Russ North (Cloven Hoof) (1965–2025)

In Remembrance of Russ North (July 22, 1965 – January 1, 2025)

To fans of lesser-known British heavy metal bands from the 1980s, Cloven Hoof is an underrated group. Formed in Wolverhampton, England, in 1979, they were active until 1990 and reformed around 2000. Despite numerous lineup changes, only founding bassist and principal songwriter Lee Payne has remained a constant member. The band released two demos and an EP in 1982, a studio album in 1984, and a live album in 1986. It appears that around 1987, the band became inactive or split, largely due to the lineup changes that plagued them.

While it is not entirely clear if the band officially ended, the trajectory changed significantly when singer Russ North joined. His voice became vital to the sound of 1980s Cloven Hoof; he was known for a powerful, operatic range that helped transition the band from their early metal-rock roots into a more polished power metal sound. Russ joined in 1987, replacing the original vocalist, David Potter. His arrival marked a major shift in the band’s identity. Along with guitarist Andy Wood, North helped create what many fans consider the band’s most important era.

He made his studio debut on the 1988 album Dominator. His soaring vocals were a perfect match for the album's sci-fi and epic fantasy themes. He followed this in 1989 with A Sultan’s Ransom, an album that fans of underground late-80s British heavy metal hold in high regard. Even though the band achieved critical success with these records, they struggled with the changing musical landscape, and the group seemingly disbanded in 1990.

Russ eventually returned to the band in the 2000s. Although he left and returned a couple of times, his tenure did not end well. According to Wikipedia, “North was dramatically sacked by Cloven Hoof in 2012, following an appearance in Cyprus where he was too drunk to even stand on stage. Payne declared himself ‘humiliated, ashamed and disgusted’ at North's act of ‘professional suicide,’ and the incident effectively ended the 30-year friendship between the two.”

Both Wikipedia and Metal Archives note that Russ North was involved in other rock and metal bands, though they did not reach the same level of recognition as his era with Cloven Hoof. Personally, I am only familiar with his singing in Cloven Hoof and am not knowledgeable enough to comment intelligently on the more obscure bands he joined, some of which are not even listed on Metal Archives.

Cloven Hoof has continued after Russ and remains active to this day. I enjoy their latter-day music as well.

For fans of traditional heavy metal, I believe it is worthwhile to check out Dominator (1988) and A Sultan’s Ransom (1989). If you appreciate traditional heavy metal vocals, his performance is certainly something to experience. See if you like it!

Cloven Hoof - Highlander (from the 1989 album A Sultan's Ransom)