Classic NWOBHM
Nicole Emery | Brussels Belgium | 10/20/2002
(4 out of 5 stars)
"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.
Apparently this is not their only record, but they never made it to a higher level...and from what I've heard they pretty much went downhill afterwards...So enjoy that one.
Originally released on NEAT RECORDS, a label of quality for those who like a good headbangin'"
Cloven Hoof lays down the law!
Justin Gaines | Northern Virginia | 05/26/2007
(4 out of 5 stars)
"The 1984 self-titled debut by Cloven Hoof is one of my favorite New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) albums. Sure, the band's outlandish costumes and their use of the alter-egos Earth, Air, Fire and Water was a bit over the top, but it just shows how seriously they took every aspect of their music. And make no mistake, despite their emphasis on KISS-like showmanship; their music was anything but shallow.
Cloven Hoof's debut album had plenty of the raw energy and aggression that are the trademarks of the NWOBHM movement, but it was also well-written, professional stuff. While blazing away in a powerful Iron Maiden meets Angel Witch style, the band gloriously reveled in the fantasy and occult subject matter that so fascinated the early metalheads (and horrified parents).
Beyond simply being a great metal album, you have to appreciate what this album represents. There was such a freedom in metal at that time; an anything goes mentality that resulted in some of the most interesting examples of youthful energy. A band like Cloven Hoof could say "screw writing about love; we'll give you songs about demons and death, and we'll wear cool costumes too!" This is the kind of mentality that only metal can claim, and to this day it has the power to reach out to the disaffected kids who want more out of music that the typical pop fare.
Sorry, I got off on a bit of a tangent there. This album just says "metal" to me in a very strong way. It's a must-have for any NWOBHM devotee, and well worth checking out for any fan of old school metal.
Edition Notes: The 2002 reissue of Cloven Hoof by (you guessed it) Castle features digitally remastered sound and three bonus tracks. The remastered sound is a plus, but there's only so much they could do with an album with such a rough original production job. The bonus tracks - from the BBC Friday Night Rock Show - are a nice touch as well. In addition to "Laying Down the Law" and "Crack the Whip", one of the BBC tracks is a song called "Road of Eagles", which did not appear on the original Cloven Hoof album."
Track Listings (10) - Disc #1