I read something interesting the other day – someone commented somewhere out in the social media-verse about how the majority of our older generations are so triggered by expressions like swearing or “taking the Lord’s name in vain” (I got that one a lot as a kid), but not triggered by racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, etc. As I listen to the new single from VEIL OF LIGHT called “Suburban War,” I’m thinking about the veneer of respectability my Eurocentric ancestors clung to while they robbed indigenous peoples of their land, children, language, and culture and threw their Japanese neighbors into internment camps. Like, it’s fine to throw rocks at those foreign kids, but just make sure your skirt is past your knee. I think about how many of them knew in their guts that what was socially acceptable was in fact despicable, dehumanizing behavior, but were too afraid of backlash to say anything. How many of them allowed racism and sexism and xenophobia to fall on their descendants’ shoulders to confront because they were too scared to challenge it themselves. Veil of Light carries the message of hiding from the judgment of the status quo on the back of their glorious post-punk synth melodies, and the video paints a picture of how the collective actions of some of our ancestors can tumble down on us like a landslide, leaving it up to us to dig our way out. Don’t worry Grandma and Grandpa – I’m all for punching Nazis while wearing a miniskirt. “Suburban War” is the latest single off Veil of Light’s upcoming release Landslide that comes out via AVANT! Records on April 2nd – pre-order it here. Right now, watch our exclusive premiere of the video below…
“Suburban War” deals with the feelings of not wanting to be instrumentalized by other people to do stuff you actually don’t want to do and can’t stand behind. When you’re at loggerheads with somebody but you can’t really articulate your disagreement. And at the same time you don’t really want to be the person to start an open conflict. The feeling manifests in a kind of hesitancy and paranoia. The Video was shot in Karlsruhe at a rural-furnished hotel and a gravel pit nearby while on tour for the one and only concert Veil Of Light played after the pandemic broke out.
Filmed and edited by Leonie Haab and Veil Of Light
LYRICS: I can’t quite say what it is I can’t quite say for what it’s worth But your neighbours might see I‘m afraid Don’t want to be dragged into Don’t want to be dragged into All i know All i really know for sure All i know All i really know for sure (into a) Suburban war I can’t quite tell what i fear I can’t quite tell how i feel Got to keep it to myself I‘m afraid Don’t want to be dragged into Don’t want to be dragged into All i know All i really know for sure All i know All i really know for sure (into a) Suburban war It takes a toll on me It takes a toll on us Please tell me now Who can you trust
