacing him on drums in time for a series of live dates in 2013.The 2013 line-up of Cloven Hoof scheduled a debut UK concert appearance with Jameson Raid and Hollow Ground at Wolverhampton Civic Hall on 30 March 2013.On 27 April 2013, Cloven Hoof played a concert at the Parkhotel Hall in Tirol, Austria. The show was recorded by producer Patrick Engel for a future live album release. A studio album, provisionally entitled Resist or Serve, was planned for release on High Roller Records.On 23 June 2013, Cloven Hoof played at the R-Mine Festival in Belgium, on a bill which included Hell, Tygers of Pan Tang and Tank. This was followed by an appearance at the Heavy Metal Night 6 Festival in Italy on 21 September 2013.In 2014, Cloven Hoof were added to the bill for the Sweden Rock Festival, with Black Sabbath and Alice Cooper. An appearance at the Power and Glory Festival in Hatfield was scheduled for 23 August 2014, with further European tour dates due to take place throughout the year.

Album:

“Who Mourns for the Morning Star” is the sixth full length album from New Wave Of British Heavy Metal group Cloven Hoof and is to be released April 21st, 2017. Cloven Hoof are another one of those bands that are for die hards for the NWOBHM. Seemingly keeping underground but still keeping a tight knit group of fans, Cloven Hoof managed to keep afloat aside many line up changes and are still cranking out good music today. Bassist Lee Payne is the only original member of the group but as we’ve seen with groups like Tygers of Pan Tang or Diamond Head, when you bring in good talent it really doesn’t matter. So with this new album does the band succeed with creating another slab of solid British Metal?Track Listing:1.Star Rider- The band comes right of the gates with this tune and I must say the production is very nice and pops very well. The guitars are very heavy and mix with the bass extremely well also. New vocalist George Call handles vocal duties very well having that grit but also has a Dio-esque feel to his voice as well. The tune overall is just pure ass kicking metal and gets your attention very quickly.2.Song of Omporheus- I love the beat to this tune and it has a very modern feel to it as well. The band has a lot of chemistry and everyone plays with all of their heart. The songs melodic elements mesh very well with the heavier sides of things and that’s a big plus. The kickass solo right in the middle also helps as well.3.I Talk To The Dead- This song has a more hard rock groove going on with it and a lot more of a dark feel as well with the riffs becoming strayed at points. It is a song that does take a couple listens but it does really hook you in especially with its catchy chorus.4.Neon Angels-This tune definitely hits that mid 1980’s sweet spot with a riff barking back to a lot of the NWOBHM bands back in the day. I really dig the epic chorus as well. It really is just a good time all around.5.Morning Star- This song takes on more of a ballad approach and I think it is done rather well. It builds quite well into a more simplistic almost power metal tune. Again like I said it is a fun time and a tune that begs to be played live. If you want epic vocalist and plenty of guitar harmonies this tune has you covered.6.Time To Burn- One of my favorite tunes on the album because it hangs on that old school speed metal style and the band plays very tight as well. It does have some bits that make me feel like im listening to Judas Priest’s “Rapid Fire” but it still works for these guys quite well. Just a good old school speed metal tune that deserves to be played very very loud.7.Mindmaster- This tune has more of that hard rock feel to it with the lower crushing riffs and feels like it has a bit of an Alice In Chains influence to it as well which adds an interesting element to the album. It is a very simple rocking tune but it isn’t bad.8.Go Tell The Spartans- This is one of the bigger epic songs on the album and honestly there is a lot going on here. There is a lot of melody and some interesting time changes throughout as well it definitely keeps you interested all the way through. This is probably my favorite song on the album because the band explore some more creative directions but still keep the core sound in tact.9.Bannockburn- The band definitely chose to have more of an epic closing song as this is the longest on the album as well. It really screams epic power metal especially in the opening. However, when the song picks up it really picks up. It has a very Iron Maiden feel to it as well especially with the very big chorus that just absolutely strikes you. You can really tell that the band went all out with this closing song and I applaud them for that it really pulls me in.Overall, I give the album a strong 8 out of 10. The band although a lot of newer faces, have managed to create a well crafted album that showcases their abilities and combining more hard rock songs with more traditional heavy metal sounds which is sure to be on repeat many times for me. Even as a newer fan of the band, I could recommend this to a new listener because it definitely showcases what the older albums I listened to beforehand really represented. Just good old fashioned heavy metal. It is good to see Cloven Hoof back once more!

