Their sound has been compared to artists as diverse as Jeff Buckley, The Birthday Party, The Smiths, and Joy Division. Their live shows have become famed for their emotional intensity and Finn's often scarily possessed stage presence and his unique singing voice.
They released their debut album, The Runaway Found, in Spain late in 2003. The first single from the album, Lavinia, was released through Rough Trade on November 24, 2003. They released the album globally in January 2004 with a different track listing. It went gold worldwide the following year.
The original lineup of The Veils (which included Oli Drake, Ben Woollacott and Adam Kinsella) disbanded in late 2004, and Andrews returned to New Zealand in order to find a new lineup. He spent the New Zealand summer rehearsing with high school classmates Liam Gerrard (keyboards) and Sophia Burn (bass), and the trio returned to London early 2005. There they got connected to Dan Raishbrook (Guitar) and Henning Dietz (drums). However Liam Gerrard left the band half way into their American tour in 2007.
The group recorded their second album Nux Vomica at Underbelly Studios in Los Angeles, with producer Nick Launay, and the album was released September 18, 2006. The album features string arrangements by ex-Lounge Lizard and long time Lou Reed collaborator Jane Scarpontoni. Nux Vomica featured on 9 critics' Best Of The Year lists in 2006.
In the 16 months following the release of Nux Vomica The Veils played over 250 shows across 15 countries and during the U.S. leg of the tour it was announced that keyboardist Liam Gerrard would leave the band to return home to New Zealand due to personal reasons. The Veils carried on as a four piece and, whilst living out of a classic car garage in Oklahoma City, started recording new demos between playing shows on the east and west coasts of the America. By mid-2008 they were back to London to begin work on their third album with producer Graham Sutton. The recording sessions at West Point Studios lasted only three weeks and at the end of the summer the album was done and ready to be mixed. In March 2009 they began touring the new songs in Europe and America with new drummer Raife Burchell (of Jetplane Landing), after Henning Dietz' defection. Sun Gangs was released on April 6 2009 and was featured in many websites top albums of 2009.
The band spent the summer of 2010 working on new material. On December 6 it was announced that a new 7 song EP entitled Troubles of the Brain is set to be released on January 24, and that the band had left Rough Trade after almost 9 years and started their own label, Pitch Beast Records. The EP is produced by Finn Andrews and Bernard Butler and was recorded at Finn's home studio in London.
In mid 2012 The Veils threatened legal action on UK hardcore band Veils due to the similarity in name. This forced Veils to alter the spelling of their name to Vales.
The Veils released their next album in april 2013 titled , ‘Time Stays, We Go’ in April 2013. Three years later Total Depravity (2016) saw the daylight.
In 2016 David Lynch revealed that Finn would appear in the new series of Twin Peaks due to air early 2017.
In 2023 The Veils released ...And Out of the Void Came Love after a long struggle with songwriting that only came together after the birth of Andrews' first child. The COVID pandemic had seen the departure of longtime members Dietz and Burn (who had been the longest continuous presence in the band after Andrews) and the arrival of Tiny Ruins bassist Cass Basil.
Low Lays the Devil
The Veils Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Still in your heart as you sleep
Old as the lay of the land
Cold as all matters at hand
Long as the river of song
Mad as the world it moves on
High as the heavenly sea
High as the heavenly sea
Low lays the devil in me
Straight as the wood of the cross
Wild as all the love that you lost
As sure as inside the egg lays the yolk
I'm standing outside the gates of hell
And I'll keep singing 'til I croak (oh baby)
High as the heavenly sea
Low lays the devil in me
High as the heavenly sea
Low lays the devil in me
Come lay your head on my lap
And let your hair fall back
You've got to live with yourself
So baby don't look back
Come lay your head on my lap
And let your hair fall back
You've got to live with yourself
So baby don't look back (don't look back)
High as the heavenly sea
Low lays the devil in me
High as the heavenly sea
Low lays the devil in me
High as the heavenly sea
Low lays the devil in me
High as the heavenly sea
Low lays the devil in me
The Veils' song "Low Lays The Devil" reflects on the dichotomy of human nature, where the goodness and the evil exist simultaneously. The lyrics describe the opposing forces of good and evil that are present in every individual. The opening lines of the song "quiet as that secret you keep, still in your heart as you sleep" suggest that the devil within us is not an external force but an internal one. The next line "Old as the lay of the land, cold as all matters at hand" refers to the deep-rooted nature of this inner struggle, which has existed since time immemorial, and the harsh reality of human existence.
