Written by Karly Jo 

In the broadest sense, A Doll for Abigail’s Self-titled debut is beautifully tragic loud music. It crosses the jagged, yet blurry line between the worlds of Screamo and Post-hardcore. Chicago continues to be a city filled with creatives seeing what musical boundaries they can push next. A Doll for Abigail is a prime example of this. 

“A Day from Today” gives an introduction into what this band is capable of. The violin work played by StefanÍa Quiñones is weaved throughout this first track seamlessly, right up against a pummeling rhythm section. The violin serves as this melodic bookend throughout the album. Track two, “Gray Sky”, is your classic screamo number with the chaotic, back and forth screams of main vocalist/bassist Cole Rickert, as well as from drummer J Caboose and guitarist Sean Paul Matt Jr. The bridge of this song was very reminiscent of Bullets-Era My Chemical Romance (which I’m sure there’s more callbacks to this era of Emo/Screamo I haven’t caught yet). 

Track six, “Love”, is the album’s longest song, just under three minutes and thirty seconds. It’s a song laced with so much tension and release, where the guitar riffs build and then ring out over Rickert’s outpour of emotion in lyrical form. Hearing the lines “It doesn’t take much to soften up your heart” and then into “And Love” screamed over beautiful, searing riffs is sure to make you want to put your head in your hands and take it all in. “Step Up to the Plate” was another hard hitter. A fun, bouncy track, filled with dueling riffs, and loud/soft parts down in classic screamo fashion. “Lieutenant Dan” is also another track I could definitely see myself screaming the words back, when I get a chance to see these guys live. 

“Hope Against Hope” serves as the perfect closer to this album. A perfectly haunting track once again laced with beautiful Violin double stops atop a finger-plucked acoustic guitar. The album is a cathartic listen- even at its softest moments. A fiery debut for A Doll for Abigail.

You can listen to A Doll for Abigail wherever you find your music.