Polaris ‘Fatalism’

This album will mean so much to so many people connected with Polaris. Whether you’ve been on the ten year journey from the start or been a new convert blown away by the bands hyperactive, explosive and emotional shows, this album.

This goddamn album! It means so much more. Musically and lyrically they have always hit the hurt spots in peoples souls which has made them the front runner in an Australian music scene that is taking over the world. Yet this band seem to befall disaster after disaster.

Covid run rampant right on launch date of last album The Death Of Me and this album lands under a black cloud that touches everyone one of us. Yet this is also a band that has never gone backwards. It tackles every challenge head first and powers through successfully time and time again.

As the lyric in Fault Line goes ‘it’s always darkest before the dawn’. Polaris always wins too. What of the music though? As a decade long veteran fan of the band I can truly say they continue to smash through that glass ceiling time and again.

Vocally, bassist Jake Steinhauser is a lot more prominent throughout the album on tracks like the suspense building Harbinger, the electronic vibed Overflow and the soft With Regards. Jamie Hails is his usual whirlwind of emotion and fury with a new level of delivery within his vocal palette that goes another level on tracks like Nightmare and Inhumane.

Musically though, this album is Polaris most complete to date. The riffs are punch a hole in a rock wall worthy, the switch in dynamics fresh and electric, the solo work epic and that breakdown in Dissipate worth the fee alone.

So many songs on Fatalism will be fan favourites on first listen and will be sung back with gusto on the upcoming tour. Polaris have released the best Australian album, track by track, of anyone in years. Ryan’s last gift to a world is a masterpiece worthy of his talent. Thank you for pouring your heart into enriching our lives. You will be missed.

Album Review By Iain McCallum