Asphodels was recorded live to tape over five days at Roundhead Studios in Aotearoa New Zealand, in the spring of 2023. ‘I particularly love the string arrangements on this song; like spectres or fireflies or… something. It was recorded on an upright piano stuffed with felt to muffle the hammers which I think makes it feel particularly intimate.’

The Veils debut album The Runaway Found turned 20 last year which provided Andrews with a healthy dose of existential dread. “I feel as though this album is the end result of a now disconcertingly long career in music,” says Andrews. “I think after your 7th album, much like turning 40, you should really just stop counting. I’ve learned a lot along the way, which I suppose is the whole point, and I’ve really distilled it all into these 9 songs.”

The album takes its name from the Ancient Greek flower of the Underworld, and lyrically, Andrews draws more from poets like Federico García Lorca, Ted Hughes or Louis MacNeice than he does from the well of more traditional rock and roll songwriters. The collaboration between Andrews and string arranger Victoria Kelly is also a central aspect to the record, and as with the band’s previous album …And Out Of The Void Came Love, Kelly plays a large role in bringing the songs to life. Andrews says “I really wanted the string arrangements to behave like another member of the band. We even fleshed the character out, like an actor playing a role. It’s this collaboration with Vic that is really at the centre of this record I think.”

Asphodels will be released on January 24, 2025 on V2 Records/ Banished From The Universe.
Preorders are now available from theveils.com/shop