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)
