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”:
Read the news on ‘Never / Return’.
About Undertheskin
Undertheskin is a Polish post-punk and coldwave project based between Kraków and Warsaw, led by vocalist, multi-instrumentalist and producer Mariusz “void” Łuniewski. Before starting the project he was involved with the gothic rock duo Deathcamp Project, then launched Undertheskin around 2014 as a studio project backed by a full live band on stage.
A self-titled debut, “Undertheskin”, appeared in 2015 on Alchera Visions and was reissued in 2018, with the band touring Europe alongside acts such as Drab Majesty, Cold Cave and Lebanon Hanover. The second album “Negative” followed on 29 April 2019, again through Alchera Visions. In 2020 the “End This Summer EP” paired the title track with remixes by Ash Code, Antipole, Shad Shadows and Kill Shelter, and Łuniewski later guested on “No Regrets” from Kill Shelter’s album “Damage”.
The 2023 single “Freezing Lights” introduced a more melodic, song-oriented turn and reappears as the opening track of “Never / Return”, the band’s first full-length for Young And Cold Records, released in December 2025.
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