The lyrics "High as the heavenly sea, Low lays the devil in me" explore the dualistic nature of human beings. The devil and the divine are at opposite ends, with one being good and the other evil, and yet they exist together in every individual. The singer acknowledges that he himself is not free from this struggle between the forces of good and evil present within him. The next verse "straight as the wood of the cross, wild as all the love that you lost, as sure as inside the egg lays the yolk" highlights the unpredictable nature of human emotions and experiences, with love and loss being as unpredictable as the yolk inside an egg.
The song concludes with "Come lay your head on my lap and let your hair fall back, you've got to live with yourself, so baby don't look back." These lines suggest that life is an endless struggle, and one must come to terms with oneself and learn to live with oneself despite the good and evil forces within us. In conclusion, The Veils' "Low Lays The Devil" is a brilliant take on the timeless battle between good and evil, and the human struggle which defines our existence.
Line by Line Meaning
Quiet as that secret you keep
My true feelings and emotions remain hidden and unspoken... silenced.
Still in your heart as you sleep
Though you may not be aware of it, these secrets still linger within you even as you rest.
Old as the lay of the land
These secrets and emotions have been with me for as long as the earth has existed.
Cold as all matters at hand
These secrets and emotions have a chill and bitter quality, reflecting the harsh realities of my life.
Long as the river of song
Just as music has always existed, these secrets and emotions have been a part of me for as long as I can remember.
Mad as the world it moves on
These emotions are wild, chaotic and tumultuous, much like the ever-changing nature of the world.
High as the heavenly sea
There are moments when I feel as though I am soaring through the heavens, free and unburdened.
Low lays the devil in me
But despite these moments of bliss, there is always a darkness lurking within me, ready to emerge.
Straight as the wood of the cross
My true nature and beliefs remain unwavering, as straight and true as the wooden cross.
Wild as all the love that you lost
Even as I maintain this unwavering persona, I am tormented by the wild and tumultuous memories of lost love.
As sure as inside the egg lays the yolk
There are some things in life that are certain and unchanging, much like the yolk within an egg.
I'm standing outside the gates of hell
Despite my unwavering nature and certainty, I still find myself teetering on the edge of darkness and evil.
And I'll keep singing 'til I croak (oh baby)
No matter how difficult or painful it may be, I will continue to sing my truth until my last dying breath.
Come lay your head on my lap
Let me comfort you and ease your pain.
And let your hair fall back
Relax and let go of your worries.
You've got to live with yourself
Ultimately, we all have to face our own demons.
So baby don't look back
Don't dwell on the past or worry about what's to come.
High as the heavenly sea
There are moments when we feel untouchable and free.
Low lays the devil in me
But there is always a darkness lurking within us, ready to emerge.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Finn Andrews
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@putorocks1
[Verse 1]
Quiet as that secret you keep
Still in your heart as you sleep
Old as the lay of the land
Cold as all matters at hand
Long as the river of song
Mad as the world it moves on
[Chorus]
High as the heavenly sea
Low lays the devil in me
High as the heavenly sea
Low lays the devil in me
[Verse 2]
Straight as the wood of the cross
Wild as all the love that you lost
As sure as inside the egg lays the yolk
I'm standing outside the gates of hell
And I'll keep singing 'til I croak (oh baby!)
[Chorus]
High as the heavenly sea
Low lays the devil in me
High as the heavenly sea
Low lays the devil in me
[Bridge]
Come lay your head on my lap
And let your hair fall back
You've got to live with yourself
So baby don't look back
Come lay your head on my lap
And let your hair fall back
You've got to live with yourself
So baby don't look back (Don't look back!)
[Chorus]
High as the heavenly sea
Low lays the devil in me
(X4)
@hesp248
@@benmarkus3675 It's the beginning of the third Canto. It says:
"Per me si va ne la città dolente,
per me si va ne l'etterno dolore,
per me si va tra la perduta gente.
(...)
Lasciate ogni speranza, voi ch'entrate."
Which translated into English it's:
"Through me the way is to the city dolent;
Through me the way is to eternal dole;
Through me the way among the people lost.
All hope abandon, ye who enter in!"
@theclew2657
Glad the show "Lucifer" brought more people to this amazing band!
@michal_sliwinski
Took the words out of my mouth, mate!
@Rick.Grimes.01
Glad the show The Almighty Johnsons brought me to this band.
@dipermandiperman3520
Did it? Need to check it out! im actually here bc of his father...and all the story.
@FallinFromTheSkyy
Found it on Lucy a few years back, glad I did 😀
@stormblok3048
The show Twin Peaks brought me
@sephdan96
I love the use of silhouettes in this video. Really beautiful cinematography.
@makie2013
sameeeee 🔥🔥🔥
@panagiotisnestoroudis9990
Lucifer didnt bring me here
but
the comments of this song sent me to Lucifer!! :P
@GabrielSolisDesign
You have exactly 66 upvotes. You need another 600 to make this especially creepy.