A metalcore band that hails from El Paso, TX, ABIGAIL'S AFFAIR is releasing their debut album "Shattered". A band with quite a bit of skin in the metal game, they have been on the scene since 2018. They bring the claim to fame of fresh and unique sound, as well as an energetic live show.

"Other Half" starts of on a strong and stringy hit, leading the listener through fantastic and comfortable metalcore riffs. No notes seem ill placed, from clean chorus vocals to screams. The band puts three guitarists to good use with ringing clear overtones on top of chunky and heavy struck rhythms. The real highlight of the track, for me, is the breakdown feel in the middle. Heavy palm muting with a taste of distorted harmonics is always a solid choice. "G.F.Y." is a standout track before even pressing play. Come on, how could you go wrong naming a track so perfectly? The entire track seems an adequate F to it's intended target, and the point is enough to get anybody grooving. I can't think of a more relatable topic. The track is musically very similar sonically to the former but gives a different mix of emphasis including a short section of very personal sounding whine. The next showstopper track on my list is "Carpe Diem" for a few reasons. First and foremost is the guitar solo. I, too, love Holy Diver. Although derivative, this track really does include some fanciful string work that brings me joy. It is the blend that will add feeling that deserves to be in the track instead of over the top. Again, the work does not have a lot of variation in sound, but in my opinion that is a good thing with this team.

Real change ups take place in "Poison II". I really think it dials the whole thing over to some hard rock territory throughout good portions of the track, adding a little spice to an already solid metal tone. As a cherry on top of this more artful track you can hear some phenomenal lead work in the back half. Sweep picking and playful melodic runs set the tone for dark, clean vocals leading out. My take on the album overall: This is a fantastic band. The album has a hand full of perfectly forgivable issues, however the production value was phenomenal. Tone was always exactly right in the mix. These guys are a step above being on my radar now, and I look forward to seeing more metal chops out of them real soon. Find this album and give it a whirl, you will not be disappointed.