The Dirty Nil

The Dirty Nil is a Canadian rock band formed in Hamilton, Ontario in 2006,^[1] who won the Juno Award for Breakthrough Group of the Year at the Juno Awards of 2017.^[2] The band consists of singer and guitarist Luke Bentham, drummer Kyle Fisher, and bassist Sam Tomlinson.

The Dirty Nil
Guitarist-frontman Luke Bentham (front) and drummer Kyle Fisher (background)
Background information
Origin	Dundas/Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Genres	Punk rock alternative rock hard rock
Years active	2006–present
Labels	Dine Alone Records
Members	Luke Bentham Kyle Fisher Sam Tomlinson
Past members	Dave Nardi Ross Miller

History

Former bassist Ross Miller performing in Berkeley, California - October 2019

The band members began playing together in high school,^[3] and formed The Dirty Nil in 2006. They released their debut single "Fuckin' Up Young" in 2011,^[1] and began touring North America, performing in clubs and at festivals.^[4][5] They followed with a series of further singles and EPs and released their full-length debut album Higher Power in 2016.^[1] Following that album's success, they released Minimum R&B, a compilation of the early singles and EP tracks in 2017.^[6] The Dirty Nil released their second studio album Master Volume on September 14, 2018 on Dine Alone Records,^[7] and released the first single from the album, "Bathed in Light".^[8] In August 2020, the band announced a new album titled Fuck Art, which was released on January 1, 2021.^[9][10]

In 2023, the band released its fourth full-length album: Free Rein to Passions, which Kerrang! reviewer Aliya Chaudhry said "strikes a balance between joking around and being vulnerable."^[11]

Musical style

Music critics commonly label the band under the punk rock genre. The band mixes the swaggering riffs of hard rock with the attitude and energy of punk.^[12] Despite these classifications, the band said in a 2015 interview with Vice that they don't define themselves as a punk band but rather define themselves as just a rock band.^[13] In a 2023 interview with New Noise Magazine, however, frontman Luke Bentham walked back those comments. "When I originally held that view, I think that the term punk was a very loaded word in our circle of bands where it was very frowned upon to call yourself a punk band because that had to be an accolade that others bestowed upon us. It was a medal that you earned to be punk, and you couldn't call yourself punk. I don't believe in any of that crap anymore. But when you're 24, and you really care about the opinions of the people in your scene..."^[14]

Members

Current members

• Luke Bentham – lead vocals, guitar (2006–present)
• Sam Tomlinson – bass guitar, backing vocals (2021–present)
• Kyle Fisher – drums (2006–present)

Past members

• Dave Nardi – bass guitar, backing vocals (2009–2016)
• Ross Miller – bass guitar, backing vocals (2017–2021)

Timeline

Discography

Studio albums

• Higher Power (2016)
• Master Volume (2018)
• Fuck Art (2021)
• Free Rein to Passions (2023)

Compilations

• Nil Tape (2012)
• Minimum R&B (2017)
• You're Welcome (2018)

EPs

• The Dirty Nil (2008)
• Saccharine Visceral (2009)
• Summer Mix – Tape Vol. 2: Covers (2013)
• The Dirty Nil Record Club Volume 1 (2013)
• The Dirty Nil Record Club Volume 2 (2013)
• Smite (2014)
• The Dirty Nil Record Club Volume 3 (2014)
• The Dirty Nil Record Club Volume 4 (2015)
• Little Elephant Session (2016)
• The Dirty Nil Record Club Volume 5 (2016)
• The Dirty Nil on Audiotree Live (2016)
• The Dirty Nil Record Club Volume 6 (2017)
• Little Elephant Session 2 (2018)
• Master Volume (2019)
• The Big Rip (2022) – split Cam Kahin, Ashlee Schatze, Spirit Desire

Singles

• "Fuckin' Up Young" (2011)
• "Little Metal Baby Fist" (2012)
• "Zombie Eyed" (2013) – split single with Northern Primitive
• "Cinnamon" / "Guided by Vices" (2014)
• "No Weaknesses" (2015)
• "Friends In The Sky" (2016) – split single with Food Court
• "Caroline" (2017)
• "Surrender" (2018)
• "Bathed in Light" / "Queen Bitch" (2018)
• "Pain of Infinity" (2018)
• "I Don't Want That Phone Call" (2018)
• "That's What Heaven Feels Like" (2018) – No. 31 Mainstream Rock Songs^[15]
• "Unchained" (2018)
• Live from Saturday Night Livestream (2019)
• You're Welcome I (2019)
• "Astro Ever After" (2019)
• You're Welcome II (2019)
• You're Welcome III (2019)
• You're Welcome VI (2019)
• "Idiot Victory" (2019)
• "Christmas at My House" (2019)
• "Done With Drugs" (2020)
• "Doom Boy" (2020)
• "Blunt Force Concussion" (2020) - No. 34 Alternative Airplay^[16]
• "One More and the Bill" (2020)
• "School" (Live) (2021)
• "Bye Bye Big Bear" (2022)
• "Nicer Guy" (2023)
• "Celebration" (2023)

References

1. "The Dirty Nil: Who's Next?". Exclaim!, March 21, 2016.
2. "Diana Panton and Dirty Nil take home Juno Awards this weekend". CBC Hamilton, April 2, 2017.
3. "Review: The Dirty Nil are totally committed to the power of rock on Master Volume". NOW Toronto,
4. "ROCKINGHAM: How The Dirty Nil achieved Master Volume". Hamilton Spectator, Luke Ottenhof, September 14, 2018
5. "SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE DIRTY NIL - HIGHER POWER". The Spill Magazine. February 26, 2016. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
6. "The Dirty Nil Revisit Early Work for 'Minimum R&B' Compilation". Exclaim!, February 9, 2017.
7. "The Dirty Nil Master Volume". Exclaim! Adam Feibel, published September 7, 2018
8. "The Dirty Nil announce new album, premiere raucous "Bathed In Light": Exclusive". Billboard.
9. Gregory, Allie (August 17, 2020). "The Dirty Nil Announce New Album 'Fuck Art'". Exclaim!. Retrieved August 22, 2020.
10. Gregory, Allie (September 15, 2020). "The Dirty Nil Plot Virtual North American Tour, Detail 'Fuck Art'". Exclaim!. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
11. Chaudhry, Aliya (May 25, 2023). "Album review The Dirty Nil Free Rein To Passions". Kerrang. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
12. " The Dirty Nil". AllMusic Biography by John D. Buchanan
13. "The Dirty Nil Is Not a Punk Band". Noisey, November 17, 2015.
14. "Interview: Luke Bentham of The Dirty Nil Talks 'Free Reign to Passions'". New Noise Magazine. Retrieved July 18, 2023.
15. "Mainstream Rock Songs – Week of December 15, 2018". Billboard. Retrieved March 10, 2019.
16. "Alternative Airplay - Week of February 20, 2021". Billboard. Retrieved February 18, 2021.