Cloven Hoof

Cloven Hoof

Cloven Hoof is a heavy metal group from Wolverhampton, England, active from 1979 to the present. The band is associated with the New Wave of British Heavy Metal and is listed in the heavy metal, metal, NWOBHM, power metal and speed metal genres. Its long-running line-up centre is bassist Lee Payne, who remains the constant member across the group’s many changes.

Formation and early years

The band forms in 1979 and develops an early theatrical identity, with members using pseudonyms based on the four elements: David “Water” Potter, Steve “Fire” Rounds, Lee “Air” Payne and Kevin “Earth” Poutney. This line-up records a demo tape in 1982, then releases The Opening Ritual EP and the self-titled debut album in 1984. After the debut, David Potter leaves and Rob Kendrick replaces him under the same “Water” stage name. That line-up records the live album Fighting Back, after which the band breaks up, leaving Payne as the only remaining member.

Revival in the late 1980s

In 1988, Lee Payne restarts the band with vocalist Russ North, guitarist Andy Wood and drummer Jon Brown, all of whom had previously been in Tredegar. At this point the group drops the elemental stage names. The revived line-up records Dominator in 1988 and A Sultan's Ransom in 1989, and Lee Jones, also formerly of Tredegar, later joins as a second guitarist. Contractual problems lead to another split in 1990.

Return in the 2000s and later activity

Lee Payne begins assembling another line-up in 2001 after discussing the earlier contractual issues with Andy Wood. Cloven Hoof plays Keep It True II Festival in Lauda-Königshofen, Germany, in 2004. The album Eye of the Sun follows in 2006, with Matt Moreton on vocals, Andy Shortland on guitar and Lynch Radinsky on drums; Tom Galley produces the record.

Further line-up changes follow as work commitments prevent live activity, and Russ North returns after time in Spain. Mick Powell and Ben Read join on guitars, with Jon Brown on drums. In early 2008 the band releases The Definitive Part One, a collection of re-recorded songs. It co-headlines the Metal Brew Festival in Mill Hill with Pagan Altar and appears at the British Steel IV Festival at the Camden Underworld in 2009. That year it also plays Bang Your Head!!! in Balingen, Germany, alongside acts including W.A.S.P., U.D.O., Blind Guardian and Journey.

Releases, festivals and recordings

The song “Nightstalker” from the debut album appears in the soundtrack to the computer game Brütal Legend. In 2010, after Russ North leaves and Matt Moreton briefly records vocals for the planned Throne of Damnation EP, the band releases its first DVD, A Sultan's Ransom - Video Archive, containing footage from a 1989 concert at Lichfield Art Centre plus videos for “Mad, Mad World” and “Highlander”.

In 2011, Payne rebuilds the group with guitarist Joe Whelan, guitarist Chris Coss, drummer Mark Gould and vocalist Ash Cooper. This line-up releases the video for “I'm Your Nemesis” and an updated version of “Nightstalker”. Russ North leaves for the final time in 2012, and Mark Gould departs soon after, with Jake Oseland taking over drums for 2013 live dates. The band schedules its first UK concert appearance at Wolverhampton Civic Hall in March 2013, plays Parkhotel Hall in Tirol, Austria, and has that performance recorded by producer Patrick Engel for a future live album. It also appears at R-Mine Festival in Belgium and Heavy Metal Night 6 in Italy in 2013.

In 2014, Cloven Hoof is added to the line-up for Sweden Rock Festival and is also scheduled for the Power and Glory Festival in Hatfield. The later discography in the input includes Who Mourns for the Morning Star? (2017), The Age of Steel (2020), Time Assassin (2022) and Heathen Cross (2024). The band is also linked to the label Elemental Media.