Australian alt-rock icons Kisschasy are making sure 2026 starts on a high note, dropping their latest anthem, ‘Better’, as the final preview of their long-awaited fourth studio album. Arriving just ahead of the full release of 'The Terrors Of Comfort' on 13 February, the track represents a pivotal shift in the band’s return.
While the album's lead-up was defined by the grittier, introspective tones of ‘Lie To Me’, ‘Parasite’, and ‘Uncomfortably Numb’, ‘Better’ closes the record with a sense of clarity. It is a vibrant, soaring piece of pop-rock that trades the previous singles' themes of apathy for a monumental, uplifting chorus.
Frontman Darren Cordeux explains the intentional placement of the track: “'Better' is the last song on 'The Terrors Of Comfort' and for good reason; it offers a glimpse of hope after taking the listener through the unsettling world of vice and distraction. It's a kind of an inverted love song - a song about saying goodbye to something or someone in order to better love oneself.”
The track’s optimistic energy wasn't just a lyrical choice but a musical one. Cordeux notes: “Many times, when writing a song, the music and melody can inform the lyrics, or at least the theme. This song had an optimistic, expansive sound so I thought the concept could be about liberating oneself from that negative force mentioned in previous singles ‘Parasite’ and ‘Lie To Me’.”
To capture this renewed energy, the band split recording sessions between Woodstock Studios in Melbourne and Hermon’s Hermit Studio in LA. The production team—including Cordeux and Richard Stolz, with mixing by John O’Mahony and mastering by Ian Sefchick—prioritised a "live" feel over studio perfection. Cordeux credits the chemistry with bandmates Karl, Sean, and Joel for this raw authenticity.
“The songs retain a certain spark because we didn’t have time to overthink or overproduce them. That spark is this album’s secret weapon. It’s raw but still Hi-Fi, it has hiss and hum, the tempos ebb and flow but to me it sounds alive, it sounds commanding and it sounds like good chemistry. After playing with a variety of people for a few years I learned how hard it can be to get other musicians to see your vision. With Karl, Sean and Joel it’s instantaneous - they always manage to transcend what I’m hearing in my head and transmute the song into its best possible incarnation. That’s something I’ll never take for granted again.”
With a massive arena tour alongside Good Charlotte and Yellowcard on the horizon, the Melbourne four-piece is proving that their influence remains as potent as ever.
