ALBUM REVIEW: The Death Of Me – Polaris

In the last few years POLARIS have made waves that some bands can only dream of, having the opportunity to take their debut full length release The Mortal Coil on the road and perform all around the world. The time has now come for them to follow it up with their impending release The Death Of Me which is due for release on February 21st via SharpTone Records. Can the Australian trailblazers somehow manage to top their previous effort?

Pray For Rain opens with tense echoing notes and the abrasive screams of frontman Jamie Hails. As the track begins to gain traction infectious, bouncy riffing and punchy drum beats take centre stage. The vocal work is filled with emotive content which will potentially hit close to home. Hypermania maintains the energy and powerful mentality as the intensity starts to shift up through the gears. The vocals are laced with profound cries of despair and instances such as “Sometimes I wish the ground would open up and swallow me whole” strike a chord. Masochist takes a more subtle approach with soothing melodies but still hits equally as hard from a sentimental standpoint. Hails and bassist Jake Steinhauser both collectively wear their hearts on their sleeves.

Landmine reintroduces the heavier bite as the aggression seeps back into proceedings. This track is destined to become an electric live track as the crowd screams “All the heavy hearted sing this with me” in deafening unison. The crushing breakdown adds an emphatic footnote. Vagabond harnesses impactful grooves and meshes them seamlessly with an incredibly addictive chorus to provide one of the most uplifting moments The Death Of Me has to offer. The riff assault which is introduced towards the latter stages will send shivers down your spine. Creatures Of Habit treads down a darker path with caustic vocal bursts and nimble guitar work. The transitions between heaviness and melody is particularly impressive.

Above My Head keeps you on your toes with vibrant guitar tones and further instances of poignant vocal delivery. The chorus also cries out for audience participation. Whilst The Death Of Me has already put the listener through the emotional wringer Martyr (Waves) is layered in passionate vocal lines that are guaranteed to tug on your heart strings. The guitar solo perfectly accompanies the premise of the track. All Of This Is Fleeting leans more towards the technical side of POLARIS‘ arsenal with intricate riffing and neat tempo shifts to get your head bobbing. The Descent has no intention of letting this album fade out on a softer note. It throws all of its remaining energy to the forefront as the huge riffs and intense atmosphere combine to create an immediate injection of adrenaline right up until the closing seconds.

Some would say that POLARIS were up against it to try and match the level of acclaim received by The Mortal Coil but this release is nothing short of staggering. The Death Of Me is POLARIS at their most vulnerable, opening up their wounds for the world to see and you will be hard pushed to hear an album this heartfelt and relatable for the remainder of the year. If POLARIS continue to produce this calibre of material there are no limits to what they can achieve.

Rating: 9/10

The Death Of Me is set for release on February 21st via SharpTone Records.

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