Early Years: 1979–1987
During their early years, Cloven Hoof experienced several lineup changes before finally settling on a stable formation that lasted for their initial recordings. From the very beginning, the four band members embraced a theatrical approach and adopted pseudonyms inspired by the four elements: David "Water" Potter, Steve "Fire" Rounds, Lee "Air" Payne, and Kevin "Earth" Poutney. This lineup successfully recorded a demo tape in 1982, as well as The Opening Ritual EP and their self-titled debut album in 1984.
Following the release of their debut album, David Potter departed from the band and was replaced by Rob Kendrick, who took on the pseudonym "Water." This lineup only managed to record the live album Fighting Back (1987) before disbanding, leaving Lee Payne as the sole remaining member.
1988–1990
In 1988, Lee Payne revived the band and recruited vocalist Russ North and guitarist Andy Wood from the band Tredegar, along with drummer Jon Brown. With a fresh lineup in place, the band abandoned their stage names and went on to produce two more albums: Dominator (1988) and A Sultan's Ransom (1989). Lee Jones, a former member of Tredegar, joined as a second guitarist shortly after the release of these albums. However, contractual issues led to another breakup in 1990.
2001–2007
In the summer of 2001, Lee Payne began assembling a new lineup for the next iteration of Cloven Hoof, following a discussion with Andy Wood regarding the previous contractual difficulties that had caused the band's decade-long hiatus. The band made a live appearance at the Keep It True II Festival in Lauda-Königshofen, Germany, on April 10, 2004.
They recorded and released Eye of the Sun in 2006, featuring musicians Matt Moreton on vocals, Andy Shortland on guitars, and Lynch Radinsky on drums. The album was produced by Tom Galley. Due to various members' work commitments, the band was unable to perform live, prompting Lee Payne to once again recruit new personnel.
Vocalist Russ North returned to England and rejoined the band after spending some time living in Spain. The band's lineup was eventually completed by Mick Powell and Ben Read on guitars, along with Jon Brown on drums.
2008–Present
In early 2008, the band released a collection of re-recorded songs titled The Definitive Part One, with plans to release a new EP called Throne of Damnation in 2010.
Cloven Hoof co-headlined the Metal Brew Festival in Mill Hill with Pagan Altar in 2008. Both bands also performed at the British Steel IV Festival at the Camden Underworld in 2009. On June 27, 2009, Cloven Hoof appeared at the Bang Your Head!!! festival in Balingen, Germany, sharing the stage with bands like W.A.S.P., U.D.O., Blind Guardian, and Journey, despite the heavy rain during their set.
The track "Nightstalker" from Cloven Hoof's debut album was featured in the soundtrack for the Brütal Legend computer game.
In early 2010, following Russ North's departure, Matt Moreton was enlisted to record the vocals for the Throne of Damnation EP. However, Moreton left the band shortly afterward due to health issues. On December 13, 2010, Cloven Hoof released their first DVD titled A Sultan's Ransom - Video Archive. It featured footage from a 1989 concert at Lichfield Art Centre, as well as two music videos for the songs "Mad, Mad World" and "Highlander" from A Sultan's Ransom.
In 2011, Lee Payne embarked on rebuilding the band by bringing in guitarist Joe Whelan from the band Dementia and guitarist Chris Coss from UK/DC. Drummer Mark Gould and Ash Cooper joined as well, providing vocals. This lineup released a music video called "I'm Your Nemesis" and an updated version of "Nightstalker." However, Russ North parted ways with Cloven Hoof for the final time in July 2012, following a controversial performance in Cyprus. Mark Gould also left the band in August 2012, and Jake Oseland replaced him on drums in time for a series of live shows in 2013.
The 2013 lineup of Cloven Hoof scheduled their debut UK concert appearance at Wolverhampton Civic Hall on March 30, 2013, alongside Jameson Raid and Hollow Ground. On April 27, 2013, Cloven Hoof performed a concert at the Parkhotel Hall in Tirol, Austria, which was recorded by producer Patrick Engel for a future live album release. The band had plans to release a studio album provisionally titled Resist or Serve on High Roller Records.
On June 23, 2013, Cloven Hoof played at the R-Mine Festival in Belgium, sharing the bill with Hell, Tygers of Pan Tang, and Tank. They also made an appearance at the Heavy Metal Night 6 Festival in Italy on September 21, 2013. In 2014, Cloven Hoof was added to the lineup for the Sweden Rock Festival, performing alongside Black Sabbath and Alice Cooper. They were also scheduled to perform at the Power and Glory Festival in Hatfield on August 23, 2014, with additional European tour dates planned for the year.
