Each Measure Feature: Awaiting Abigail
FEATURE
“Falling Under” is the new dynamic single from metal band Awaiting Abigail. The song opens on stripped back keys and echoey, light vocals which, in moments, you could swear are strings. For just a few bars, we are listening through the otherworldly facade of whatever this is. Then a barrier breaks. A marching drumbeat gives way to a brooding guitar solo and, finally, the vocals.
With notable control, Abigail sings, “Whispers of deception tangled in my mind.” There is a clarity to her voice that contrasts with the grit of the instrumentals. She conveys youthfulness and brightness but adds a light growl here and some listlessness there to meet the genre.
The lyrics describe toxic cycles of control and defiance and the mix mirrors these cycles—alternately lifting the vocals and burying them beneath the instrumental. You get the sense that front woman Abigail Hill is bobbing on and under the surface.
Formed in 2024, Awaiting Abigail’s other members include former high school bandmates Heather Hammonds on drums, James Smith on guitar, Laurie Barnett on bass as well as the father-daughter duo Mike Tolfa on guitar and Kori Tolfa on keys. Together, they’ve created a sound reminiscent of those late 80s and 90s hard rock bands but with a modern social consciousness. Awaiting Abigail has chosen to debut four singles at once. “I Hate You” is an uptempo anti-gossip interrogation, “People Pleaser” a self-deprecating lament, and “Bad Mind” serves as the mental health anthem.
Rounding out the bunch, “Falling Under” employs musical storytelling that takes the listener through various stages of dysfunction. In the verses, the heavily rhythmic instrumentals propel our vocalist to gather her strength until, in the pre-chorus, it starts to sound like things could come to an explosive head. Instead, a plunging chord progression leads us into the hook where the pounding relents and Abigail sings she’s “falling under, falling under a spell.” It sounds as if her head is swimming and she’s struggling to gain focus. That is, until the verse starts back up again. We are eager to keep an eye on Awaiting Abigail and see what comes next.
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