The excellent Cloven Hoof of course have been around since the original New Wave of British Heavy Metal days when they took up the “four elements” pseudonyms perhaps as a bit of a marketing gimmick.
Back then their career got off to a stuttering start and has continued like that with sporadic appearances and recordings over the decades amongst the dormant spells and line-up changes.
Main man Lee Payne is still at the helm and with the current line-up the band have issued a fine album in the form of Time Assassin.
A royal slab of NWOBHM-based hardness galloping along apace infused with thunderous drumming, brutal riffs, shredding yet with finesse and melodic elements also.
All well done, plenty of variety going on with no two songs sounding alike. Quite atmospheric and some of it reminds me of Helloween in places. It’s a grower too. Find myself liking it more on each listen.
Proceedings get off to a blistering start with the battering ram of Guardians of the Universe. The drumming is so fast making me suspect Mark Bristow is an octopus. The guitars spit out the riffs and shred away and it all speeds ahead apace like good old fashioned NWOBHM with an up to date feel.
Liquidator, Lords of Death and After Forever keep the pace up threading in plenty of finesse amongst the power with After Forever having a tasty hook and melodic chorus. All very nice.
As is the title track. Huge song. Brooding, powerful, atmospheric. A little bit scary even. Shivers down the spine.
Beltaine Fire and Highway man both quite catchy with the melodic bits – then we have the closer and for me stand out track titled Carnival of Lost Souls. It’s all going on here. A mini-epic of a song full of controlled power it’s glorious.
Don’t just take my word for it – have a listen:
So good that we still have bands like Cloven Hoof around from back in the good old NWOBHM days capable of cranking out stuff as good as they have here with Time Assassin.
>> CLOVEN HOOF TIME ASSASSIN ON AMAZON HERE <<