'I Want You To Drool': The Veils' Finn Andrews Opens Up On New Album 'Total Depravity'

London-based indie-rock outfit The Veils have just ushered their fifth studio full-length, Total Depravity, into the world and, to celebrate the release, The Music is privileged to host an exclusive Q&A with the band's frontman, Finn Andrews, about the new record and new single Low Lays The Devil.

In the wake of a four-star review from The Music writer Ross Clelland, highlighting Andrews' "whisper-to-scream emotionalism" and the extreme aural delights the often "utterly visceral" band are capable of delivering in abundance, it's understandable that Total Depravity has been broadly acclaimed by critical ears — and Andrews is not shy about discussing the "darker, heavier, stranger" influences that helped the album take its final form.

The album carries extra prestige in the form of carrying the co-production touch of venerated musician El-P, of Run The Jewels, who collaborated with Andrews on bringing the album together over a period of about two years, in locations from Portugal and London to Los Angeles and New York.

Give Total Depravity — released this past Friday, 26 August, on Nettwerk Music — a listen in full, and read through Andrews' reflections on the album, below.

How is this single and forthcoming album different from past releases?

Well we've had a strange few years, I think you can hear that in it. We worked with El-P on a lot of this record and I think his influence can be felt too. It's darker, heavier, stranger. I hope that when listening to it from start to finish you'll have no idea where you're going to end up.

What would you like the listener to get out of Low Lays The Devil?

I want you to drool.

The album cover image is truly striking. How did you first come across Nicola Samorí's work?

I was introduced to his work through friends in Florence, the second I saw it I thought it would be a perfect fit for the record.

How does the artwork and music tie together? Is there a thread or running theme?

I think they are both about classical ideas being sometimes violently deconstructed. There was a lot of making things then scratching away at them on this record and I think the painting sums that up nicely.

How did you want the album to sound at first and did that change during recording?

I never really plan anything, I'm too fucking disorganised for that. I just write every day and the decisions come later. I knew I wanted to go somewhere different with this one but I had absolutely no idea how to go about it.

The ideas all just evolved slowly until it felt finished. It took ages.

Finally, who's your favourite new Australian band?

I haven't heard anything new in a while; I like that Peter Bibby guy, though.

The Veils'​ Total Depravity is available now via Nettwerk Music.