ALBUM REVIEW: Everywhere, Everything – Polar
The UK’s POLAR have been knocking on the door to the big leagues for many years, touring relentlessly and gaining some sweet supporting slots with heavy hitters AFTER THE BURIAL and industry darlings SPIRITBOX. After 2019’s Nova saw the band starting to make some waves, the pandemic halted all momentum. Struggling with their identity and place in the metal scene, the band almost called it quits, but after a lot of strife and resilience, they once again found their rhythm and with a new fire lit under them they’ve birthed their latest full-length, Everywhere, Everything. It’s a showcase of all that has come before in terms of the band’s sound but with an added sense of purpose and feeling that has allowed them to expand on the textures and layers of each track more than ever before
The aptly-named Winds Of Change opens the record slowly. It’s an extended intro that builds gradually before launching into a heroic sing-along. The utilization of more clean vocals in the verses is the first sign of a new era of POLAR. After it comes to its conclusion, we’re hit with the sonic blast of Burn. This is the hardcore pummelling that fans of past POLAR are familiar with. The verses crash down hard before the euphoric chorus erupts. The layered vocals add to its magnitude and the breakdown hits like a ton of bricks.
In terms of production, there are echoes of There Is A Hell era BRING ME THE HORIZON in the guitar tone. The low end is as thick as MEGAN THEE STALLION’s thighs and really helps drive home the riffs, evident in the breakdown of Gods & Heathens (a track that also boasts one of the album’s most sizeable and catchy choruses).
The song-writing on Everywhere, Everything has improved tenfold since Nova and you can see how much more emotion has been pumped into these tracks. Lead vocalist Adam Woodford’s desperate screams soar over each track and are the driving force of the more melodic moments on the album. While arguably the clean vocals don’t live up to the harsh vocals, it is great to hear him break away from his comfort zone. His performance in the experimental single Rush is admirable but is slightly overshadowed by his co-star Ellie Price.
The band haven’t abandoned their early roots and explode with ferocity on the riff-laden Dissolve Me – another melodic hardcore rager that wouldn’t sound out of place on an early BRING ME THE HORIZON record. It features a beatdown halfway through that’s reminiscent of Aussie upstarts POLARIS. This one will go down well with fans of the live show pit. There is a slight issue with some of the tracks sounding a little too similar, especially in the choruses – Snakes Of Eden only really stands out towards its conclusion, for example – but this is a minor gripe and fans of the sound most likely won’t have an issue.
The closing track Baptism Of Fire is the band really showing how far they’ve come and it feels like a fitting end to the album. It’s a hulking number that utilizes the band’s newfound ability to hit you with an emotional gut punch. POLAR have evolved and expanded their sound on Everywhere, Everything and it sees the band finally figuring out their path. While it may be a slight re-tread of bands that have come before them, these are the right footsteps to follow.
Rating: 8/10
Everywhere, Everything is set for release on January 13th via Arising Empire.
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