INSECT: LUNGS FILLED WITH DIRT TWO-TRACK REVIEW
Hardcore-Metalcore Band Insect of Gold Coast/Meanjin-Brisbane has released their latest Two-Track Lungs Filled With Dirt, marking the bands first release with guitarist João Johann. Insect hit the scene in 2021 with
their debut single Horde in 2021, subsequently unleashing EP Runt of the Litter (2023) and two-track Neanderthal (2025). Lungs Filled With Dirt opens with the Prelude, Bleed the pigs. Bleed the pigs is a mostly instrumental piece that will have you fired up immediately with aggressive and screeching guitars, heavy bass lines and crushing drums. While the track is classically hardcore at only fifty-three seconds long, the song sets the tone for what is to come with natural ease. BLEED THE PIGS!
Liam on Bleed the pigs - "Cut the head off every power abusing group or person, cops, your abusive parent, politicians, the courts, corrupt labels, the “tough” cunt and his lackeys in your local scene. Anyone in this life who misuses their power in gross conduct deliberately with no repercussion."
Buried 12 feet deep, Still breathing, Still living, No flowers at my headstone, You’ll never get your body, The distant black, Is ever growing back, The earth will swallow whole, Until the worms start feeding. Bleed the pigs immediately steps into Lungs filled with dirt, and a new sound for Insect. While Insect has always had the metalcore influence under the surface, Lungs filled with dirt is the most outwardly metalcore song I have heard from the band thus far. The layering of vocals, breathy tones and timbre give the impression of an inner voice playing alongside the main character. The effect adds depth to the song, pulling it up a level in quality. The overall clarity of Liam's vocals has improved, with a wider variety of tone, emotional connection and vocal techniques on display compared to previous releases.
Liam on Lungs filled with dirt - "The pressures life throws at us from day to day, year to year. The constant weight in wanting to live happy and peacefully, instead of trying your best to survive week to week. People who love you unintentionally piling shit on you/people who dislike you or want you to fail taking their best shot. Try your best no matter what and always get the fuck back up. Let them pile the dirt on, let life do its thing - Get up, it’ll only make you stronger. It’s all just noise. “You’ll never get your body.”"
There is something undeniably arse shaking about the beat of Lungs filled with dirt; while maintaining onto the depth and heaviness of the subject. If you are looking for a pit song to get all of your frustrations and melancholy out, you have found it. The track begins with clean and
punchy tom and cymbals and scaling guitar that grabs you by the face and holds you there as the tone drops and the chunky bass joins the mix. As the groove takes over you are thrust once more into a shift of tempo as the beat takes an upswing into push-pit territory. The pregnant pauses throughout the song give you fleeting moments of reflection before you are slingshotted back into the mayhem. I am interested to see where this new sound takes Insect next, hopefully towards a full length album. LUNGS FILLED WITH DIRT, Lungs filled with dirt, The distant black, Is ever growing back, The earth will swallow whole, Until the worms start feeding.
Insect will be performing alongside No Life, Deadskin and Plague of the Fallen at Tomcat on Friday October 2nd, with tickets available at the link.
Insect has previously appeared in our 15 Queensland bands you should be listening to available to read here, SlugFest 2 Concert review here and Liam appeared in our Behind the Mic Vol I available to read here.
You can find updated information from Insect at their linktree.
For fans of: Knocked Loose, Varials and Kublai Khan TX
9.5/10
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