Review by Mandeep Arora on April 21, 2024.

Some albums transcend the mere boundaries of numbers or ratings and occupy the highest possible pantheon where they remain supreme and unshakeable in their ever-dominant stature. Abigail is one such album - breathtaking, awe-inspiring and one of the most unique musical experiences you can be a part of. Being the band's second album, it takes inspiration and incorporates elements from Fatal Portrait but raises the bar so high it makes the latter seem rather ordinary. Essentially, it’s a heavy metal album that’s played at such a frenetic pace it almost borders on being speed metal, especially evident on songs like A Mansion in Darkness, The 7th July of 1777 and The Possession. With The Family Ghost and Black Horsemen being on the proggy side of things and an overall evil demeanour reminiscent of black metal, even though the sound and execution are far from it, it's as eclectic as eclectic comes.

It's a concept album, of course, and the story is set in the mid-nineteenth century, so the guitars have a strong neo-classical vibe to them that befits the story and atmosphere all the same. Being a King Diamond album, it’s melody-heavy, but nothing sounds crammed in or forced this time, a small complaint I'd from Fatal Portrait; the guitar solos fit flush with the riffs and their neo-classical sound is a pleasure to listen to - the soulfulness isn't lost in pursuit of being multi-layered and fast. The riffs shape up songs rather quickly, progressing naturally and beautifully and save for the elongated dark and beautiful acoustic intro on Black Horsemen and a shorter heart-rending one on The 7th July of 1777, slower sections are seldom present. There's even a weird, almost chilling, dissonance observed on some of the riffs, which sounds haunting and very, very creepy.

You'll hear synths and keyboards on multiple songs that help form mysterious-sounding passages. That, and the super-ominous Middle-Eastern influences on the title track make it a very atmospheric album - a thick dark cloak of ever-pervading gloom with an ever-present tinge of evil and discomfort, as though Abigail's yellow eyes (I hope that's not spoiler enough) have their constant gaze schemingly and slyly fixed on you. It's spooky for sure, and gets aggravated by the nicely written lyrics. Where Fatal Portrait struggled with being atmospherically convincing, considering how much emphasis they placed on the same, Abigail is all about atmosphere. The songs are much more in sync with each other and flow like the many hues of an evening sunset sky - constantly changing but beautifully so and never failing to captivate your senses.

Mikkey Dee is, yet again, phenomenal with his drumming, so much so that I can stick out my neck and say this album wouldn’t be what it is if it wasn’t for his performance. Be it wafting along the length of The 7th July of 1777 or going balls-out ballistic in the closing sections of Black Horsemen, his drumming patterns are so complex and powerful, and burst with such relentless energy, it's easily one of metal's most memorable drumming performances. The mix is typical of the ‘80s - subdued and low-fi. But every instrument is clearly audible right down to the bass. If Timi Hansen maintained a restrained approach on Fatal Portrait and burst only in short packets of abandon on that album, he's pure gobsmacking territory here. Always complementing the other instruments and treading along the length of the album, his basslines sound crisp and tasty and never invade the magnificence of anything else.

The vocals, too, are absolutely perfect in their overall heft in the mix; King's falsettos that sounded experimental and kind of over the place on Fatal Portrait are absolute perfection here. He hits the highs and maintains the lows without so much as breaking a sweat and whenever he does the occasional gruffy growl or a high-pitched shriek, the switch is much smoother and awe-inspiring. The constant vocal melodies he resorts to on song choruses and in the final sections of Black Horsemen sound haunting and mesmerising, also adding a ton to the atmosphere. His masterful modulation to suit the different scenes in the story, the different characters in those settings and their reactions in real time is what makes the story work so well. This is peak King Diamond vocal performance in my opinion, equalled only by his performance on The Eye.

Abigail may have been haunting us for what seems like an eternity but not a single solitary bit on it has lost its sheen. What adds to this perpetuity is simply excellent music played by excellent musicians at the absolute top of their game who knew exactly what they wanted to create - all these years and absolutely nothing sounds quite like it and nothing probably ever will. As I saunter my way through this review, now seemingly at its end, I'd like to think I have commentated a decent bit on what elevates it to top-tier status, but the nagging feeling that I could have written so much more forever persists; it's such a supererogation to bring to writing the unhindered and infinite sensations and emotions one feels when listening to this album. It’s a surprisingly palatable first-time listen and not as punishing as you might think. Sure, there’s a strong undertow of layered guitar work and multiple other elements to gingerly unravel but the overall effect isn't that of a wall of sound but rather a cosy embrace that tightens its grip on you with every passing listen.

In my opinion, Abigail is the best King Diamond album and the ideal starting point to get into the band. That it's one of the greatest ever as well only sweetens the deal.

Rating: 10 out of 10