Line-Up:

George Call - Vocals (2015-present) - See also: Aska, Banshee, Emerald, Violent Storm, Warrion, ex-Omen
Lee Payne - Bass, Vocals (1979-1990, 2001-present) - See also: ex-Joseph Whelan
Chris Coss - Guitars (rhythm), Vocals (backing) (2011-present) - See also: ex-Joseph Whelan
Luke Hatton - Guitars (lead) (2014-present) - See also: Awake by Design, Luke Hatton, Resonance
Danny White - Drums (2015-present) - See also: Aska, Violent Storm (live), ex-Sanctuary, ex-Omen, ex-Phantom-X, ex-Thorn

Tracklist:

01. Star Rider
02. Song of Orpheus
03. I Talk to the Dead
04. Neon Angels
05. Morning Star
06. Time to Burn
07. Mindmaster
08. Go Tell the Spartans
09. Bannockburn




Download links for all albums only on our blog here: http://goodmetalandhar.do.am/

Cloven Hoof - Age Of Steel (2020)













Year : 2020
Style : Heavy Metal , Power Metal
Country : United Kingdom
Audio : 320 kbps + scans
Size : 116 mb

Bio:

Cloven Hoof are a heavy metal band from Wolverhampton, United Kingdom, that was active from 1979 to 1990, and again from around 2000 onwards. The band was associated with the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement, alongside bands such as Iron Maiden, Saxon and Diamond Head. Enduring many line-up changes, only founding bassist Lee Payne has remained present throughout the band's career.Cloven Hoof went through a number of early line-up changes before settling on a steady line-up that would last for their first few recordings. Theatrical from the beginning, the four band members took up pseudonyms based on the four elements: David "Water" Potter, Steve "Fire" Rounds, Lee "Air" Payne and Kevin "Earth" Poutney.[1] This line-up recorded a successful demo tape in 1982, along with The Opening Ritual EP, and the debut Cloven Hoof album.Following the release of their self-titled debut, David Potter left the band to be replaced by Rob Kendrick, who took up the "Water" pseudonym. This line-up only managed to record the live album Fighting Back before splitting up, leaving Lee Payne as the sole remaining band member.Lee Payne reactivated the band in 1988, hiring vocalist Russ North and guitarist Andy Wood from Tredegar along with drummer Jon Brown.With a whole new set of musicians in place, the band dropped the stage names and went on to record two more albums: 1988's Dominator and 1989's A Sultan's Ransom. Former member of Tredegar Lee Jones was brought into the band as a second guitarist soon after the release of these two albums, but contractual difficulties caused the band to split up again in 1990.In the summer of 2001, Lee Payne began putting together a new line-up for the next incarnation of Cloven Hoof (following a telephone conversation with Andy Wood regarding the contractual difficulties which had caused the band's decade-long split.)The band completed a live appearance at the Keep It True II Festival at the Tauberfrankenhalle in Lauda-Königshofen, Germany on 10 April 2004.Eye of the Sun was recorded and released in 2006, with the help of musicians Matt Moreton on vocals, Andy Shortland on guitars, and Lynch Radinsky on drums. Tom Galley produced the album. Due to the work commitments of various band members it was impossible for the unit to play live, so Lee Payne was once again obliged to enlist new personnel.Vocalist Russ North returned to England and rejoined the band, after a period of time spent living in Spain. Eventually the band's line-up was completed by Mick Powell and Ben Read on guitars, with Jon Brown on drums.2011 saw Lee Payne rebuilding the band, bringing in guitarist Joe Whelan from the band Dementia and guitarist Chris Coss from UK/DC, along with drummer Mark Gould and Ash Cooper on vocals. This line-up released a music video called I'm Your Nemesis.Russ North parted company with Cloven Hoof for a final time in July 2012, following a controversial performance in Cyprus. Mark Gould left the band in August 2012, with Jake Oseland replacing him on drums in time for a series of live dates in 2013.The 2013 line-up of Cloven Hoof scheduled a debut UK concert appearance with Jameson Raid and Hollow Ground at Wolverhampton Civic Hall on 30 March 2013.On 27 April 2013, Cloven Hoof played a concert at the Parkhotel Hall in Tirol, Austria. The show was recorded by producer Patrick Engel for a future live album release. A studio album, provisionally entitled Resist or Serve, was planned for release on High Roller Records.On 23 June 2013, Cloven Hoof played at the R-Mine Festival in Belgium, on a bill which included Hell, Tygers of Pan Tang and Tank. This was followed by an appearance at the Heavy Metal Night 6 Festival in Italy on 21 September 2013.In 2014, Cloven Hoof were added to the bill for the Sweden Rock Festival, with Black Sabbath and Alice Cooper. An appearance at the Power and Glory Festival in Hatfield was scheduled for 23 August 2014, with further European tour dates due to take place throughout the year.

