CoC : Abigail - Welcome All Hell Fuckers : Review

Abigail - _Welcome All Hell Fuckers_
(Drakkar Productions, 2001)
by: Quentin Kalis (8 out of 10)

Abigail were in that category of being one of those bands that I had heard of but had never paid much attention to and had never really regarded it worthwhile to make any sort of attempt to track down any of their releases. After hearing _WAHF_ I realised that I had been badly mistaken in any assumptions I had regarding this Japanese trio. If any of their previous releases can match the quality attained by this MCD -- and the two live tracks included suggest that they have -- then I have been a fool in not affording them any attention beforehand. With four originals and two live songs, _WAHF_ is a standard "gap-filler" CD, something to keep the fans satisfied whilst they work on their next full-length. The live tracks -- recorded in Tokyo in 1999 -- are predictably, not to mention obviously, rawer than the studio tracks. The guitars are a bit low in the mix and are slightly overwhelmed by the vocals and drums. While the live tracks aren't as good or entertaining as the original tracks, they are nevertheless sufficiently good to be entertaining and well worth a listen, though it would have been preferable to have been treated to an additional two originals. All the songs are immersed with some of the catchiest riffs possible. Every single track is uniquely and easily identifiable as an Abigail song, combining thrash elements with a strong modern sensibility, so that _WAHF_ never feels at all dated. Abigail are truly one of the most underrated and original bands.

(article published 3/7/2002)

CHATS
1/16/1999	A Cantwell	Abigail: A Different Shade of Sonnet

ALBUMS
9/1/1998	B Meloon	8	Abigail - Sonnets