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He made his debut on 2024’s Heathen Cross, and the line up from that album is retained for Never A Prophet In Your Own Land, Payne and Conklin joined by guitarists Luke Hatton and Chris Coss and Ash Baker on drums for a varied, hard hitting record where there’s a lot of changes of pace, pathos and drama.

From excellent mid-pace anthems such as the Title Track to the Rainbow chug of Gypsy Roller which showcases the keys of producer Chris Dando, as does the Neo-classical approach of Iron Mask, which unsurprisingly sounds like Iron Mask the band. There’s also some classic NWOBHM gallops on tracks such as Conquistador and Phantom Chaser as Prodigal Son is a sleazy street rocker but no matter the style they approach these songs with, there’s a lot to love on this record, you’ll be nodding along.

You’ll be singing the choruses after a couple of listens, however don’t try to sing like The Tyrant as you may pull a muscle, he’s just such a brilliant addition to Cloven Hoof, giving them a latter life injection of epic, that will hopefully see them play more shows in their native country soon. 8/10

Violation – The Anthology (Underground Metal Vault/Ripple Music)

It’s not often I get to jump on something Ripple related before Mr Piva but my denim and leather credentials are perhaps a little stronger than his as I’m the one picking up The Anthology by Bay Area metal band Violation.

It’s the debut release through Ripple Music’s The Underground Metal Vault which like the Beneath The Ocean Floor series is trying to find and reissue classic have metal records and bands that are long out of print or have long since disappeared all together, from the 70’s and 80’s. Basically discovering the bands from all across the world that were swept up in the leather-clad NWOBHM sound but weren’t from The Midlands or London where the real action was.

That said Violation were from the Bay Area and at that time you just know that there was probably a drummer named Lars Ulrich that would have trading their tapes as it’s right in his wheelhouse, they even played shows with Metallica, Mötley Crüe and Quiet Riot as they themsleves take a lot of influence from Diamond Head and UFO.

The Anthology is collects all of their recorded output, including three demos too as Todd Severin is nothing but a completest. As these are the original recordings it means production and quality varies, no remastering or remixing, just rough and ready heavy metal. 

Heavy metal that caught the ear of Y&T drummer Leonard Haze who produced three of the tracks here, including Meet Me At Midnight, which is not a Saracen cover, while the double A Side in turn got them on Shrapnel Records US Metal Vol. 3 compilation, so there was a lot of potential but by 1982 they are no more.

There’s a spark about Violation, yeah they can get sleazy and some of it still has quite simple riffs and lyrics but their music has an old school charm that does make you think, what if? Props to Todd and the team at Ripple for moving into the underground metal scene, I’m looking forward to what else he unearths. 8/10

Killer – The Grand Finale (High Roller Records)

Killer are a band who formed in 1980, right in the middle of the NWOBHM and they drew their influence form that raw, early heavy metal sound especially Motorhead, who were never NWOBHM, but really hit their succes at that time. They’re aggressive speed metal, rumbling bass, biting guitars and gruff vocals, releasing three records in the 80’s, then a string of breakups and reunions that has brought us to The Grand Finale, which is set to be the last album from Killer.

Dedicated to Lemmy, the record leans more toward Motorhead than any of their others as the trio of Paul “Shorty” Van Camp (guitars/vocals), Ian Anthony (bass) and Vanne (drums), run through some dirty rock n roll rangers and mid pace chugs. They even bring Lloyd the singer from Motorheadz to do some guest vocals on Roll The Dice and What You See Is What You Get, and while the album is good and fans will lap it up, it doesn’t seem like a final record, just another record.

There’s nothing too special about it, no sense of finality other than perhaps Killer have used up all the creativity as a track such as Hard Day Coming rips off a Sabbath riff. So not really a celebration but the last embers of a rock n roll legacy. 6/10

Watcher – Mistress Of Our Time (Dying Victims Productions)

Over to Sweden now and the only band here that wasn’t formed in the 70’s/80’s but sounds like they were. Watcher are part of the NWOTHM, contemporary bands who want to play the traditional heavy metal sound which I’ve referenced more than a few times in this selection of reviews.

Having only been formed three years ago, as a solo project by Viktor Gustafsson, Watcher definitely have that old school ethos as this is already their second album and it keeps the heavy metal flame alive with fantasy inspired lyrics and energetic metal work outs where drama comes through the choruses on tracks such as Down From Skies Divine.

While this isn’t thrashy speed metal, there’s lots of galloping riffs to get you head nodding along, bands such as Enforcer, Cauldron and Haunt can be heard as modern day influences on what Watcher do along with your Maiden etc. There’s a lot to like on Mistress Of Our Time, from the old school nods fused with a modern day audio power, Watcher are cranking out quality for classic emtal fans. 7/10