Cover art for The Veil’s album Total Depravity by Nicola Samori
As the Catholic doctrine of total depravity speaks to the sinfulness and corruption of human nature, The Veils parallel this mindset in their 2016 album of the same name.
Total Depravity speaks volumes, features dark and ominous tones, prominent and capturing bass lines, and an overall eerie soundstage and profile. Total Depravity is like a horror movie for your ears by frightening you, yet capturing your curiosity at the same time.
“Axolotl” by The Veils
One common aspect of the music within the album is the thundering bass lines. From the beginning with their opener, “Axolotl,” the mood of the entire album is established in eight beats of bass keyboard.
At any point in every one of the 12 tracks, the bass line is clearly distinguishable and sometimes even the most prominent part of the song.
“Here Come the Dead” by The Veils
In “Here Come the Dead” a near constant bass drone plays throughout the whole piece, providing a foundation for the rest of the accompaniment to stand upon.
Within the same song, as well as others, The Veils utilize raunchy, raw strings to create music that puts their listeners on edge. A feeling of suspense and thrill is built from the ground up, giving their listeners a genuine experience full of thrills.
Along with their instrumental prowess, another part of what makes Total Depravity the thriller album it is can be credited to the lyricism of Finn Andrews, the band’s lead singer. With common themes centered around religion and morality, the connection to divinity can be easily found.
“Low Lays the Devil” by The Veils
In “Low Lays the Devil” Andrews makes clear connotations to God and the devil. With lyrics such as “low lays the devil in me,” the dark themes of this album become clear.
Total Depravity handles topics such as the corruption of humanity and the inevitable fall into sin. From the opener to the closer, a story of sin and corruption is told by Andrews.
While it is not difficult to create music that garners suspense or thrill from the listener, few artists are able to do it well, and even fewer are able to do it as genuinely and beautifully as The Veils. The unique sound that comes out of Total Depravity can be compared only to that of a horror or thriller movie. The suspense and eeriness that is created is truly a masterpiece for the ears.
You can check out Total Depravity by The Veils on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music or Deezer.
By Jernice KelleyWeb Content Contributor Social behavior shapes many of our everyday activities. Communication affects how we think of others and ourselves. Relationships shape our values, morals and persuade us on a fundamental level. Religion is one of those social aspects that greatly affect how we live. Throughout history, we have experienced several new religious movements that have garnered large communities with social influence. A new religious movement (NRM) is […]
Tedd Grogan on March 27, 2021
Great band! On point review, Joaquin!