It has been quite a long hiatus for New Zealand-based band The Veils led by singer/songwriter Finn Andrews. Over seven years to be exact without a new album, but the wait is no longer with the release of their cinematic and emotional double album …And Out Of The Void Came Love. The fifteen track full length released via Ba Da Bing Records is meant to be listened to in two settings with a break in between. The result is a masterpiece, a fulfilling sonic journey highlighting existential themes such as love, loss, fatherhood, destiny, and the perplexities of human existence. …And Out Of The Void Came Love is complete with cinematic indie rock singles, delicate folk numbers and even Americana-drenched tunes, making for a must listen.
The album begins with "Time", a heart-wrenching piano-driven song filled with lush string arrangements and Finn Andrew's breathtakingly haunting vocals. The song profiles our relationship with time and how we can often feel powerless to it. Finn sings, "Time is a tempest tearing you apart / time has a well-known distrust of the heart.” The song is the perfect opener lurring the listener in with every note. Ready for the next awakening, the listener is drawn into the second track on the album, the explosive "No Limit of Stars", a cinematic indie rock offering contemplating life, death and the vastness of the universe. Finn sings out "I raised my eyes to the sky and I saw no limit of the stars / we don't live long beneath no limit of stars". Complete with flickering melodies and stunning climatic soundscapes, "No Limit of Stars" sonically is expansive to parallel the extensive and mysterious universe.
The highlight of the album is the mood rich single "Undertow". The dark rock brooding track features Finn's deep and cathartic vocals singing colliding melodies over woozy guitar riffs and atmospheric landscapes. The autobiographical "Undertow" is "embarrassingly enough, a song about writing songs, written at what I admit was a pretty low ebb for me emotionally. Both my parents are writers, and though I am grateful to it for the life it continues to afford me, it is a complex genetic inheritance," confides Finn.
Another standout on the album's first half is the upbeat and rawkus "Bullfighter (Hand of God)". This Americana-drenched goth rock tune was inspired by a crazy hallucination Finn had while sick with a high fever due to the flu. He was a bull in the haze being fought and ultimately stabbed by a being in red. With lyrics including, "Stands there in ecstasy / blood rising to his knees / now bullfighter," Finn brings the listener to an intense fight to the death. Chugging acoustic guitar riffs, echoing soaring vocals and chaotic drum beats are highlights in this unique track.
"Made From Love With Far To Go" is a poetic narrative on what holds us back from becoming the best version of ourselves and the mistakes we make in life. "My hand upon my gun / I was made from love / but now I'm far below / and I'm so far to go," Finn croons acknowledging his own imperfections. Spanish guitar riffs thrill under a gospel inspired chorus full of fervor and yearning, for an unforgettable listen.
The album concludes with "Cradle Song" a delicate rhyme filled with warm piano chords and heartfelt lyrics. The single is a sonic poem of love, dedicated to his baby girl. With lyrics including, "may the fire be your friend / and the sea rock you gently / may the moon light your way / till the wind sets you free," Finn wants the best for his daughter and hopes the world will show her happiness and protection.
…And Out Of The Void Came Love came from a tumultuous time for The Veils, with Finn Andrews breaking his wrist, unable to play and perform for a lengthily hiatus. His resilience shines through though on this double album, making it a standout and important listen filled with joy and sorrow alike.
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