UNTER NULL – Coming Up to Breathe
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For a while, there were quiet murmurs, occasional ripples of speculation — could it be true? Could the queen of dancefloor-fueled fury really be returning? Today, Alfa Matrix finally let the cat out of the bag: UNTER NULL rises again with a brand-new single, "Coming Up to Breathe." Twenty years after The Failure Epiphany — and especially the unforgettable brutality of "Sick Fuck" — Erica once again takes the stage. Back then, she stood shoulder to shoulder with the giants of harsh electro — Hocico’s Sangre Hirviente comes to mind — but brought her own brand of razor-edged vulnerability and unfiltered rage.
Now, in 2025, it's a new chapter.
"Coming Up to Breathe" may not seethe with the same unhinged aggression, but there’s no mistaking the bite. The melodies are more structured, the synths are sleek and melancholic, but the edge remains. Especially in the vocals: distorted, raw, laced with betrayal, pain, and final clarity. Erica doesn’t scream to provoke — she screams to survive.
The lyrics read like a purging — a brutal confrontation of gaslighting, betrayal, and the long road back to one’s voice. It’s still fierce, but more self-possessed. Less chaos, more purpose. From the opening line — "Your words were like fire, they burned so bright" — the track seethes with betrayal and defiance. Dunham’s voice is distorted, urgent, yet clear in its message: this is a battle cry disguised as a song. Lines like "I rise from the ashes, I have been so strong" are not just catharsis, they’re reclamation. It's not just about pain, it's about power. Her rage may be less explosive, but it's more precise — like a scalpel instead of a grenade.
Sonically, "Coming Up to Breathe" retains the emotional intensity of Unter Null’s roots but stretches it into a sleeker, darker, and more grown-up space. There’s still venom in the delivery, but it’s paired with composure — the kind that comes from surviving.
This is not the same Erica — and it shouldn’t be. The fire still burns, but now it glows from within. Intentional. Reclaimed. A different voice, perhaps, but still hers.
Now, in 2025, it's a new chapter.
"Coming Up to Breathe" may not seethe with the same unhinged aggression, but there’s no mistaking the bite. The melodies are more structured, the synths are sleek and melancholic, but the edge remains. Especially in the vocals: distorted, raw, laced with betrayal, pain, and final clarity. Erica doesn’t scream to provoke — she screams to survive.
The lyrics read like a purging — a brutal confrontation of gaslighting, betrayal, and the long road back to one’s voice. It’s still fierce, but more self-possessed. Less chaos, more purpose. From the opening line — "Your words were like fire, they burned so bright" — the track seethes with betrayal and defiance. Dunham’s voice is distorted, urgent, yet clear in its message: this is a battle cry disguised as a song. Lines like "I rise from the ashes, I have been so strong" are not just catharsis, they’re reclamation. It's not just about pain, it's about power. Her rage may be less explosive, but it's more precise — like a scalpel instead of a grenade.
Sonically, "Coming Up to Breathe" retains the emotional intensity of Unter Null’s roots but stretches it into a sleeker, darker, and more grown-up space. There’s still venom in the delivery, but it’s paired with composure — the kind that comes from surviving.
This is not the same Erica — and it shouldn’t be. The fire still burns, but now it glows from within. Intentional. Reclaimed. A different voice, perhaps, but still hers.
Welcome back, Erica. We’ve missed your fire.
Label: Alfa Matrix
Release Date: 4 April 2025
https://alfamatrix.bandcamp.com/album/coming-up-to-breathe
