If you’re a NWOBHM nerd, you’re no stranger to Cloven Hoof. The legendary band formed in 1979 and began playing an occult style of metal similar to Angel Witch. After a lineup change which saw all original members leave except bassist Lee Payne, they found a niche playing heavy/power metal and released two masterpiece albums in Dominator (1988) and A Sultan’s Ransom (1989). In the nearly 20 years since their return, Cloven Hoof has gone through even more lineup changes with Payne remaining the sole consistent member.
Unfortunately, Cloven Hoof’s recent output comes nowhere near the glory of their initial run. With that said, there’s a handful of songs I enjoy off each release and Age of Steel is no different. Age of Steel starts out strong with the bombastic “Bathory”. With its crunching riffs, groovy mid section, and symphonic flourishes, “Bathory” sounds more like the 90s euro power metal bands Cloven Hoof would influence in their wake than a lost track off A Sultan’s Ransom. I usually don’t care for this style of power metal, but Cloven Hoof pulls it off rather well…for this song.
The following track, “Alderley Edge”, sounds distinctly like Iron Maiden. I’m not just talking about frontman George Call who’s a dead ringer for Bruce Dickinson. I’m talking about the structure of the song. I asked myself, “Am I crazy or is this a carbon copy of “Seventh Son of a Seventh Son”?”. I decided to give the benefit of the doubt and reserve my criticisms for once the album finished.
Then I got to “Touch the Rainbow”. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. This is essentially “The Evil That Men Do” with different lyrics. They say imitation is the greatest form of flattery, but you have to draw the line somewhere. I’d expect this amateur aping from any number of here today, gone tomorrow NWOTHM bandwagoners, not one of metal’s best hidden secrets.
“Bedlam” serves as an epic metal ballad break while “Ascension” returns to Maiden mode without sounding like any particular Maiden songs. About 30 seconds into the similar sounding “Gods of War”, I said to myself, “This sounds familiar…but it’s definitely not Maiden.” My instincts proved correct. Unlike “Alderley Edge” and “Touch the Rainbows” whose upping of the irons is a little too close to home, “Gods of War” takes from fellow power metal pioneers, Helloween, specifically “March of Time”. Three strikes, you’re out.
I won’t go as far to accuse Cloven Hoof of downright plagiarism. It’s possible these similarities are nothing more than coincidence. However, they take away from the charm of songs which do stand out. Age of Steel closes on a strong note with the elegant twin leads of “Judas” and “march into battle” spirit of the title track. I hope for their next album, Cloven Hoof focuses on what made themselves great and not their peers.
5 out of 10
Label: Pure Steel Records
Genre: Heavy/Power Metal
For fans of: Iron Maiden, Riot, Liege Lord