Album:

CLOVEN HOOF is a 5-Piece NWOBHM band from Wolverhampton, England. The longstanding English band is back with another album and first since ‘’Who Mourns for the Morning Star?’’ that was released back in 2017. This is also the first album to feature new Drummer Mark Bristow and new Lead Guitarist Ash Baker. You have some influx of new talent that brings a bit more to the table.The reformed back in 2001 after a 11-year hiatus and have had their fair share of lineup changes but nothing that changes the dynamic of the band yet the only consistent member is original member Lee Payne. This is his band and he has been through the highs and lows of the reformation and band reorganization. I do believe CLOVEN HOOF was supposed to come to Montreal in 2020 for the release of this album and it would have given me a glimpse into what their were offering (if I ever decided to come to the show or not obviously!).I feel that they were passed over in a sense in the genre and in that movement they were lost in the shuffle. So many bands passed them over like SAXON, DIAMOND HEAD, GRIM REAPER and they were a bit forgotten in a sense. Yet their material had enormous reputation and went truly under the radar. The band has rebuilt themselves time and time again but this time, I truly believe the cohesion and chemistry is on point. They took it up a notch and mixed some Traditional Power Metal with their NWOBHM roots.It sucks when bands get forgotten like that but their material does live on thankfully. If you listen to their first few albums, they are very theatrical and a real roller coaster of a ride. They were trendsetters and I really am happy they came back in the early 2000’s and this might be the most complete album to date. This might be the best album since ‘’A Sultan’s Ransom’’ and a real throwback. They are legitimately back and yet embraced their roots. It’s a rather effective, stress relief type of album. They proved that without a shadow of a doubt to the low quality of many bands in the era that tried to come back, that they were able to do it. They could cut it and even though they never achieved the successes of bands like SAXON, IRON MAIDEN or JUDAS PRIEST, they were able to keep with the legacy of the genre without compromising their sound.This new album cements themselves as true underdogs of the genre and a catalyst for things to come from the olden age of NWOBHM.

Line-Up:

George Call - Vocals (2015-present) - See also: Aska, Banshee, Violent Storm, Warrion, ex-Emerald, ex-Omen
Lee Payne - Bass, Vocals (backing) (1979-1990, 2001-present) - See also: East of Lyra, ex-Joseph Whelan
Chris Coss - Guitars (rhythm), Vocals (backing) (2011-present) - See also: ex-Joseph Whelan
Mark Bristow - Drums (2019-present) - See also: ex-Excalibur, East of Lyra
Ash Baker - Guitars (lead) (2019-present) - See also: East of Lyra

Tracklist:

01. Bathory
02. Alderley Edge
03. Apathy
04. Touch The Rainbow
05. Bedlam
06. Ascension
07. Gods Of War
08. Victim Of The Furies
09. Judas
10. Age Of Steel




Download links for all albums only on our blog here: http://goodmetalandhar.do.am/

Cloven Hoof - Heathen Cross (2024)











Year : 2024
Style : Heavy Metal , Power Metal
Country : United Kingdom
Audio : 320 kbps + front
Size : 102 mb

Bio:

Cloven Hoof are a heavy metal band from Wolverhampton, United Kingdom, that was active from 1979 to 1990, and again from around 2000 onwards. The band was associated with the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement, alongside bands such as Iron Maiden, Saxon and Diamond Head. Enduring many line-up changes, only founding bassist Lee Payne has remained present throughout the band's career.Cloven Hoof went through a number of early line-up changes before settling on a steady line-up that would last for their first few recordings. Theatrical from the beginning, the four band members took up pseudonyms based on the four elements: David "Water" Potter, Steve "Fire" Rounds, Lee "Air" Payne and Kevin "Earth" Poutney.[1] This line-up recorded a successful demo tape in 1982, along with The Opening Ritual EP, and the debut Cloven Hoof album.Following the release of their self-titled debut, David Potter left the band to be replaced by Rob Kendrick, who took up the "Water" pseudonym. This line-up only managed to record the live album Fighting Back before splitting up, leaving Lee Payne as the sole remaining band member.Lee Payne reactivated the band in 1988, hiring vocalist Russ North and guitarist Andy Wood from Tredegar along with drummer Jon Brown.With a whole new set of musicians in place, the band dropped the stage names and went on to record two more albums: 1988's Dominator and 1989's A Sultan's Ransom. Former member of Tredegar Lee Jones was brought into the band as a second guitarist soon after the release of these two albums, but contractual difficulties caused the band to split up again in 1990.In the summer of 2001, Lee Payne began putting together a new line-up for the next incarnation of Cloven Hoof (following a telephone conversation with Andy Wood regarding the contractual difficulties which had caused the band's decade-long split.)The band completed a live appearance at the Keep It True II Festival at the Tauberfrankenhalle in Lauda-Königshofen, Germany on 10 April 2004.Eye of the Sun was recorded and released in 2006, with the help of musicians Matt Moreton on vocals, Andy Shortland on guitars, and Lynch Radinsky on drums. Tom Galley produced the album. Due to the work commitments of various band members it was impossible for the unit to play live, so Lee Payne was once again obliged to enlist new personnel.Vocalist Russ North returned to England and rejoined the band, after a period of time spent living in Spain. Eventually the band's line-up was completed by Mick Powell and Ben Read on guitars, with Jon Brown on drums.2011 saw Lee Payne rebuilding the band, bringing in guitarist Joe Whelan from the band Dementia and guitarist Chris Coss from UK/DC, along with drummer Mark Gould and Ash Cooper on vocals. This line-up released a music video called I'm Your Nemesis.Russ North parted company with Cloven Hoof for a final time in July 2012, following a controversial performance in Cyprus. Mark Gould left the band in August 2012, with Jake Oseland replacing him on drums in time for a series of live dates in 2013.The 2013 line-up of Cloven Hoof scheduled a debut UK concert appearance with Jameson Raid and Hollow Ground at Wolverhampton Civic Hall on 30 March 2013.On 27 April 2013, Cloven Hoof played a concert at the Parkhotel Hall in Tirol, Austria. The show was recorded by producer Patrick Engel for a future live album release. A studio album, provisionally entitled Resist or Serve, was planned for release on High Roller Records.On 23 June 2013, Cloven Hoof played at the R-Mine Festival in Belgium, on a bill which included Hell, Tygers of Pan Tang and Tank. This was followed by an appearance at the Heavy Metal Night 6 Festival in Italy on 21 September 2013.In 2014, Cloven Hoof were added to the bill for the Sweden Rock Festival, with Black Sabbath and Alice Cooper. An appearance at the Power and Glory Festival in Hatfield was scheduled for 23 August 2014, with further European tour dates due to take place throughout the year.

