Better Life began as an applied research and investigation of the metal genre. Coming from a background in experimental rock and improvisation, the band began to utilize drop tunings, chaos, and screams in their music. The aim was to push their sound into more extreme territories, directly influenced by metal. The result ultimately became Better Life´s first single, Shy. A firm step from experimental rock; toward something far more brutal.

Shy is a fast-paced track that leaves no room to breathe, until it collapses into a desperate meltdown of self-reflection. Built from dissonant guitars, vibrant drums and loud screams, the song is charged with suspenseful energy, creating a constant tension between constraint and release.

The musical influences span from the experimental rock of This Heat and Swans; the tension of slowcore act Slint, to the chaos of Chat Pile’s noise-rock, together with the physical effect of hardcore bands like Deaf Club.

“The song is about feeling lost while trying to find yourself in new relationships. I wrote the lyrics as if being in a place of restraint, of expressing my thoughts and opinions somehow, that often ends up in incomplete sentences.” – Simon Hiemstra

Shy is being released on September 23rd and is the first single from Better Life’s self-titled debut album, out via Copenhagen-based label Over The Under and Happy Metal Records in February 2027.