Review: Dom Martin ‘Buried In The Hail’
By Martine Ehrenclou
Multi Award-winning Irish guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Dom Martin is as powerful a musician as they come. Compared to Rory Gallagher for good reason, he’s a virtuosic guitar player with his own set of chops and style. His third album Buried in the Hail is the most raw and rootsy of his albums, and definitely the most atmospheric.
One thing is clear–Martin’s guitar playing is about pure excellence. He could have easily laid down 11 dazzling guitar solos for each track on this record, but instead he focuses on the songs, the mood for each one, and their impact on the listener. There are fewer flashy guitar riffs than on his previous release A Savage Life (2022) but this album is by far a more emotional record, ranging from anger and desperation to hope and confidence.
Produced by Grammy nominees Chris O’Brien & Graham Murphy, co-produced by Dom Martin, and mixed at Golden Egg Studios in Dublin, Ireland, Buried In The Hail is out on Forty Below Records.
Dom Martin has just recently received 2024 UK Blues Awards nominations for Contemporary Blues Artist of the Year and UK Blues Album of the Year. He adds those to multiple UK Blues Award wins, which led him to be inducted into the UK Blues Hall of Fame.
After listening to all 10 originals and one amazing cover, it’s eminently clear that Dom Martin’s music has been his salvation. Growing up in Belfast, he had a hard upbringing, battling at one point drugs and alcohol and brutality in the streets. Darkness pervades several of the songs on the record, and yet a couple reveal light and hope. What stands out about all of them are their breathtaking melodies.
Buried in the Hail opens with a brief acoustic guitar instrumental and then launches into “Daylight,” a foot stomping acoustic blues number with Martin playing slide. Almost a folk-blues à la Skip James or Robert Johnson, Martin nails the melody and rhythm. A catchy number for sure. With his mighty voice, he sings about the search for light amidst the darkness and staying true to oneself.
“Belfast Blues” is a driving blues number played on a Resonator in open tuning. One of the most autobiographical of the songs on the record, it’s a foot stomper with masterful slide guitar and fingerpicking. It’s intense and the musical repetition adds to its punch. There’s conflict and anger over someone once trusted, but ultimately it’s about rebirth and renewal. Martin sings with gritty vocals, “Well I grabbed that shovel and I dug that hole, threw myself in n’ watched myself grow.”
The cover of “Crazy” by Willie Nelson and made famous by Patsy Cline, is a zinger. Martin made that song as dark as it could be musically, completely changing the tone of the song. He gave it the Tom Waits treatment, singing solo over electric guitar and cornering it into a haunting, almost menacing feel, complete with overdriven guitar riffs.
Speaking of overdriven and fuzzed out electric guitar, “Unhinged” is a rocking bluesy number with great rhythm and epic guitar. Martin sings about falling apart, going down, and betrayal. Vocally, he’s on point here—powerful, compelling. His guitar solo is a thing of beauty—and it sounds effortless. He’s not pushing anything—you can hear it—pure soulfulness. Seriously, this is great stuff.
“Unhinged”
After a blues shuffling ode to Howlin’ Wolf, the title track “Buried In The Hail” brings back the ominous. Resonator guitar opens a haunting melody. Martin sings with deep emotion, “Take a train into your mind, see what’s left, have you made it your own hell.” We hear people arguing in the background. His voice descends into such a deep growl that at times it sounds as if he’s lost control.
The album closes with a beautiful 59 second instrumental similar to the opening, with Martin fingerpicking and strumming the strings behind the nut on the guitar. Similar to the brief opening, it serves as a bookend.
Dom Martin is special, the real deal.
Dom Martin website
Excellent review of an artist new to me. I’ve heard his name but not his music. It’s outstanding. I’m going to check him out! Thanks for leading me to him!