The Dirge Carolers

THE DIRGE CAROLERS
ORNITHRONOS
TRIFORIUM
Having seen The Dirge Carolers live in Boston, I was happy to see this release. Ornithronos takes me right back tot he 90's gothic scene with its guitar driven style. With the advent of EBM, it's refreshing to hear guitars again. Vocally, Chris Harnois has a voice that shifts between a melodic Carl McCoy (Fields of the Nephilim) and Rogue (The Cruxshadows), both of which is a high compliment to him. "Scars of Love" and "Zombie Llama" have a real Batcave/Deathrock feel to (them) while "Chasing Dreams" and "Want" feature guitar work by Dorian James, which showcases a more gothic rock feel. TDC explore several diverse styles on this album, so there's something here for everyone. --Curse - Gothic Beauty Magazine

THE DIRGE CAROLERS
WALK LIKE MEN - EP
Own Label

Review by Mick Mercer

Good to see they’ve got another one out because there’s an
intelligence burrowing deep into their refined Goth sounds.
‘Want’ has some craftily sneaky lyrics with unexpected twists
and turns behind the neatly luminous guitar and gentrified pace
but when they come to record their album I think they need to
consider emphasising the vocals a bit more as they’re little too
quiet in the mix, which isn’t a problem in the trickling ‘Hoof.’
Here we meet a seductive beast and its human dupe, in a
discreet piece where guitar, drums and bass play second fiddle
to the winsome keyboards and lyrical warning. ‘You Scare Too
Easily’ doesn’t hold the same interest, being a lightly queasy
tune with thin guitar stretched out across it and too much
lyrical repetition, but the bass is nice.
Bands like this always remind me why I like the old school
forms of Goth so much, mixing dark themes with a personal
take, and there’s a rich character about even their slimmest
sounds. I also like what they advise in their press release:
‘Check them out in clubs and party like it’s 1899!’
More on them when I have it.
www.myspace.com/thedirgecarolers - The Mick, 41, Jan 2008

Interview by Mick Mercer
THE DIRGE CAROLERS have recently made an intriguing little CD which is absurdly tricky to find or order, but I think they’re getting that sorted now. Detailed visual lyrics coupled with noxious, frisky tunes that you can love.

Q.~Your site says you’ve been developing in a smelly gaseous way for some time, yet this was the first CD? Why so?

Chris H. ~ Actually this is not the first Dirge CD, we formed in 96 and have put out 2 EP’s that I later put into one CD and half completed another CD that never got finished due to quitting members. That’s always been our biggest problem - we started out as a full band and have gone through so many line-ups that I am the only original member. The current guitar player, Drake, is not the person on the current CD. Brad, who played on the disc, had a family medical emergency that forced him to give up playing music for a while. I was lucky to meet Drake so soon afterward, he was able to pick up everything in no time. I have also had to deal with the leaving of the band’s keyboard player about a year ago. She was one of the original members and was a friend of mine for over ten years but we ran into some issues that she would not compromise on. This forced me to have find ways to adapt without her on the sequencer.

Q.~I was struck by the way the lyrics often verged on a quality far higher than the music. How much time do you give to each, and how easy do you find this? Are there arguments galore, or are you just picky?

Chris H. ~ I write everything and I always have. This is not an ego thing it’s just the way it has always been. I am a vocalist first and I play bass out of necessity so this may be why sometimes the arrangements aren’t as slick as they could have been.

Q.~Is there an official Dirge Carolers tattoo?
Chris H. ~ Not unless Drake wants there to be one (please avert your eyes from my naked arms)
Drake ~ I have enough for everyone in the group……..LOL I don’t think there is an official DC tattoo but seeing I am also a tattoo artist perhaps someday there shall be a design that we can call official.

Q.~ I have to ask – the duo thing? Is this simple expediency in that you have tired of auditioning unreliable people, or does no-one you’ve encountered bought into your worldview (yet)?

Chris H. ~ The Duo is just survival. There has always been an open audition for the band, problem is we seem to be just a stepping stone for most. I believe you have heard of the band that our drummer left us to join…..The Dime Store Halo’s . He is still a friend of mine and I wish everyone who has played with us the best I’m just tired of getting left in the dust all thetime.

Drake ~ I like the duo thing because it makes for an easier practice and less set up and tear down time in a live situation and seeing most venues rush you on and rush you off you really have a limited time and with drums , keys and extra people you have to worry about everyones monitor mixes and stage volume and with the two of us we just play and it is a simple set up so we just plug and go.

Q.~Your music has it roots in hard rock according to you’re My Space bio. You seem to have disguised this well!

Chris H. ~ The word Rock is still part of gothic Rock. I sang in Metal bands in the late eighties when I was just a wee thing but I always wanted something more out of my music, something uniquely me. Also we all change as time goes on.
Drake ~ I come from a long line of metal bands and seeing I was a bass player for 23 years I still have the metal and bassist sound that follows me. My style is different from most classic goth rock acts but I think it makes us sound more like us and less like every other band.

