APOCALYPTICA Releases 'Upperhand' Song For 'Control Resonant' Video Game

Finnish cello rockers APOCALYPTICA have teamed up with Katrine Stenbekk of Norwegian alternative folk band KALANDRA for "Upperhand", which evolved from their instrumental main theme of Remedy Entertainment's upcoming video game CONTROL Resonant.

Born from the game's unsettling, paranatural world, "Upperhand" turns the tension of CONTROL Resonant into a dark and cinematic metal anthem. APOCALYPTICA's melancholic cellos and thunderous rhythms are joined by Katrine Stenbekk's ethereal vocals, creating a track that feels equally at home in a movie score and on the concert stage.

"The first version of 'Upperhand' was written as intro music for the game's opening sequence," says APOCALYPTICA founder Eicca Toppinen. "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."

"Upperhand" captures the uneasy pull between fear and discovery at the heart of CONTROL Resonant. With its sweeping cellos, shadowy textures and KALANDRA's otherworldly vocals, the song brings the game's mysterious universe to life while showcasing APOCALYPTICA at their most cinematic and emotionally powerful.

Formed by classically trained musicians at Helsinki's Sibelius Academy in 1993, APOCALYPTICA began 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 of its release.

Across nine albums and more than six million records sold, APOCALYPTICA have built a sound and songwriting identity of their own, taking their music to festival stages around the world. They have collaborated with artists including HIM's Ville Valo, SLIPKNOT's Corey Taylor, BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE and former SLAYER drummer Dave Lombardo, while their relationship with METALLICA has grown from inspiration to friendship. The band performed at METALLICA's 30th-anniversary shows in 2011, and their latest album, "Plays Metallica, Vol. 2", brings their story full circle with a guest appearance from METALLICA bassist Robert Trujillo and frontman James Hetfield.

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. The story is designed to welcome new players while taking returning fans deeper into the world of CONTROL.

Developed and published by Remedy Entertainment, with Annapurna Pictures as co-financier and co-producer, CONTROL Resonant launches 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.

Photo credit: Riki Murto