Album Review: The Dirty Nil – ‘Smite’ EP

By: Luke Ottenhof –

There’s probably no better “genre” to describe Hamilton trio The Dirty Nil than with the name of their hometown: “Hammer” Rock. It could also be thought of as bearing the same qualities as the tool of the same name. It’s brash, gruff, and could probably be used to inflict harm. Granted, the extent of harm done would probably only be to your parents’ modest sensibilities, but harm is harm, and with their new EP, Smite, the Nil have again proven their aptitude for creating musical synonyms for an actual hammer.

The first single “Wrestle Yü to Hüsker Dü” sounds clunky and downright sludgy, and the melody takes a bit to grip you. But it nags at you; the sludge becomes so appealing you want to bathe in that sweet, muddy, mile-thick guitar tone on that main riff. It’s probably also the most appealing tune on the track; Guitarist and lead singer Luke Bentham’s voice is at its most presentable and least savage (although “least savage” for Bentham is still “cave-man status” for anyone else), and the overall theme of the song (“I don’t care about your man/No I don’t care about your man,” goes the behemoth chorus) is genuinely accessible and fun to sing. Even if we aren’t really actually cool and blasé enough to “not care about” her man, we can pretend and indulge for a little while.

The flailing solo on “Beat” is a highlight. The over excited melody, mad picking, and creamy tone sounds like the audio equivalent of a particularly pissed rhinoceros sprinting full tilt into a patch of dandelions, forgetting why he’s angry, but realizing it’s really, really fun to destroy the flowers. Along with this, a kind of classic rock and roll groove is present, although in much harsher form.

The “live” feel that the Nil has nursed on their previous releases continues; don’t bet on these fellas releasing a hi-fi, polished collection of pleasing sounds. It’s gnarly, and it’s supposed to be. The energy is integral to the sound, as they’ve decided, and so it is a part of the recording process that it sounds live, raw, untweaked.

Hearing these songs live will be a riot, and that’s a sign of a solid EP.

Essential tracks: “Beat” and “Wrestle Yu to Husker Du”.