PolarisFatalism

One of life’s most painful yet liberating and universal emotions is brought to life in gripping fashion on album #3 from Sydney metalcore maestros Polaris. 

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With fear and all its murky trappings at its core, the world’s uncertainties and poignant realities fuse candidly into a polished and nuanced collective on Fatalism, due out on September 1; and it’s a haunting yet hopeful endeavour that will slice you to your core.

Understandably, Fatalism carries its bleak undertones with a significantly heavier weight following the recent personal tragedy in the Polaris family. It’s impossible not to be struck deeply by the explosive guitar solos on a track like Nightmare or when viewing the eye-popping accompanying music videos following the heartbreaking loss of Polaris guitarist Ryan Siew earlier this year. Pulling together and forging ahead to release this deeply personal and connective collection of songs, given the circumstances, undoubtedly would have posed unimaginable challenges for the band, and the end result is a staggering testament to the courageous Polaris spirit in the face of formidable odds.

Unfurling with the deliciously foreboding Harbinger, Fatalism opens up evolving from subdued elegance into chest-thumping beats, interwoven guitars and the iridescent light and shade of Jamie Hails before diving into gleeful turbulence on Nightmare. A towering anthem, equally apocalyptic in its arrangement and thematics, Nightmare is a riff-driven triumph, with Siew entering beast mode alongside a stalwart outing from drummer Daniel Furnari during the track’s goose-bump inducing climax. 

Polaris have steadfastly reached into the abyss and beyond their own towing limits, emerging with an album that finds freedom and liberation in adversity and stylistic diversity. A meteoric, frenzied and downright beautiful journey, Fatalism harnesses fear and tragedy into something truly spectacular.

Speaking in their pre-release material, Polaris have steadfastly declared their dedication to smashing beyond their creative comfort zones, and the industrial-meets-electro chaos of Parasites is pure teeth-baring sorcery, while gossamer synths interplay with sharp melodics and blazing guitarwork (Overflow) and emphatic clean and harsh vocals reign supreme (With Regards). Elsewhere, Inhumane, one of the initial tracks penned for Fatalism and the album’s first single, ferociously captures the modern-day desensitisation of tragedy alongside basslines worthy to fill the Every Time I Die-shaped hole in your heart as well as some ravenous guitar solos for good measure. 

Carefully crafted to seamlessly flow between buoyant tones and pummeling elation, Fatalism readily showcases each member at their absolute peak, with The Crossfire once again showcasing dexterous riffage, anthem-worthy choruses and Furnari simultaneously levitating and igniting behind the kit. And closing out with touches of deathcore-adjacent angst (Dissipate), heart-wrenching poignancy (Aftertouch) and festival-ready ragers (Fault Line), Fatalism ultimately goes all in on its final track All In Vein; a volcanic closing note that effortlessly welds the trademark (and noticeably expanded) Polaris pastiche, forging gripping melodies with ferocity alongside lyricism that will spark a fire in your soul.

When it came to album #3 for Polaris, there was little to prove for the group following their 2020 ARIA nominated release The Death of Me. And yet even amongst the darkness of the world surrounding the making and release of Fatalism, Polaris have steadfastly reached into the abyss and beyond their own towing limits, emerging with an album that finds freedom and liberation in adversity and stylistic diversity. A meteoric, frenzied and downright beautiful journey, Fatalism harnesses fear and tragedy into something truly spectacular.

STANDOUT TRACKS: Nightmare, Parasites, Inhumane
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