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Jun 02, 2016 By Christopher Roberts The Veils

The Veils are releasing a new album, Total Depravity, on August 26 via Nettwerk. The album was co-produced by El-P of hip-hop duo Run the Jewels, along with Atom Greenspan (Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds) and Veils frontman Finn Andrews. Now the band has shared the album’s first single, “Axolotl.” El-P is an inspired choice of a producer, due to The Veils mainly being a rock band, and there is definitely an interesting production shift with “Axolotl.” Andrews’ dramatic vocals still help the band soar and easily connect this new sound to their previous one, however. Listen below via Stereogum, who premiered the track.

Total Depravity was recorded over a two-year span at Estúdios Sá da Bandeira in Portugal, Konk Studios in London, Casa Lynch in Los Angeles, and El-P’s studio in Upstate New York. Andrews commented on the album in a press release: “Over a period of roughly two years an album began to take shape. There is a large cast of characters on this record. L. Ron Hubbard, Axolotls of course, kind natured crocodiles, a psychotic truck driver, The Pope and Ingrid Bergman all get a look in. The songs are all stories of various kinds; some experienced firsthand, others fabricated for my own amusement. It’s the first time I’ve ever written songs using mutilated loops and sounds as a starting point, though some of the songs also began on piano and were messed with later.”

The album is the follow-up to 2013’s Time Stays, We Go. The striking cover art is by Italian artist Nicola Samorí. The Veils formed in New Zealand, but are based in London. Andrews will also be appearing in Showtime’s new Twin Peaks series airing next year. Read our recent 2015 Artist Survey interview with Andrews.