CLOVEN HOOF · Heathen Cross | SPLATTER LP

Transparent royal blue vinyl with black and white splatter in heavy standard cover with insert. Limited to 350 copies.

Background information about 'Heathen Cross'

Cloven Hoof have never been a band to do things quietly, and "Heathen Cross" is the sound of veterans who know exactly how much damage a good riff can do. The British outfit built its reputation in the early eighties on a blend of NWOBHM grit and theatrical occult swagger, and here that formula gets sharpened rather than softened. The guitars bite hard, the rhythms keep a relentless forward push, and the choruses arrive like a fist wrapped in velvet. There is a theatrical streak running through the whole record, that sense of a band treating heavy metal as ritual rather than mere entertainment, and it suits them beautifully.

What makes "Heathen Cross" such a rewarding listen is the balance between muscle and melody. Tracks like "Benediction" and "Redeemer" open the album with conviction, while "Do What Thou Wilt" and "Last Man Standing" show a band unafraid to lean into the darker corners of their sound. "Darkest Before The Dawn" stretches out with a brooding atmosphere before the second half turns up the heat again with "Vendetta" and "Curse Of The Gypsy". The closing run, from "Frost And Fire" through "Sabbat Stones" to "The Summoning", feels like a proper finale, all drama and thunder. It is classic heavy metal played by people who still mean every word.

For fans of: Judas Priest, Saxon, Angel Witch, Diamond Head, Grim Reaper

Other Versions

CD · 12,99 € BLACK LP · Sold out BLACK LP · 20,99 € PURPLE LP · 20,99 € CLEAR TAPE · 6,99 €

Track listing

A1. Benediction
A2. Redeemer
A3. Do What Thou Wilt
A4. Last Man Standing
A5. Darkest Before The Dawn
B1. Vendetta
B2. Curse Of The Gypsy
B3. Frost And Fire
B4. Sabbat Stones
B5. The Summoning

Manufacturer: High Roller Records, Bertolt-Brecht-Str. 1a, 08412 Werdau, Germany, Contact: www.hrrecords.de