Q.~Being a duo is just the sort of thing to make people regard your band as a hobby thing. How serious is it to you?

Chris H. ~ Music is just something I have to do whether I make money at it or not. At this point in my life I’m not holding out to be a rock star or anything but I enjoy playing out and want to have the band be recognized on a more worldly scale even if its just recognition and a few shows a little further away from home. Also, I would like to be able to record some more and get some distribution for the recordings even if it doesn’t amount to much monetarily.
Drake ~ For me it was never a hobby, I have been in music since I was 11 and have played in a few indie signed metal/alternative acts over the years and this is something I have to do period. I have 3 loves in life , my tattooing , my music and of course my girlfriend April who is a major supporter of the band and someone that is there when I need her so I can say I take everything seriously.

Q.~‘Unexamined Life’ does show a very romantic, warm approach. What is it about this that appeals to you?

Chris H. ~ The simplicity of this song is what I like about it. Lyrically it’s just sort of a lament for things I haven’t done or for things I have to do that I’m not all that fond of...

Q.~Given the humour involved, which can clash somewhat with the adventurous lyrics of something like ‘In A Song’ what are you trying to achieve here? Is it playful, it is dramatic?

Chris H. ~ The styles of the songs represent the ups and downs of my personality. Sometimes humor is the only defence we have against life and sometimes, in introspective pieces like “In a Song”, it’s me taking a cynical look at myself and my surroundings. I suppose I’m moody or something.
Drake ~ One can never take one’s self too serious or you will never find a happy place in life. I know many Goth bands sound like life sucks and life is over and so on however that is cliché and we are just ourselves and we like to have fun and let people enjoy their time with us when we play shows. I think too many people already have trouble dealing with life so we can relate but we also can try to take them away for the 30-50 minutes we play. Chris has some really good ideas and
we are really working on making all the songs have a new life to them so all the emotion can come across in the music. We will be recording a new CD soon with a lot of the songs that are already on the older cds. I have some friends that are
really talented that are going to work with us , Grammy Award Winner Jay Frigoleto (His work has earned a Grammy award, several Grammy and Latin Grammy nominations, and gold and platinum record awards) - The Mick 18, July 2005

There’s no denying Friday is going to be a hot night at the Lucky Dog. Any one of the four bands on the bill would be a joy to listen to, what with the cool jazz of Boston’s fictional Monsters, the fun-filled funkiness of White Chocolate, or the all-around awesomeness of Hey Now, Morris Fader. But there’s just something inherently cool and offbeat about the Dirge Carolers that make them stand out a bit. Maybe it’s the band’s post-punk, gothic sound, with its ominous vocals and creepy lyrics, such as on the deliciously moody “Cover Your Neck.” Maybe it’s the musicians’ neo-Victorian, steampunk look. Whatever it is, it’s a cool piece of a show that threatens to heat up a hot summer that much more. The Dirge Carolers performs with White Chocolate, Hey Now, Morris Fader and the Fictional Monsters Friday at the Lucky Dog Music Hall, 89 Green St., Worcester. (Victor D. Infante)
- Worcester Telegram, Thursday, August 20

The Dirge Carolers

Band set for first full-length album


By Rebecca Carter

With a hint of the turn-of-the century Rasputina vibe, post-punk synch and some Bauhaus twang thrown in for good measure; The Dirge Carolers are Worcester’s contribution to a resurging Goth-Renaissance underground.

Formed in 1997, The Dirge Carolers have had a rotating line-up; it which currently consists of Chris Harnois on lead vocals, bass, drum and keyboard programming, Peter Nulton on guitar, Heather Nulton on keys and Dorian James also on guitar. In their time together, The Carolers have graced such bohemian haunts as The Rat, CBGB’s, Sky Bar, The Living Room, and our own The Lucky Dog, to name a few. To date, they’ve recorded five DIY EPs in their own studio.

The band’s latest, Walk Like Men, has a very ‘80s feel (no, not Tiffany ‘80s, definitely Joy Division ‘80s), but in this genre that’s nothing but a plus. Whereas as the new wave of Goths and Industrialists have succumbed to the gleam of overproduction, the DIY feel of Walk Like Men harkens back to the days when even the pioneers were learning how to use their synthesizers. The vocals on the three song EP are quite reminiscent of Bauhaus’ Peter Murphy, at times maybe a little too reminiscent. But Harnois sites Murphy as a major influence.

“We are all inspired by Bauhaus, especially Peter Murphy,” he explained. “[He] has an awesome, versatile voice, which ranges all over the place from baritone crooner like Sinatra to craziness like Jello Biafra.”

The Dirge Carolers are currently at work on their first full length album, set to be released this year on Triforium Records.

