Alternative Canadian rock.

Chug is an album of exasperated alternative rock with a radio-acoustic undertone that occasionally breaks through. It has a tangible, physical sound. You can hear the band playing. This is not a MIDI beat tossed over halfhearted vocals. Cam Kahin sings like he means it. While there are a few scream-along, headbang-at-90-on-the-highway-with-the-windows-down moments, the album as a whole leans more toward a hardcore-hoodie-on, long-walk-through-the-park atmosphere.

Opening the album is “can’t hide from you” (feat. Natsuko Miyamoto), and it immediately establishes the tone. The track begins with an eerie ringing that later returns at the end of the closer, “where’d it all go wrong,” tying the record together. Drums crash in aggressively before the rest of the instrumentation follows, briefly surging forward before pulling back to make space for the vocals. The energy remains high throughout and effectively sets the sonic foundation for the album.

In the later half of Chug, a more somber tone emerges as tempos slow, most notably on track seven, “Limbo.” Instruments drop out to spotlight the vocals, while the guitar seems to cry out in response. Despite the restraint, the intensity never fades. The shift feels deliberate rather than deflating, allowing emotion to take precedence without sacrificing momentum.

“where’d it all go wrong” closes the album on a strong note. Kahin breaks from his clean upper register into an emotionally charged lower shout, then flips back again, creating striking contrasts. The instrumentation moves fluidly around him, reinforcing the weight of his words and giving the finale a sense of earned release.