Remedy Entertainment, the Finnish game studio that has achieved global success, released its new game CONTROL Resonant, and Finnish talent shines through in the game’s music as well: Apocalyptica, responsible for the game’s theme, released the single “Upperhand”, which serves as that theme, featuring vocals by Katrine Stenbekk of the Norwegian alternative folk band Kalandra. Stenbekk’s ethereal vocals and Apocalyptica’s melancholic yet powerful sound create a combination that perfectly suits the core theme of CONTROL Resonant: the tension between fear and discovery.

The song is based on the video game’s instrumental main theme, which draws from the game’s distinctly paranormal and unsettling world, painted in shades of shadow.

“The initial version of ‘Upperhand’ was written as the music for the game’s opening scene,” says Eicca Toppinen. “It reflects the protagonist’s unsettled emotions as she moves toward the unknown. I wanted to expand it into a full song and add lyrics, and we were incredibly lucky to have Katrine from Kalandra—with her unique voice—take the track in the direction it was meant to go.” “This track combines many of the signature elements characteristic of Apocalyptica, and adapting them to serve the world of CONTROL was a challenging yet exciting and rewarding journey. I truly hope that fans of both CONTROL and Apocalyptica find this as special as we do,” says Toppinen.

The music video for “Upperhand” was directed by Jens de Vos and is now available to watch here.

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