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You’ll either love it for its creativity and instrumental work, or you’ll hate it for your inability to take the band and the man seriously. Credit the band for constantly trying to keep the listener intrigued by using the plethora of solos to their advantage, and refrain from making any invalid Dragonforce comparisons out of the blue.Ībigail (and King Diamond in general) is not for everyone. It’s all flawlessly executed, so one is either asphyxiated by the guitar work, or carefully paying attention to the plot. The guitar solos function as very quick interludes between verses, rather than the guitars going for some boring little chug chug or what not. The purpose of this album is to tell a story, and that story is being told whenever vocals are present. Instead of dismissing them as excessive, dig deeper into the song structure for a moment. With that comes the one possible complaint with Abigail apart from the vocals There are a very large quantity of solos here. The highlight solo is, in my opinion, the dual guitars of The Family Ghost, but there are so many unforgettable ones here it is an arduous task to pick between them. They have that expected 80’s feel, but even hater players who dislike the evident cheese often associated with the decade can’t deny that these are enjoyable. There are numerous memorable riffs, as well as guitar solos that while aren’t always obscenely complex at least are consistently enjoyable and impeccably fitting. Andy LaRocque in particular, who is still shamefully underrated and unheard of. The semi-inventive drumming is all one could ask for, and while the bass is relatively unheard from, the two guitarists more than compensate. The instrumentals are excellent all around. It is the standout on this album as well as any other of his albums, but one shouldn’t reject the album solely on this, as I did so juvenilely back when I first heard this. Not always the most enjoyable, it resembles the high-pitched whines of a pre-pubescent child, although he will often drop lower with raspier snarls, the latter being quite good as a matter of fact. If your unfamiliar with King Diamond’s voice, well, It’s a must hear. The story is satisfying, and again lightens the load for future releases by the King in already having a story to continue. Rather than spill the entire story, I’ll end this portion by saying it sets up for a continuous cycle, which is observed through the later King Diamond release, Abigail II: The Revenge. Abigail, who was originally born and died on July 7th, 1777, is not meant to live, and the birth must be prevented at all costs. He urges Jonathan to hastily murder his wife, for the evil spirit of Abigail La’Fey will soon take the form of a fetus inside his wife. Here, Miriam Natias and Jonathan La’Fey are said couple, and upon moving into the mansion, they are promptly visited by Jonathan’s deceased ancestor, Count La’Fey. That aside, it’s a cohesive concept, which is praiseworthy to say the least. The plot behind Abigail is based around the ever so popular theme of “couple inherits/buys new house, mysterious person(s) tell couple not to occupy house due to its haunted state, and couple does not listen and stubbornly settles down in house”. Abigail is and will forever remain the magnum opus of King Diamond’s career, as it accomplishes everything it sets out to be to perfection. While not thought provoking or entirely original in any way, they have some lasting entertainment value that is thankfully backed by surprisingly well done instrumental work. Diamond, upon forming his solo project, lost some of his old satanic infatuation and replaced it with tales of theatrical suspense and horror. Fronted by the infamous voice of one of black metal’s original pioneers, King Diamond, the album secured his place as one of metal’s most inventive and interesting characters. Flashback nearly two decades to 1987, the year Abigail was released. Some recent notables include The Mars Volta’s Deloused in the Comatorium, the story of Cerpin Taxt (Julio Venegas)’s drug and coma-induced visions, and Protest the Hero’s Kezia, the brief following of a young woman and her inevitable execution, told through the views of three different characters. The concept album is usually a remarkable piece of art, as a band has to be confident in their musical capabilities to the point where they can create a focal point or common theme within an album. Kim Bendix Petersen (King Diamond) – Vocals Review Summary: "Abigail! Nothing I can do but give in, Abigail!"Īt the time of recording, King Diamond was:
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