It is always very nice to have a band that is completely unknown to you for a presentation and from the first song you think that something very good is going on over here, as a result of which you remain focused on listening. Something like that happened on my first contact with Polaris from Australia.
The quintet was founded in Sydney at the end of 2012 and since then they have released two EPs and one full-length album, with this being the second one, three years since “The Mortal Coil”. Their style is metalcore, fortunately full of energy and aggression without sweet and salty parts and jolly refrains, as the new trend dictates. Not that it lacks of melodies, but they are done the right way.
We will meet ten songs in “The Death Of Me” with a total duration of forty minutes. It starts very nicely, as “Pray For Rain” has a sweet post melody, but soon shows us his tough character with a great outburst. “Masochist” also stands out with the alternations between clear and extreme vocals and its melancholic atmosphere, the furious “Landmine” with the great riffs and “Above My Head” that stuck to my mind. Even “Martyr (Waves)”, which is the most…harmless with the acoustic parts and clean vocals, has certain points that do not leave you indifferent.
In general, we are talking about an enjoyable release in the field of metalcore. The vocals are mostly extreme, while the clean ones being not cheesy at all when they are used. The rhythms and breakdowns invite you for headbanging, some melodies are awesome, while great work has been done on the guitars with sharp riffs and very catchy leads. Of course, I would say that their sound in places reminds me of djent bands, but this is of course not a negative factor.
They certainly need some improvements, but they are on the right path to make their name bigger. I will definitely watch their movements from now on. Fans of bands like Unearth, Darkest Hour and Killswitch Engage, you know what to do.