Album:

None can describe better the essence of “Heathen Cross” than Lee Payne, founding member (bass) of CLOVEN HOOF and the only one remaining in the band after all those decades: “We wanted to recapture the spirit and the supernatural majesty of the debut album. Talking to the fans we have given them what they wanted most, a return to the roots of the NWOBHM. They are going to love it!” he says.Oh, YEAH, we ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT from the core of our hearts!This latest offering from CLOVEN HOOF, emerges as yet another metal monument of them, and with the addition of American vocalist Harry “The Tyrant” Conklin in the band’s line-up, renowned from his tenure with USPM pioneers JAG PANZER, CLOVEN HOOF ignite a sonic inferno that blazes with unrelenting intensity.“Heathen Cross” embarks on a dark and heavy expedition through realms of epic metal prowess. The album pulsates with a raw energy, a manifestation of the band’s masterful fusion of US metal legacy and NWOBHM heritage. Each track showcases their ability to seamlessly blend roaring riffage, soaring melodies, and thunderous rhythms into a cohesive metal tapestry.In “Heathen Cross” we witness the marvelous chemistry between the band’s new frontman and the potent heavy/power style they effortlessly command. Conklin‘s vocals soar above the blistering instrumentation, infusing each lyric with passion and power, while the band’s musicianship shines through with a clarity and precision that speaks volumes of their expertise.Throughout the album’s duration, CLOVEN HOOF leads listeners on a journey through realms both mystical and menacing, crafting a scenery that is as captivating as it is crushing. From anthemic choruses to blistering solos, every element of “Heathen Cross” coalesces to form an unforgettable listening experience that will leave metal enthusiasts in awe.“Benediction” is a perfect warm-up eerie intro that leads to gloriously furious “Redeemer”, a song to highlight Conklin’s voice to maximum. “Do What Thou Wilt” is a nicely tuned rhythmical anthem and “Last Man Standing” is a catchy, groovy track that shows the more commercial style of the band. “Darkness Before The Dawn” is a galloping song of epic dynamics, while “Vendetta” stands as a emotional outburst with some really powerful guitar work. “Curse Of The Gypsy” reveals the darkest side of CLOVEN HOOF’s songwriting – hauntingly melodic, yet punchy, it brings instantly to mind the mighty DIO. “Frost And Fire” is a heavy metal hymn, strong and full of brilliant riffs and choruses. Just before the end comes “Sabbat Stones”, my own favorite song of the album – a track of slow tempo, heart-felt heaviness, full-crowded arena attitude, an excellent musical development and a solid vocal crescendo! This is CLASSIC stuff, undisputed and outstanding for all eternity! Last but not least, “The Summoning”, ominous and intricate, the longest track in the album, offers an epic, memorable finale with the band giving all their soul for their BEST to deliver!Lee Payne on bass, Luke Hatton and Chris Coss on guitars, Chris Dando on keyboards, all members since 2022’s “Time Assassin”, but also the newcomers Harry “The Tyrant” Conklin on vocals and Ash Baker on drums, did an absolutely INCREDIVLE job; with this album, CLOVEN HOOF prove once again why they are revered as masters of their craft, bringing out an album that will undoubtedly stand the test of time.“Heathen Cross” was released on May 31st by High Roller Records on all formats – CD, LP and digital.

