Band:	Henry Martens Ghost
Album:	Ireland A Troubled Romance
Style:	Irish Folk
Release date:	2002
A review by:	Undercraft

01. Come By The Hills
02. Spancil Hill
03. Cúnla
04. The Galway Shawl
05. Step It Out Mary
06. (I Wish I Was) Back Home In Derry
07. CarrickFergus
08. Grace
09. Follow Me Up To Carlow
10. Tom Williams
11. Only Our Rivers Run Free

Many of you metalheads that have a vast knowledge of the genre maybe are wondering right now why the hell you haven't heard about this band ever in your life, well let me answer you, is because Henry marten's Ghost isn't Metal. (please insert a really tragic sound effect here, like Tan taan tadaaaan or something like that)

Well, seems like Mr. Undercraft went crazy and began reviewing non-metal albums in a Metal site!! No no! wait a sec and let me explain it all!
You have another genres of music that you listen? Besides Metal? Maybe classical music or rap, reggae, blues, jazz, salsa, I really don't know, personally I love Classical stuff, new age and acoustic stuff, you know for those mellow moments.

So, come 'on don't give up yet and follow me, let's go to Ireland and let me introduce you Henry Marten's Ghost (weird name!), the best way to describe these guys is to picture Anathema ("Fine Day To Exit" era) and put some folk elements, nah, as a matter of fact a lot of folk elements, like mandolins, flutes, fiddles and violins (this last one playing a mayor role on the music)

The music is not so "folky" as you might imagine, of course there are some songs that are upbeat, but the whole atmosphere of the album are melancholic ballads, I can't avoid being overcome by feelings of sadness when I hear songs like "Carrickfergus", "Grace" and "Tom Williams", those are pure melancholic folk stuff, yeah I know, sounds really weird, I think that the violin, with it's haunting atmosphere bathing gently all the acoustic arrangements is what gives that gloomy feeling to the music, but it just could be me?

Some other songs with a more 'happy' vibe are "Come By The Hill" and "Cúnla" , but for me , the real highlights are the mellow ones.
So? See? It wasn't that bad, we just need to open our mind sometimes, who know what treasures within our sight we might discover.
Fans of acoustic stuff, newer Anathema and Folk stuff, do yourselves a favor and get this one!