Have A Nice Life

Have a Nice Life is an American post-punk / shoegaze duo from Middletown, Connecticut, formed in 2000 by Dan Barrett and Tim Macuga. The project is known for blending gothic rock, industrial, ambient, and drone elements into an atmospheric and emotionally intense sound. Barrett is also known for his solo project Giles Corey and the now-defunct band In Pieces, while Macuga has been involved with black metal project Nahvalr and Western Massachusetts hardcore band The Danger Strangers. Have a Nice Life released their debut double album, Deathconsciousness, on January 24, 2008, through Enemies List Home Recordings. Recorded over five years on a budget of less than $1,000, the two discs are titled "The Plow That Broke the Plains" and "The Future" and are accompanied by a 70-page booklet presenting a fictional history of medieval heretics. The album gained cult classic status through online communities despite receiving little initial attention from professional music publications. Their second EP, Time of Land (2010), was released as a free digital download. The duo released their second studio album, The Unnatural World, on January 27, 2014, followed by Sea of Worry on November 8, 2019. Beginning in 2017, Have a Nice Life expanded to include a full live band featuring Myke Cameron, Ian Gustafson, and Rich Otero, with Sea of Worry becoming their first studio album to feature the full ensemble. Have a Nice Life's music is characterized by lo-fi production, dense atmospheric textures, and themes exploring death, depression, and existential despair. Their releases are distributed through Enemies List Home Recordings and Bandcamp. .