Line-Up:

Harry Conklin - Vocals (2023-present) - See also: Jag Panzer, Satan's Host, The Three Tremors, Titan Force, ex-Tyrant, ex-Riot V, ex-Ballistic, ex-Steve Grimmett's Grim Reaper (live), ex-Mother Load, ex-Powerslave 2000
Lee Payne - Bass, Vocals (backing) (1979-1990, 2001-present) - See also: East of Lyra, ex-Joseph Whelan
Chris Coss - Guitars, Vocals (backing) (2011-present) - See also: ex-Joseph Whelan
Luke Hatton - Guitars (lead) (2014-2019, 2020-present) - See also: Awake by Design, Luke Hatton, Resonance
Chris Dando - Keyboards, Vocals (2022-present) - See also: Awaken Eternity, East of Lyra, Kingdom of Madness, ex-Thunder Daze
Ash Baker - Guitars (lead) (2019-2020), Drums (2022-present) - See also: East of Lyra

Tracklist:

01. Benediction
02. Redeemer
03. Do What Thou Wilt
04. Last Man Standing
05. Darkest Before the Dawn
06. Vendetta
07. Curse of the Gypsy
08. Frost and Fire
09. Sabbat Stones
10. The Summoning




Download links for all albums only on our blog here: http://goodmetalandhar.do.am/

Cloven Hoof - Dominator (1988) (High Roller Records Slipcase Edition 2022)













Year : 1988 (High Roller Records Slipcase Edition 2022)
Style : Heavy Metal , Power Metal
Country : United Kingdom
Audio : 320 kbps + all scans
Size : 100 mb

Bio:

Cloven Hoof are a heavy metal band from Wolverhampton, United Kingdom, that was active from 1979 to 1990, and again from around 2000 onwards. The band was associated with the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement, alongside bands such as Iron Maiden, Saxon and Diamond Head. Enduring many line-up changes, only founding bassist Lee Payne has remained present throughout the band's career.Cloven Hoof went through a number of early line-up changes before settling on a steady line-up that would last for their first few recordings. Theatrical from the beginning, the four band members took up pseudonyms based on the four elements: David "Water" Potter, Steve "Fire" Rounds, Lee "Air" Payne and Kevin "Earth" Poutney.[1] This line-up recorded a successful demo tape in 1982, along with The Opening Ritual EP, and the debut Cloven Hoof album.Following the release of their self-titled debut, David Potter left the band to be replaced by Rob Kendrick, who took up the "Water" pseudonym. This line-up only managed to record the live album Fighting Back before splitting up, leaving Lee Payne as the sole remaining band member.Lee Payne reactivated the band in 1988, hiring vocalist Russ North and guitarist Andy Wood from Tredegar along with drummer Jon Brown.With a whole new set of musicians in place, the band dropped the stage names and went on to record two more albums: 1988's Dominator and 1989's A Sultan's Ransom. Former member of Tredegar Lee Jones was brought into the band as a second guitarist soon after the release of these two albums, but contractual difficulties caused the band to split up again in 1990.In the summer of 2001, Lee Payne began putting together a new line-up for the next incarnation of Cloven Hoof (following a telephone conversation with Andy Wood regarding the contractual difficulties which had caused the band's decade-long split.)The band completed a live appearance at the Keep It True II Festival at the Tauberfrankenhalle in Lauda-Königshofen, Germany on 10 April 2004.Eye of the Sun was recorded and released in 2006, with the help of musicians Matt Moreton on vocals, Andy Shortland on guitars, and Lynch Radinsky on drums. Tom Galley produced the album. Due to the work commitments of various band members it was impossible for the unit to play live, so Lee Payne was once again obliged to enlist new personnel.Vocalist Russ North returned to England and rejoined the band, after a period of time spent living in Spain. Eventually the band's line-up was completed by Mick Powell and Ben Read on guitars, with Jon Brown on drums.2011 saw Lee Payne rebuilding the band, bringing in guitarist Joe Whelan from the band Dementia and guitarist Chris Coss from UK/DC, along with drummer Mark Gould and Ash Cooper on vocals. This line-up released a music video called I'm Your Nemesis.Russ North parted company with Cloven Hoof for a final time in July 2012, following a controversial performance in Cyprus. Mark Gould left the band in August 2012, with Jake Oseland replacing him on drums in time for a series of live dates in 2013.The 2013 line-up of Cloven Hoof scheduled a debut UK concert appearance with Jameson Raid and Hollow Ground at Wolverhampton Civic Hall on 30 March 2013.On 27 April 2013, Cloven Hoof played a concert at the Parkhotel Hall in Tirol, Austria. The show was recorded by producer Patrick Engel for a future live album release. A studio album, provisionally entitled Resist or Serve, was planned for release on High Roller Records.On 23 June 2013, Cloven Hoof played at the R-Mine Festival in Belgium, on a bill which included Hell, Tygers of Pan Tang and Tank. This was followed by an appearance at the Heavy Metal Night 6 Festival in Italy on 21 September 2013.In 2014, Cloven Hoof were added to the bill for the Sweden Rock Festival, with Black Sabbath and Alice Cooper. An appearance at the Power and Glory Festival in Hatfield was scheduled for 23 August 2014, with further European tour dates due to take place throughout the year.

