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)
Eye Of The Sun
Cloven Hoof Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In this year of feathered serpent.
Proud young warrior
Stands in sun light,
With his back against
The world.
Sweat gets in his eyes,
Head is bowed,
Mouth is dry.
Awaiting death
The final word.
Every breath may be his last,
Soon in time the end will come.
High priest will spill a life,
Spirits praise...
The eye of the sun!
Down on the ground,
Grim multitudes are forming.
Heat haze hangs on the horizon,
Shadows fall before their eyes.
Tension mounts
The appointed hour,
Is getting ever nearer.
Someone cries
God help him!
Then looks the other way.
Great stone idol
Claims it's prize,
Waits until
The day is done.
Immortality bathed
In golden rays...
The eye of the sun!
Oh but if the holy writings tell a lie,
How many more doomed to die
In vain?
Never asking
Knowing why?
The gods desire blood to give rain!
Solemn hush hangs in the air,
As he kneels before the alter.
Reflections of a past life,
Flash by then slip away.
All hope of freedom gone,
As there cast upon the four winds.
Role of the chosen one,
Was the price he had to pay.
Crimson blade arches down,
And then he's gone.
Phoenix rising from the ashes
Blazing like...
The eye!
The eye!
The eye!
The eye!
The opening lines of "Eye Of The Sun" by Cloven Hoof describe a grand temple that reaches up to the sky, set in the year of the Feathered Serpent (a reference to the Mesoamerican deity Quetzalcoatl). The song then focuses on a proud young warrior who stands in the sunlight. However, it becomes clear that he is about to face a terrifying ordeal: he is going to climb a giant stairway, with his mouth dry and sweat in his eyes. He is awaiting his death, but determined to face it.
As the song progresses, we learn that the warrior is the subject of a sacrificial ritual. His life is to be taken by the High Priest, as an offering to the sun god. The "eye of the sun" is a metaphor reflecting the life-giving brightness of the sun, which is believed to be the source of all life on Earth. The ritual sacrifice is expected to ensure that the sun maintains its life-giving properties, and that the crops continue to grow.
The song offers a commentary on the power of religion and belief systems, and the lengths that people will go to in order to appease the gods. It also touches on themes of sacrifice, both physical and emotional, and the choices that we make in life. The climax of the song sees the warrior accept his fate and face the Crimson Blade with courage, rising like a phoenix from the ashes.
Line by Line Meaning
Temple reaches to the sky,
A temple with a high top extends up towards the sky.
In this year of feathered serpent.
This event takes place during the year of the feathered serpent, an important religious symbol in ancient Mesoamerican cultures.
Proud young warrior
A young warrior filled with pride.
Stands in sun light,
He is standing in the sunlight.
With his back against the world.
He feels like he is alone and against the world.
Sweat gets in his eyes,
He begins to sweat profusely and it gets in his eyes.
Starts to climb the giant stairway.
He begins to ascend the large staircase.
Head is bowed,
He is bowing his head in respect or defeat.
Mouth is dry.
His mouth is dry from nervousness and tension.
Awaiting death
He is waiting for his inevitable fate of death.
The final word.
The last word of his life is approaching.
Every breath may be his last,
Every breath he takes may be his last breath.
Soon in time the end will come.
His end will come soon enough.
High priest will spill a life,
The high priest will perform a sacrifice and take a life.
Spirits praise...
The spiritual beings celebrate.
The eye of the sun!
This is a reference to the sun and its significance in certain religious beliefs.
Down on the ground,
People are down on the ground.
Grim multitudes are forming.
A large number of people have gathered, and they appear to be serious and hopeless.
Heat haze hangs on the horizon,
There is an atmospheric condition where a distorted mirage occurs, making the horizon appear as if there is heat emanating from it.
Shadows fall before their eyes.
Their surroundings are becoming darker, and they can see the shadows of the objects in front of them.
Tension mounts
The atmosphere is becoming increasingly tense and nerve-wracking.
The appointed hour,
The predetermined time of the ritual.
Is getting ever nearer.
The time is approaching quickly.
Someone cries
An unidentified person screams or shouts.
God help him!
This is an expression of desperation or despair, calling for a divine intervention.
Then looks the other way.
The person stops screaming and looks away from the situation.
Great stone idol
A large, human-made statue of a deity or being.
Claims it's prize,
The idol takes or accepts the sacrifice as its prize.
Waits until
The statue waits for the ritual to end or for its prize to be given.
The day is done.
The ritual is finished or the sun has set.
Immortality bathed
The statue or deity is granted eternal life or significance.
In golden rays...
The statue is depicted as having been bathed in glowing, golden color, symbolizing a divine or holy energy.
The eye of the sun!
Another reference to the sun and its significance in certain religious practices.
Oh but if the holy writings tell a lie,
This is a hypothetical question or observation about religious beliefs and texts.
How many more doomed to die
If the religious beliefs are not true, then how many other lives have been sacrificed in vain?
In vain?
For no reason or without result.
Never asking
The people who participate in the religious rituals don't question the beliefs behind them.
Knowing why?
They don't understand the reason behind the rituals or why they are so important.
The gods desire blood to give rain!
This is a religious belief that the gods need sacrifices to bring rain or other natural elements.
Solemn hush hangs in the air,
The atmosphere is very serious and tense.
As he kneels before the alter.
The warrior is kneeling before the religious altar or symbol of his deity.
Reflections of a past life,
He is seeing visions of his own past experiences and memories.
Flash by then slip away.
The memories appear very briefly and then fade away quickly.
All hope of freedom gone,
He feels trapped and without any hope for escaping his fate.
As there cast upon the four winds.
His body is thrown or cast into the four different directions of the wind, symbolizing his complete and final sacrifice.
Role of the chosen one,
He was selected or chosen for his current position and sacrifice.
Was the price he had to pay.
He had to offer his own life as payment or sacrifice for his role.
Crimson blade arches down,
The sacrificial blade is swiped downward, creating a curved motion.
And then he's gone.
His life has ended quickly and abruptly.
Phoenix rising from the ashes
This is a reference to the mythical bird, the Phoenix, that is said to die and then be reborn from its own ashes.
Blazing like...
The Phoenix is depicted as being very bright, intense, and powerful.
The eye!
This is another reference to the religious symbol of the sun and its importance in the ritual.
The eye!
Another reference to the sun and its importance in this religious ritual.
The eye!
Third reference to the sun and its religious significance.
The eye!
Fourth and final reference to the sun and its role in this religious practice.
Contributed by Taylor F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.