ALBUM REVIEW: No Cure, No Saviour – Polar
Having been going since the turn of the decade and remaining relatively unknown, POLAR have desperate trying to find their own voice in amongst the mass blur of the modern music industry. Their previous effort Shadowed By Vultures was a healthy slice of British hardcore but ultimately didn’t get the spotlight. Now moving on from that point with an album that is deeply rooted in something the band are tremendously passionate about, help for the homeless. The album being about homelessness and all the troubles and stigma’s surrounding it, it’s a refreshing reminder of an issue often over looked. The music isn’t bad either.
Blood For Blood kicks off the record with force. The riffs are heavy and unforgiving, perfectly used to draw in the listeners and keep them hooked for the duration for the album. The energy and pacing for the first half of the album is at a constant high and never once dropped. The instant transition from the opener into Downfall, and similarly from that through to following track King of Kings keeps the beat up and highlights the anger and emotion behind the tracks. The message is subtle and hits hard, with nothing ever feeling preachy or at all condescending, which is key when trying to portray a message as important as this.
The album genuinely keeps up the all out assault throughout the entire record. Tidal Waves and Hurricanes couples massive chugging riffs through the verses with big group vocals backing the chorus, culminating in an easy highlight of the album, especially when the final seconds of punishment reign down. The first of two (!) filler tracks and the better of the duo No Cure slows down the pace nicely, and offers a moment of reflection before Deus Ex Machina kicks in.
The immediate injection of adrenaline renders the minute and a half track useless but does well to create turbulence and further draw out the message of difficulty and strife that is faced by the homeless. Perhaps more time being spent on the lay out of the tracks and more though in what songs make the cut, because when the riffs are as strong and as heavy as they are here, having two filler tracks just seems like a slap in the face
POLAR have certainly done enough to warrant to attention of everyone. Having been a quiet staple of the UK scene, this album should see them truly come out of their shell. A mature and extremely well done record with a message most would be too fearful to cover, the band have proven themselves to be not only forward thinking but also display an ability to bite just as hard as the rest of them.
Rating: 8/10
No Cure, No Saviour is out now via Prosthetic Records.
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