Album:

Following their rough-edged, occult NWOBHM self-titled debut in 1984, Cloven Hoof released a "live" album in 1986 which features few of the hallmarks of a traditional live album; it boasted zero songs from their studio album, a brand new singer and seems to be an album produced in the studio to sound live. Why it wasn't merely produced as a second full-length I'm not sure, but following its lack of success, the band underwent a complete lineup overhaul, with founding member and bassist Lee Payne kicking out everyone else in 1987 and forming what was essentially a totally new band with a new sound, with Tredegar's Russ North at the helm on vocal duties. A very different singer from David Potter's rough and ready attitude or Rob Kendrick's raw exuberance, North went for a cleaner, more refined approach but make no mistake, his pipes and sheer machismo are quite something to behold, merely presented in a more sophisticated, aristocratic sort of filter rather than the axe-wielding grime of someone like Potter. North isn't the only star of the show here, though, as the songwriting has taken quite a turn as well, much more in line with the USPM scene that was in full swing across the pond. I feel like this similarity is more due to the nerdier sci-fi lyrical themes here and the band catering to North's more melodic approach rather than any actual influence from USPM, though, as it's certainly possessive of its own unique blend of elements that still pays homage to the NWOBHM roots of the band's earlier incarnation.In fact, three of the eight songs here are reworked versions of songs that were written in the band's prior lineup, with "Reach for the Sky" and "Fugitive" being lifted from Fighting Back, and album closer Road of Kings having seen a rough demo version in the David Potter days, as I mentioned in my review of the band's self-titled album. The versions here are all different enough to feel like their own thing, though, and fit in quite well with what is essentially a concept album. Concept should perhaps be in quotes though, because while there are generic sci-fi tropes aplenty here, few references are made to anything specific, and "Road of Eagles" in particular sticks out as more medieval fantasy that doesn't fit particularly well with the rest of the loosely-connected futuristic escapades, which is probably why it was tacked onto the end of the album. The music holds up quite well without having to pay particular attention to the lyrical themes, though, and unlike a lot of modern concept albums there are no spoken word interludes or long instrumental pieces here, just quality metal. In fact, the album is quite brief at almost exactly 40 minutes, never overstaying its welcome despite some more progressive leanings like the brooding intro to "Warrior of the Wasteland" or the structurally complex, Rush-inspired riffing present in "The Invaders."In fact, Dominator does a great job of combining quite a few styles and managing to be quite a musically sophisticated menagerie while maintaining a catchy, down-to-earth core that creates a much simpler facade at first listen. Certainly the galloping NWOBHM foundation still heard in the riffing on most of the tracks helps with this, but the lead work here has moved on quite a bit from the days of the early 80s, Thin Lizzy-esque dual harmonies, and it certainly sounds like newcomer Andy Wood (no relation to the iconically short-lived Mother Love Bone frontman) was more into the likes of Rush and Queensryche than original guitarist Steve Rounds was. The bass work here can also be pretty independent of the guitars at time, with Payne doing a good job of fitting the different style here and clearly taking some cues from Geddy Lee's ambitious and unique style. Though on tracks like "Fugitive" he goes for a more traditional approach that merely supports the riffs, that's probably due to this being a reworked version of an earlier track, and on most of the new songs you can hear him doing some pretty inventive stuff that adds a nice additional layer to the adventurous space opera atmosphere being concocted here.It can be hard to hear at times, though, which is my chief complaint with this album - the production. While I've gotten used to the remaster in recent years (which has its own problems that I'll briefly cover in a minute), the original mix is quite muddy, with the rhythm guitar sometimes blending into the lead in the mix and the bass being all but drowned out, with everything kind of feeling like it occupies the same sonic space and making it difficult to appreciate each individual element of the band's sound (aside from the vocals, which are pretty clear). The remaster does improve these problems but occasionally has some annoying hissing and crackling that suggests maybe it wasn't a true remaster but the band merely took an early vinyl pressing and cranked each instrument all the way up on some kind of Pro Tools program. Either way, it is an improvement and I'd recommend over the original, just be wary that it's still far from perfect. Whatever way you listen to this, though, the performances and songwriting here are still bound to shine through and win you over.The album closes with "Road of Eagles," which despite being the sole holdover from the David Potter days and not fitting in with the album's general theme, might be my favorite track here. The song feels like it was written for North, and immediately is leaps and bounds better than the demo version recorded with Potter - I feel like even if that version had gotten a proper mix and polish, this one would still be far superior, as North's soaring multi-tracked vocals and the more melodic approach of the guitarists fit the songwriting like a glove, sounding like something that could have closed out an early Manowar album rather than the dark, angry rumblings of a "Cloven Hoof" or "Gates of Gehenna." The solo is pure power metal, though, Wood's contribution to the track in its current form, and the spoken word section over atmospheric riffs and militaristic drumming is just a chef's kiss of a delectable experience. This really serves to showcase the strengths of the new band, and while there are no bad songs here, and tracks like "Nova Battlestar" do nearly as good a job at demonstrating that something was right with this version of Cloven Hoof, I can't help feeling that this song does the best job of encapsulating the force of nature on display here.Overall, Dominator shows an interesting maturation and development past the NWOBHM sound of the early 80s, which by this point many bands that were still around from that era were experimenting with. Iron Maiden were going for a more epic sci-fi approach as well with Dickinson at the helm, Satan had gone full-on thrash with newcomer Michael Jackson, and the remaining holdouts of the original style, like Saxon, were beginning to grow stale for most listeners. Thrash had taken the world by storm, and the simple formula of the NWOBHM had been mostly played out. Bands had to evolve or die, and Cloven Hoof's 1988 studio album was one of the greatest examples of the former, something that's sure to satisfy fans of early progressive metal but with those touches that still remind the listener where the band came from. Dominator is probably the strongest album in Cloven Hoof's catalogue to this day, and while all of their 80s output has something to offer, the first of the two Russ North outings has a boldness and a consistency that's more difficult to pull off than meets the eye. This album dominates, plain and simple.

