Finnish cello metal pioneers Apocalyptica have teamed up with Norwegian alternative folk band Kalandra for “Upperhand,” a new single and official video that evolved from their instrumental main theme for Remedy Entertainment’s new video game CONTROL Resonant.
Born from the game’s unsettling, paranatural world, “Upperhand” turns the tension of CONTROL Resonant into a dark, cinematic metal anthem. Apocalyptica’s melancholic cellos and thunderous rhythms are joined by the ethereal vocals of Kalandra’s Katrine Stenbekk, resulting in a track that feels just as much at home in a movie score as it does on a concert stage.
Apocalyptica founder Eicca Toppinen explains:
“The first version of Upperhand was written as intro music for the game’s opening sequence. It reflects the uneasy emotions of the main character in transition to the unknown. I wanted to expand it into a full song with lyrics, and we were so lucky to get Katrine from Kalandra with her unique voice to carry this where it was supposed to go.”
He adds:
“This song combines multiple special qualities of APOCALYPTICA, and getting those qualities to serve the world of CONTROL was a challenging but exciting and rewarding journey. I truly hope CONTROL and APOCALYPTICA fans will find this as special as we do.”
With its sweeping cellos, shadowy textures and Kalandra’s otherworldly vocals, “Upperhand” captures the uneasy pull between fear and discovery at the heart of CONTROL Resonant, bringing the game’s mysterious universe to life while showing Apocalyptica at their most cinematic and emotionally powerful.
About CONTROL Resonant
CONTROL Resonant is the sequel to Remedy Entertainment’s multi-award-winning CONTROL. Set in a surreal, reality-bending New York, the game follows Dylan Faden as he harnesses paranatural powers and transforms the Aberrant to take on formidable enemies and bosses. Developed and published by Remedy Entertainment, with Annapurna Pictures as co-financier and co-producer, the game launched digitally on September 24, 2026 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Steam and the Epic Games Store. Its original score is composed by Petri Alanko, while Apocalyptica created “Upperhand” for the game’s opening sequence.
About Apocalyptica
Formed by classically trained musicians at Helsinki’s Sibelius Academy in 1993, Apocalyptica started as an unlikely experiment: playing Metallica songs on cellos. Their 1996 debut, Plays Metallica by Four Cellos, took off so quickly that they were opening for Metallica within months. Across nine albums and more than six million records sold, the band have built a sound of their own and collaborated with artists such as Ville Valo, Corey Taylor, Bullet For My Valentine and Dave Lombardo. Their latest album, Plays Metallica, Vol. 2, brings the story full circle with guest appearances from Metallica’s Robert Trujillo and James Hetfield.
Apocalyptica Are
- Eicca Toppinen – Cello
- Paavo Lötjönen – Cello
- Perttu Kivilaakso – Cello
Photo credit: Riki Murto
