Undertheskin – Never / Return (Digital/CD/Vinyl/Cassette Album – Young And Cold Rrecords)
The Polish project Undertheskin returned in December 2025 with their third album. This is their first new opus since “Negative” (2019) and also their debut album on Young And Cold Records.
“Negative” was a true gem in the Dark-Wave genre, an influence that is retained on this new full-length release. The music remains steeped in a pitch-black atmosphere, yet “Never / Return” also sounds slightly more melodic and—one might even say—a bit more ‘Pop’-oriented. This is particularly evident in some of the choruses, where they occasionally evoke an imaginary hybrid of Mesh (for the Pop sensibility) and The Cure (for the dark atmosphere). The final section, however, turns darker and somewhat more melancholic, achieving a perfect balance between guitars and synths. Add to that the passionate vocals of frontman and founder Mariusz Łuniewski, and Undertheskin has once again delivered a highly accomplished effort.
In my opinion, this is a band that deserves wider recognition, although any true Post-Punk enthusiast has likely already discovered both the group and this excellent new release. (Rating:8½).
Listen to “End This / Winter”:
https://underskin.bandcamp.com/track/end-this-winter
I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.
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