Line-Up:

Russ North - Vocals (R.I.P. 2025)
Andy Wood - Guitars
Lee Payne - Bass
Jon Brown - Drums

Tracklist:

01. Rising Up 04:38
02. Nova Battlestar 05:29
03. Reach for the Sky 05:19
04. Warrior of the Wasteland 05:04
05. The Invaders 05:11
06. Fugitive 04:08
07. Dominator 04:29
08. Road of Eagles 05:53




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Cloven Hoof - A Sultan's Ransom (1989) (High Roller Records Slipcase Edition 2022)













Year : 1989 (High Roller Records Slipcase Edition 2022)
Style : Heavy Metal , Power Metal
Country : United Kingdom
Audio : 320 kbps + all scans
Size : 112 mb

Bio:

Cloven Hoof are a heavy metal band from Wolverhampton, United Kingdom, that was active from 1979 to 1990, and again from around 2000 onwards. The band was associated with the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement, alongside bands such as Iron Maiden, Saxon and Diamond Head. Enduring many line-up changes, only founding bassist Lee Payne has remained present throughout the band's career.Cloven Hoof went through a number of early line-up changes before settling on a steady line-up that would last for their first few recordings. Theatrical from the beginning, the four band members took up pseudonyms based on the four elements: David "Water" Potter, Steve "Fire" Rounds, Lee "Air" Payne and Kevin "Earth" Poutney.[1] This line-up recorded a successful demo tape in 1982, along with The Opening Ritual EP, and the debut Cloven Hoof album.Following the release of their self-titled debut, David Potter left the band to be replaced by Rob Kendrick, who took up the "Water" pseudonym. This line-up only managed to record the live album Fighting Back before splitting up, leaving Lee Payne as the sole remaining band member.Lee Payne reactivated the band in 1988, hiring vocalist Russ North and guitarist Andy Wood from Tredegar along with drummer Jon Brown.With a whole new set of musicians in place, the band dropped the stage names and went on to record two more albums: 1988's Dominator and 1989's A Sultan's Ransom. Former member of Tredegar Lee Jones was brought into the band as a second guitarist soon after the release of these two albums, but contractual difficulties caused the band to split up again in 1990.In the summer of 2001, Lee Payne began putting together a new line-up for the next incarnation of Cloven Hoof (following a telephone conversation with Andy Wood regarding the contractual difficulties which had caused the band's decade-long split.)The band completed a live appearance at the Keep It True II Festival at the Tauberfrankenhalle in Lauda-Königshofen, Germany on 10 April 2004.Eye of the Sun was recorded and released in 2006, with the help of musicians Matt Moreton on vocals, Andy Shortland on guitars, and Lynch Radinsky on drums. Tom Galley produced the album. Due to the work commitments of various band members it was impossible for the unit to play live, so Lee Payne was once again obliged to enlist new personnel.Vocalist Russ North returned to England and rejoined the band, after a period of time spent living in Spain. Eventually the band's line-up was completed by Mick Powell and Ben Read on guitars, with Jon Brown on drums.2011 saw Lee Payne rebuilding the band, bringing in guitarist Joe Whelan from the band Dementia and guitarist Chris Coss from UK/DC, along with drummer Mark Gould and Ash Cooper on vocals. This line-up released a music video called I'm Your Nemesis.Russ North parted company with Cloven Hoof for a final time in July 2012, following a controversial performance in Cyprus. Mark Gould left the band in August 2012, with Jake Oseland replacing him on drums in time for a series of live dates in 2013.The 2013 line-up of Cloven Hoof scheduled a debut UK concert appearance with Jameson Raid and Hollow Ground at Wolverhampton Civic Hall on 30 March 2013.On 27 April 2013, Cloven Hoof played a concert at the Parkhotel Hall in Tirol, Austria. The show was recorded by producer Patrick Engel for a future live album release. A studio album, provisionally entitled Resist or Serve, was planned for release on High Roller Records.On 23 June 2013, Cloven Hoof played at the R-Mine Festival in Belgium, on a bill which included Hell, Tygers of Pan Tang and Tank. This was followed by an appearance at the Heavy Metal Night 6 Festival in Italy on 21 September 2013.In 2014, Cloven Hoof were added to the bill for the Sweden Rock Festival, with Black Sabbath and Alice Cooper. An appearance at the Power and Glory Festival in Hatfield was scheduled for 23 August 2014, with further European tour dates due to take place throughout the year.