“Walk Like Men was recorded in our own studio, where the follow up album is in production,” Chris described. “We used the EP as a sort of test of our home recording skills. Based on the positive response that we got we decided to record a full length LP using the same method, only spending a bit more time polishing it up.”

The Dirge Carolers are unique, a nice change to the “new alternative,” but they are part of a scene that has been slow to gain acceptance in Worcester. “We’d love to play out in Worcester more, but the style we play doesn’t seem to have that strong of a following in this area,” explained Chris. “We fare better in Providence and Boston, and would love to see the same kind of response here.”

For more information on The Dirge Carolers visit www.dirgecarolers.com or www.myspace.com/thedirgecarolers

http://thepulsemag.com/wordpress/2008/05/0608-up-and-comers/

- Pulse Magazine, 6/8/08

Thursday, September 24, 2009
What you’re listening to: The Dirge Carolers
By Victor D. Infante TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

The Dirge Carolers Heather Caunt-Nulton, keyboard/bass/saxophone
In her book “Gothic Charm School: A Guide for Goths and Those Who Love Them,” essayist Jillian Venters describes the Goth subculture as being — in part — about finding beauty in surprising places, and notes that the Goth sense of humor sometimes rides the line between being macabre and whimsical. Both of which well-define the Dirge Carolers, a Boston band that is increasingly becoming a local fixture through appearances at local venues, including the Lucky Dog Music Hall. Of course, it’s hard not to love a band that plays songs such as the vampire-themed “Cover Your Neck” and the hysterical “Zombie Llama.”

Dirge Carolers bassist Heather Caunt-Nulton doesn’t just find beauty in strange places, though. She also finds music. Caunt-Nulton, who doesn’t use a portable MP3 player but instead listens to “CDs, MP3s stored on my computer and stuff on YouTube playlists,” seemingly collects music from all over the place, be it from the “Cirque du Soleil” soundtrack or her own youth. “The folks who told me that I would certainly grow out of my obsession when I was a Green Day-obsessed 13-year-old may stand corrected.”

One apparent source of new music for the musician seems to be DJs. “My friend DJ Lost Boy used to play this at Ceremony up in Boston all the time,” she says of the song “The Hunt” by Niyaz. “It has long been one of my favorite songs to dance to. (Singer) Azam Ali is amazing. Likewise, she came across Enduser’s “Switch” in a similar manner. “Another DJ friend, Jenova Complex of Sanctuary in Providence, introduced me to this remixed Bollywood gem. It also became a dance favorite, obsession, and fashion show catwalk feature.”

One thing that becomes apparent in Caunt-Nulton’s list is that her taste ranges far and wide, bringing together sounds from as far away as Iran and India. So what band seems to pull it all together for her? Gogol Bordello would seem to be the winner.

“Gogol Bordello is just one of the best bands I’ve ever heard. Gypsy Punk is the precise perfect mix of many things I like — punk, silliness, multiculturalness. ‘Start Wearing Purple’ is dear to my heart and makes me laugh in part because, yes, I almost always wear purple. My sanity and wits have not vanished yet, as far as I know!”

1. “Kalp Kalbe Karsi Derler,” by Asli Gungor 2. “1,000 Hours,” by Green Day 3. “Love Song,” by the Damned 4. “Start Wearing Purple,” by Gogol Bordello 5. “The Hunt,” by Niyaz 6. “Switch,” by Enduser 7. “Love You Like Mad,” by U2 8. “Tear You Apart,” by She Wants Revenge 9. “Allegria,” from “Cirque du Soleil” 10. “Sister No Mercy,” by the Dirge Carolers

Guilty pleasure: “I am embarrassed of nothing,” says Caunt-Nulton. “Some people might think I should be embarrassed of middle-school-era songs like ‘Water Runs Dry’ by Boyz II Men and ‘Hat 2 Da Back’ by TLC. The albums are in my collection because I loved them when I was 11 to 13ish. Perhaps I should be embarrassed of MC Hammer’s ‘Please Don’t Hurt ’Em,’ but I was not responsible for its purchase and thus feel no shame.”
- Worcester Telegram and Gazette

The Dirge Carolers
http://www.dirgecarolers.com/
www.myspace.com/thedirgecarolers

Lead vocals, Bass, Drum and Keyboard programming - Chris Harnois
Guitar - Peter Nulton
Keyboards - Heather Nulton
Guitar - Dorian James

We were recently handed a new studio cut by the Goth Guitarist Peter Nulton of The Dirge Carolers, from out of Massachusetts, titled “The Dunwich Horror”.
This track is based on the H.P. Lovecraft story of the same name and it does a good job at creating the “uncomfortable eeriness” that Lovecraft’s stories can have with a modern sound. Chris Harnois’s vocals blend well and his tone is just right to convey the haunting lyrics of the doomed Wilbur Whateley.
The Dirge Carolers don’t go over the top to make this cut sound heavy or pound this song into the listener, they keep it simple and keep it creepy and it works! - Shallow Graves Magazine