Discography
Cloven Hoof (1984)
Fighting Back (1986)
Dominator (1988)
A Sultan's Ransom (1989)
Eye of the Sun (2006)
Throne of Damnation (2014)
Who Mourns for the Morning Star? (2017)
The Age of Steel (2020)
Time Assassin (2022)
D.V.R
Cloven Hoof Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Screaming out of hell.
Challenging all comers,
Taken by his spell.
Phantom of the highway,
Cruise the speed of sound.
Speed demon on burning wheels
Out of nowhere,
In a blinding flash of light.
Till another rides beside him,
To vanish into night.
... Look out!
Here comes the Death Valley Racer,
The pace is taking it's toll.
Here comes the Death Valley racer,
He's out to capture your soul.
... Carry you away.
Revved up and ready,
Now the chaise is on.
Roaring to the red line,
Like a bullet from a gun.
Chequered flag survivor,
The devil drives within.
It's to the death,
The game is life,
Pay the price to win.
There's more here at stake
Than your life for the taking,
Breaking too late claim your
Posthumous prize.
... You loose!
The lyrics to Cloven Hoof's song D.V.R describe the arrival and the destruction caused by a Spectral Rider who races through Death Valley. The rider appears suddenly, emerging from the bowels of hell and immediately challenging anyone who comes his way. He is a Phantom of the highway who moves at the speed of sound, and he is a Speed demon on burning wheels that never touch the ground. He is an unstoppable force, and anyone who tries to keep up with him is taken by his spell. The pace takes its toll, and the rider drives like a bullet from a gun, revving up and ready to race. The game is life, and the devil drives within, and whoever comes in second place has to pay the price to win.
The song is a warning about the dangers that lurk within the world of high-speed racing. The name of the song, D.V.R, is an abbreviation for Death Valley Racer, and the rider's goal is to capture the souls of his competitors, carrying them away to their ultimate fate.
Overall, it's a powerful, energetic song that warns listeners of the consequences of playing dangerous games with their lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Spectral rider,
A ghostly rider who comes out of hell.
Screaming out of hell.
He is making a loud sound as he rides out of hell.
Challenging all comers,
He challenges anyone who comes his way.
Taken by his spell.
Other riders are under his control and are attracted to him.
Phantom of the highway,
He is a ghost-like figure when he rides on the highway.
Cruise the speed of sound.
He is riding at an incredibly fast speed, like the speed of sound.
Speed demon on burning wheels
He is like a demon on wheels because he is so fast and powerful.
That never touch the ground.
His wheels are not physically touching the ground because he is moving so quickly.
Out of nowhere,
He appears suddenly and unexpectedly.
In a blinding flash of light.
He appears so quickly that it seems like a bright light flashed.
Till another rides beside him,
He rides alone until someone comes next to him.
To vanish into night.
Then they both disappear into the darkness.
Here comes the Death Valley Racer,
The Death Valley Racer is approaching.
The pace is taking it's toll.
Riding at such a fast pace is exhausting and has consequences.
He's out to capture your soul.
The Death Valley Racer is trying to take control of other riders.
Carry you away.
He will take them somewhere else.
Revved up and ready,
He is ready to race and has his engine running.
Now the chaise is on.
The race is beginning.
Roaring to the red line,
He is accelerating quickly and pushing his engine to the limit.
Like a bullet from a gun.
He is moving so fast that he is like a bullet being fired from a gun.
Chequered flag survivor,
Whoever wins this race will be the one who crosses the finish line first.
The devil drives within.
This race is dangerous and someone's inner demons could come out.
It's to the death,
The consequences of losing this race could mean death.
The game is life,
This race is a representation of life and how one can die at any moment.
Pay the price to win.
One must risk everything in order to win this race.
There's more here at stake
There's more than just life or death at stake in this race.
Than your life for the taking,
This race could be a reflection of how one's choices can impact their entire life.
Breaking too late claim your
If someone makes a mistake, it could cost them everything.
Posthumous prize.
The prize for winning this race could be awarded after the winner's death.
You lose!
If someone loses this race, they not only lose the prize, but they could potentially lose their life.
Contributed by Isaiah R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.