Album:

A Sultan's Ransom, released in 1989, is the third full-length studio album by the British heavy metal band Cloven Hoof. It is the last Cloven Hoof album to feature Andy Wood on guitar, due to contractual difficulties that forced the whole band itself to split up from 1990 to 2001. Music videos were made for the songs "Mad, Mad World" and "Highlander" (which are now included on the band's debut DVD release, A Sultan's Ransom – Video Archive, which also contains live footage of the band playing in 1989 at Lichfield Art Centre).This rarity is a true gem of the NWOBHM treasure. The two most outstanding elements are the vocals and the guitars. Russ North is without any doubt one of the best metal singers in the world. Few can combine the power, class, range, technicality, and falsetto screams he shows off only in the first song. Coming to that, he has a voice of his own. Charismatic, strong, inspired and emotional. Yes this singer rocks. He joined Cloven Hoof on the Dominator album but A Sultan’s Ransom feature even finer works of his. This guy was by the way in the final round when Iron Maiden selected a new vocalist.The guitarist Andy Wood moves the listener to the seventh heaven with his blazing leads, glimmering solos and blasting riffs. It’s such a pleasure listening to the melodic yet so powerful guitars played by competent hands switching between riff attacks, solo crescendos and calmer passages faster and easier than oneself put butter on the breakfast bread. Actually, the guitar work is unparalleled by most bands of the time. It’s like Andy LaRocque in King Diamond’s band during their three best albums, squared. Drumming feels just as human-made as it shall do. Not the overly exact beats of a machine, but the harder, yet more fluid-like ones you only hear from a really skilled drummer. They just flow on, and on, and on… One doesn’t hear any echoes; one cannot but appreciate the swift and soft switching between tempos that happens quite often.The music is a dynamic speed-attack by this now ten years old band, who now really proves they are masters of the genre. There isn’t one single tune not giving one a sudden, strong and vital urge to head bang. Astral Rider is an instant hit, and so are all the other songs. The only weak spot, Notre Dame, is weak only in sense that it is weaker than the other songs on this album. I don’t want to give the impression that it in is a weak song; that would be misleading. In fact, it slays most Iron Maiden and Judas Priest songs without any problems. Forgotten Heroes and especially Mad, Mad World are extremely catchy, with the kind of choruses you’ll find yourself singing on the street. But even these songs, and the magnificent Astral Rider, speedy, D.V.R, Accept-tasting Jekyll & Hyde, they are all nothing compared to the two real masterpieces, the two epic

Line-Up:

Russ North - Vocals (R.I.P. 2025) - See also: ex-Tredegar, ex-Hope and Glory, ex-Monza, ex-Streetwise
Andy Wood - Guitars - See also: Rhabstallion, ex-Gaskin, ex-Tredegar
Lee Payne - Bass - See also: East of Lyra, ex-Joseph Whelan
Jon Brown - Drums - See also: Vicious Nature, ex-Arcana, ex-Sweet Poison

+ guests:

Mil Gacic – guitar
Paul Hodson – keyboards

Production:

Recorded At – Mad Hat Studios
Mark Stuart, Paul Hodson – engineers

Tracklist:

01. Astral Rider 05:15
02. Forgotten Heroes 04:41
03. D.V.R. 02:49
04. Jekyll and Hyde 03:28
05. 1001 Nights 05:28
06. Silver Surfer 03:43
07. Notre Dame 05:45
08. Mad, Mad World 02:29
09. Highlander 03:40
10. Mistress of the Forest 06:50




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