Polaris - The Death of Me Review

WARNING! The videos embedded in this article contains profanity. Reader discretion is advised.

There are many remarkable metalcore acts hailing from Australia. A few acts of note include Parkway Drive, Northlane, In Hearts Wake, and I Killed the Prom Queen, but the list goes on and on. One of the more recent performers to get a bit of the spotlight is Polaris, who released The Mortal Coil in 2017, being a top 10 hit in Australia and earning a nomination for an ARIA award. The band is in a lot of mouths in the scene, but, now that they are gearing up to release The Death of Me, they’re set to explode.

The album makes a great start with “Pray for Rain”, transitioning from an ambient riff with unclean vocals, slowly adding instruments for a great build-up until things are kicked into high gear at 1:25. “Hypermania” sparks controlled chaos and taunts the listener to get up and mosh with fast-paced verses and hard-hitting choruses. The first single, “Masochist”, has infectious lyrics, with the somber standout being “Is it me that’s making me sick? Been burning both ends of the wick.”

“Landmine” picks things up again with noteworthy drum fills on top of bouncy guitars and a breakdown call out that is challenging to resist; the accompanying music video’s high production quality complements this track. The melodic “Vagabond” has a more traditional heavy metal sound and may appeal to a wider audience of fans with a tasteful solo near the end. I particularly enjoy the guitar during the chorus of “Creatures of Habit”, providing great layering to the song.

The clean vocals in the chorus of “Above My Head” had me singing along after multiple listens, as it’s backed by more solid usage of melody; this is my favorite offering on The Death of Me, with Polaris’ genre diversity on display here. The track that threw me for a loop is “Martyr (Waves)”, described as “melancholic pop” in the press release; this is a great entry point for new listeners of Polaris to ease into the band’s wide range. “All Of This Is Fleeting” opens with an endearing delay-pedal riff and later features a triplet-led breakdown that is the best of 2020 so far. The Death of Me wraps up with “The Descent”, finishing off the album strong with a long, calculated out-tro.

Polaris started off strong with The Mortal Coil, but The Death of Me elevates the band’s musical maturity and shows they know how to write a modern metalcore masterpiece. I truly enjoy when an album is devoid of filler and has ample variety between its tracks. Longtime Polaris listeners will be more than pleased to know that this is the band’s highest point so far, while new listeners will discover one of the most underrated groups in the scene. I was sent The Death of Me as a bonus after inquiring to receive The Amity Affliction’s new album, which happens to release on the same day. Expect that review to follow very soon!