Fresh off a slight rename from KOLLAPS\E, , the Swedish post-metal and sludge outfit K L P S, has shared their new single “Undertow,” taken from the group’s forthcoming self-titled album—scheduled to arrive on March 7, 2025, via These Hands Melt.
Having heard “Undertow” in advance, I’m taken back about 25 years to an era when that level of crushing weight wasn’t as common—at least for me. It’s reminiscent of the profound experiences delivered by acts like Cult of Luna, who transported listeners to the darker corners of the human psyche during live shows.
The production on “Undertow” also stands out for its carefully structured intensity, offering just enough breathers without breaking the overall heaviness. It makes me wonder whether the rest of the album will follow this balanced approach or maintain a consistently dense onslaught.
“Undertow” itself is a sludgy post hardcore and post metal track that begins with a wavy feedback intro, then plunges into overlapping guitar, synth melodies, and vocals. Eventually, it surges toward a dramatic, crushing peak before settling into a calmer end section.
In terms of lyrics, the band emphasizes metaphor and introspection, encouraging listeners to immerse themselves in a vast “void of nothingness” and confront their inner feelings.
For K L P S, the tides of life can feel overwhelming, yet there’s something beautiful in drifting along the ebb and flow of existence.
This track—and the five others that form S/T—were originally written around and after the group’s previous release, Phantom Centre. As time went on, the songs went through multiple tweaks, including a shift from a longer ambient intro to the more immediate feedback opening and a closing segment that hands much of the spotlight to the bass.
K L P S stresses that this record is all about letting each song reach its full potential without overcomplicating the process.
They started with more material, narrowed it down, and then introduced additional vocals, synth parts, and ambience to shape their final vision.
The band notes that “Undertow” evolved significantly during these last-stage revisions, which gave the track an identity distinct from its earliest form. It quickly became their top choice for the first single—a clear sign of their confidence in how the final version came together. As they put it, “We did a good job getting those six songs to sound as diverse as we could. I feel that on this album we became better at crafting our sound and writing songs, and this is something we will try to bring into the next thing we do.”
S/T will drop on March 7, 2025, and pre-orders will be available soon via major music platforms.
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