10 Most Underrated Metal Albums Of The 80s

This metal masterclass saw the Wolverhampton headbangers reach a new fantastical high in 1989.

A member of Britain's new wave of heavy metal in the '80s, Cloven Hoof never secured the mainstream recognition of peers like Iron Maiden and Diamond Head. With 'A Sultan's Ransom', they drifted away from the more conventional heavy metal of their prior releases and embraced power metal.

The result is a superb showcase of frontman Russ North's thundering voice in an atmospheric, high energy effort. The lyrics, lost in the stars and often bordering on ridiculous, are bolstered by Andy Wood's hyperactive final outing as the group's lead guitarist. Songs such as 'Notre Dame' catch the group at their most surly before moving into the more colourful, melodic style they embraced here.

The LP ends on arguably the group's most interesting track. 'Mistress of the Forest' sees the band experimenting with keyboards and other more diverse sounds for a mysterious, ethereal song. The progressive rock-friendly hints of fantasy and science fiction throughout the album are never more apparent than in this eery epilogue of a supernatural entity lying in waiting.

While critics acknowledged the high quality of Cloven Hoof's third LP, it did not garner much traction. Worse still, financial issues lead to the group calling it quits the next year leaving this as an underground gem just waiting to be rediscovered.