Album Review: Fog

Lung’s latest album Fog is a compelling dive into raw grunge-inflected alt rock that feels like a breath of anarchic fresh air in a landscape crowded with over-compressed, formulaic releases. Hailing from Wellington and with musical roots stretching back to the late 1980’s, Lung bring decades of grit and experience to this latest slab of sonic chaos and cohesion.

Fog opens with jagged excitement and never really lets up. Across its 12 tracks – including raucous cuts like Isolated Gun, Blood Clot, and the title track Fog, the band blends moments of ferocity with unpredictably melodic guitar work that often steals the show. What immediately stands out is the recording quality, unlike so much modern rock that’s been crushed into a loudness war casualty, Fog breathes. The instruments sit in a live, organic space that feels more studio than bedroom demo, allowing each riff and drum hit space to resonate.

Though comparisons to 90’s greats like Nirvana or the Brit-pop edge of Blur might tempt listeners, Lung’s vocalist takes a decidedly different path. The vocals here are often spoken or barked rather than sung, and crucially they’re secondary to the instrumentation. That choice isn’t a flaw, it reinforces the album’s aesthetic of controlled chaos, where the guitar carries the emotional weight and the voice becomes another textural instrument in the mix.

There’s a pleasing tension throughout the album between upbeat eruptions and more pensive, methodical builds. Tracks surge and stall, creating a sonic ride that feels at once unpredictable and well rounded. Far from being sloppy, the music feels intentionally imperfect, a welcoming midpoint between noise and structure. It’s punk in spirit without ever becoming simplistic, and it’s grunge in attitude without feeling derivative.

Whether you’re drawn to jagged guitar hooks, driving rhythms, or the thrill of something that feels freshly crafted rather than recycled, Fog is an album worth your attention. It’s messy in all the right ways unrestrained, visceral, and unmistakably real.

A raw and rewarding experience that proves Lung are fully in command of their signature sound.