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.
Vicious Traditions
The Veils Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Gave his life for the nine million others
And on his graves written "Here lies Joseph"
His country's gun and innocent soldier
Well fight your way out of this one
Fight your way out of this one
Fight your way out of this one
Grew a blood red vision for all their good intentions
Made an easy million from a foreign investment
Danced with the devils in beautiful buildings
Affirmative action for a useful reunion
He'd change his name if it made any difference
He's waiting in line for the lasting confession
On his grave's written "Here lies our son Joseph"
His country's gun and innocent soldier
Fight your way out of this one (x7)
The Veils's song Vicious Traditions is a powerful commentary on the destructive cycle of war and the toll it takes on innocent soldiers who become mere pawns in the hands of politicians and governments. The song starts off with the lines "I'd pull my weight if it made any difference/Gave his life for the nine million others" which depict the futility of war and the helplessness of soldiers who are forced to fight for a cause that often has little to do with them. The reference to Joseph's grave being marked as an innocent soldier highlights the waste of human life that war often leads to, with countless lives lost or destroyed without any real purpose or outcome. The use of the phrase "country's gun" is particularly poignant and serves to emphasize the role of nations and governments in shaping the fate of countless young men and women.
The second verse of the song continues with the same theme, with a reference to a character who has made an easy million from a foreign investment, but who dances with the devil in his pursuit of wealth and power. The line "Affirmative action for a useful reunion" speaks to the way in which war is often used as a tool for political gain, with leaders using it to forge alliances or to distract from domestic troubles. The use of the phrase "waiting in line for the lasting confession" serves to highlight the guilt that many soldiers may feel after being part of a war, while the reference to "our son Joseph" underscores the way in which families and loved ones are also victims of the destructive cycle of war. Overall, the song is a powerful commentary on the human cost of war and the toll it takes on individuals, families, and entire societies.
Line by Line Meaning
I'd pull my weight if it made any difference
I would work hard if it would have a positive effect, but it won't.
Gave his life for the nine million others
Joseph died for his country and its large population.
And on his graves written "Here lies Joseph"
Joseph is buried there.
His country's gun and innocent soldier
He was an honorable soldier for his country.
Well fight your way out of this one
You're in a tough situation, so you'll have to fight to get out.
Grew a blood red vision for all their good intentions
People's good intentions had deadly consequences.
Made an easy million from a foreign investment
He earned a lot of money from foreign investments.
Danced with the devils in beautiful buildings
He associated with evil people in fancy locations.
Affirmative action for a useful reunion
Doing something positive to improve a bad situation.
He'd change his name if it made any difference
He'd alter his identity to make a change, but it wouldn't matter.
He's waiting in line for the lasting confession
He's waiting to confess something, but it's taking a long time.
On his grave's written "Here lies our son Joseph"
Joseph was someone's son and is buried there.
Fight your way out of this one (x7)
It's hard to escape, so you have to keep fighting.
Contributed by Kennedy D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.