“'Tarot' is about feeling uncertain of the future, the decisions you’re making, and who you are becoming.”

W: Lyon Davies I: HoneyRobertsPhotography

There is a precise moment in every band’s trajectory when the initial inertia of formation gives way to a clear, uncompromised sense of identity. For North Wales-born, Liverpool-based outfit Veiled, that pivot point is happening right now.

Originally forming as a college project under a different guise, the post-punk four-piece quickly realised they had tapped into something far too potent to abandon at graduation. Relocating together to the North West to pursue their studies, the group spent two years honing their craft on the live circuit, supporting scene heavyweights like Black Rain, Social Youth Cult, and Liminal Project, while quietly rebuilding their artistic foundation from the ground up.

When asked to capture their sonic identity for first-time listeners in just three words, the band doesn't hesitate: "Introspective, haunting, and reverb." It is a precise, visual description of a group rooted in the shadowy, atmosphere-heavy lineage of classic British alternative music, yet firmly embedded in the modern post-punk landscape.

Before stepping on stage, the band’s backstage energy lands somewhere between sacred tradition and deliberate focus.

"We all do a shot together before a gig, typically Fireball or something like that. It’s called the 'Nocturnal Away', referencing our original name and our days in college," they explain. "Our singer, Izzy, is also very obsessive about warming up her voice, drinking tea—all the good singer habits."

That balance of camaraderie and discipline proved essential when navigating the single hardest obstacle of their career to date: scrapping half of their debut album mid-production and completely re-recording the remainder.

Starting from scratch was a significant financial and emotional strain, but for Veiled, compromise wasn't an option. The trial refined their resolve and cemented a unified creative vision. While the biggest day-to-day challenge remains the unglamorous struggle of "scheduling rehearsals around work and studies," the sacrifice has paved the way for an authentic introduction to who they are today.

The band’s single, 'Tarot', serves as the definitive opening statement of this new era. Richer, more personal, and far more reflective than their earliest releases, the track draws directly from a moment of uncanny real-world inspiration.

"'Tarot' is based on a tarot reading Izzy received during a festival we played in Wales a few years ago," the band reveals. "It is a song about feeling uncertain of the future, the decisions you’re making, and who you are becoming."

If 'Tarot' were to soundtrack a motion picture? "Greta Gerwig is directing, easy," they note. "A drama, probably. Something a bit sad and dramatic."

On stage, that dramatic tension translates into pure catharsis. While 'Tarot' explores internal searching, their set-list peak comes with 'The High Priestess'. "It’s our most cathartic track, it’s got the most punch, and it’s always really fun to embody the feeling of it when we play live."

Veiled's sound pays unabashed homage to the subcultures and sonic architects that came before them. The shadows of Joy Division's masterpiece 'Unknown Pleasures' loom large, a record they revere as genuinely ahead of its time for Ian Curtis’s unique, beautiful reflection on personal turmoil, alongside foundational blueprints from The Cure and Fleetwood Mac plus the broader lineage of Goth culture.

“We love playing goth gigs and being complimented post-set by an elder goth. There is no greater validation.”

That deep reverence for alternative subculture makes for some of their favourite live moments. "We love playing goth gigs and being complimented post-set by an elder goth. There is no greater validation to an alternative band like ourselves." (Though for vocalist Izzy, a close second was an audience member noticing her natural Welsh lilt: "That was Izzy’s vindication after being told she sounds American several times!")

Looking ahead, Veiled are intent on breaking their own self-imposed boundaries, namely, a habit of being overly self-critical and discarding songs prematurely. With their debut album finally locked in, their creative focus has inexplicably already surged toward record number two, experimenting with new themes and techniques before the first LP has even hit shelves.

For Veiled, the slate has been cleared, the foundation built, and the direction defined. Drop the needle, and step into the atmosphere.

“We’re already experimenting for our second album... which is odd, because we still haven’t released the first one.”